One man doesn’t wait his row’s turn when the plane lands and the captain turns off the seat belt sign. He rushes towards the front of the aircraft as soon as he can, jumping ahead as many rows as he needs to in order to be as close to first off the plane as possible.
His video is captioned, “POV: you have 0 patience when getting off planes.” As soon as the seat belt sign turns off on this JetBlue flight, he’s in action, grabbing his belongings and running as fast as he can before the plane’s aisle fills up with passengers.
And he makes it from the rear of the aircraft almost to the front before the aisle clogs too much for him to move any farther. That’s why he calls himself “literally [a] top 5 plane unboarder.” And millions have seen his video.
Normally you stand up when the seat belt sign turns off. The passenger at the aisle seat walks into the aisle either right away or when the row in front of you starts walking off the plane. And then when the people in front of you are on their way out, you proceed down the aisle yourself. (I should add that standing up as soon as the seat belt sign turns off is also the correct thing to do.)
But there’s no express rule against squeezing through the passengers in the rows in front of you. This could become a safety issue, and you could wind up in a physical altercation! But people jump the queue to get off of planes all the time, for instance when your flight is delayed and they’re running to catch a connection.
Wait your turn, though, is a basic norm. The aircraft’s aisle gets pretty crowded once the seat belt sign is turned off. There’s usually just a couple of seconds. You might make it a row or two forward before people start blocking the aisle. I’ve never seen anyone make it from the back of the plane to the front without shoving.
You might think the passenger in this video is causing others to stay on the aircraft longer by jumping to the front, and that it’s unfair. But he’s getting off the plane quickly! If everyone got off quickly, everyone would be on the plane for less time. Doesn’t this work from a Kantian perspective?
Fast deplaning also keeps flights running on time, allowing airlines to turn aircraft more quickly. And quick turns, along with on-time operations, keep costs down and fares low. Isn’t he a hero?
Charge people to do carry on and the planes load and unload faster.
There’s only one real pass in this video – am shocked how many in the back half of the plane are being patient and stay seated.
But he’s being rude with his premise. Once you reach someone in the aisle ahead you wait, no ‘excuse me’ and generally give the aisle in front of you a chance to get up first.
If you’re so generally impatient pay for or assign a seat at the front.
Maybe the taco bell (or perhaps the Mexican tap water) he had just before the flight was finally kicking in. Heck, if your lower intestine is calling a mayday, it’s time to knock people out of the way faster than Larry Csonka (look him up).
Greg, if you see a passenger making their way up the aisle and you block them, then YOU are rude. As stated in the post, there are legitimate reasons like connecting flights that necessitate people leave the plane quickly.
I don’t really see a problem. If everyone hurried up to get off, I would also get off sooner. I am seated in a window seat so my ability to get out depends on others in the row. I find it rude for people to take their sweet time getting their luggage while everyone left behind them waits. Then there are those rude people who want to put something or take it out of their luggage and they block the aisle with their butt. The worst of the rude people are those who want to dictate when to get out in their row, even letting a lot of people behind them out first. Let me out, I have to get somewhere in a timely manner, too. But if someone tries to shove their way past me when the aisle is already clogged in front of me – uh, uh. I prefer the people in my row get out so I can get my luggage down to seat level by the time to exit gets to me.
This guy is an absolute POS and another example or our society falling apart at the seams.
There is no such word as deplaning! This is a term that was started in America 5 years ago. The correct term is disembarking. Please don’t add to the already number of destructive English words we come up with in the USA. Keep the English language in English.
He won’t do it on a plane I’m on. People need to wait their turn. Deplaning starts at the front. I can agree some people carry to much and take forever.
@Fernsie: Merriam-Webster Unabridged lists the first known use of “deplane” in this sense as being in 1923. You’re only off by 95 years.
At MIA passengers are in the aisle to deboard the second the wheels touch the ground. And this chump would not stand a chance.
I loathe the word deplaning BUT why is everyone so damned slow? Just get down the aisle already.
LOL. Had one guy do this on a plane I was on and the FA made him walk the walk of shame all the way back to his seat.
Then made sure everyone ahead of him got out first.
I’ve had tight connections and have asked, politely, if I could go ahead. Had others ask me. But come barreling up when I’m trying to get my luggage down, I might just accidentally swing it a bit wide.
Seems like a d*ck move
His time is no more or less valuable
I could have sworn the word “De plane!” came from Fantasy Island, a 70’s TV show.
With my son’s wheelchair we are the first to board the plane and the last to get off. I look for the direct flights. More connections, more room for problems. Although I think connecting flights are cheaper. If I’ve been on a plane for hours what is a few more minutes. One good thing: the engine is off. I’m not freezing anymore.
What I don’t understand is if you are THAT eager to get off the plane quickly, why don’t you book closer to the front of the plane?
I think the article said he gets up as soon as the plane lands. Anytime I have flown the instructions are to remain seated until the plane reaches the gate.
@ Rich. Thank you. Fernsie has confused opinion with fact and evidently thinks 5 years ago is ancient history. I’ve been deplaning since 1966 but I must admit that disembarking sounds much better. It’s all that nautical stuff that carries over.
BTW, first time I was told to immediately turn starboard to avoid enemy fire, I had to check with my copilot. They really are needed.
Well, I’m in a hurry to get to my appointment, so I’m going to be running the red lights and stop signs. Sorry (not sorry) if it inconveniences you folks who follow the “rules” but now I’m out of your way, right?
@patti
Once that door opens the flight crew has only enough authority to order pizza. They can’t send you back to your seat to ‘wait your turn’….
I’m with Phil and Bueller is the problem, not the solution. Whatever happened to class and common courtesy? Following the “rules” on an airplane is a sucker’s move? You’re just one of the new avalanche of “I’m more important than you” jerks that’s ruining what used to be a caring country. Have a nice day!
Fast deplaning also keeps fights running on time
Just because you are technically allowed to do something in theory doesn’t mean you should. Did this same guy cut in line at the water fountain in kindergarten as well? Did his teacher let him get by with that and it taught him to be rude? The worst part is that people would watch such crap. This will eventually catch up with him.
People seem to think there is a rule for deplaning. I recently saw a man causing a queue of people behind him and empty aisle in front, while he unloaded his carry on, call the man who tried to slip past “rude”. The rude one is the person needing to use two hands to slowly unload his carry on, without stepping in from the aisle to let people without carry ons pass.
When it’s time to deplane, I’ll jump up if I have a tight connection, and sit back if my bag was checked and let the other adults on the plane decide how fast they need to deplane.
I agree with they poster who said larger wheeled carryons are more of an issue than anything else.
Like highway lanes, I’m okay with letting the fastest movers pass.
Someone should have tripped that asshat
Everyone is anxious to get off of the plane. This person is very rude and self-entitled!