Pet peeve: deboarding an airplane by row

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:***What do you do in this scenario?

You are in the aisle seat in row 8. You stood up in the aisle and are patiently waiting with your small carry on (which you kept under your seat).

Everyone in front starts exiting and you move forward — and then the woman in the aisle seat ahead of you jumps up and steps out into the aisle.

Naturally, you pause.

But then she says, “My carryon is in the overhead a few rows back.”

Her expectation was that everyone already standing in the aisle for 3+ rows would sit down so she could walk back and grab it.

I said, “Sorry, I think you’re going to need to wait until there’s space for you to walk back and grab it.”

She was clearly upset.

I walked by to exit as did everyone behind me.

She was upset, but you and others still got to move forward. Yes? So…and what? You can’t control the feelings and expectations and others. Her “upset” did not prevent you and others from deplaning. What are you looking for here, for strangers to tell you how to control the feelings of other strangers?

I’m asking if I should have sat down and let her try to pass a few rows down the aisle or if I was correct in moving forward.

She said some pretty unkind things to me as I moved on, and she was still fussing about it (and me personally) in baggage claim. (Along the lines of my “privilege” and the fact that we both ended up at baggage claim waiting.)

My thinking was this: even if I sit down and let her pass, she would then need to convince 3+ aisles behind us to sit still and let her grab her bag. Fat chance that would happen.

Why wouldn't you just step to the side a bit and let her squeeze behind you, then forget about her? She can navigate beyond that...or not.

This is exactly what you should do (if it happens in the future). She says, "oh I need my bag a few rows back." You say "oh, ok" and step into the row for a moment to let her go behind you. Then you step out and continue off the plane. It takes 3 seconds of your time. Problem solved.

There was no row to step into since the large man who had been in the middle seat next to me had already stood up in front of my my aisle seat, taken down his carryon and placed it on my seat. Ditto for the man in the aisle seat on the other side. Picture wall to wall people standing with luggage or trying to grab their luggage. And her bag was likely more than 3 rows behind. We had the attention of one person a few people back, but the luggage wasn’t in the overhead bin near them. That’s when we collectively realized she didn’t actually remember where it was and it was likely farther back. Impossible to get tons of people organized to help or move.

So you gesture to her row where there is space and say "here, let me just scoot in up here so that you can pass by me."

No space.

A guy was already in the aisle with his luggage and she was trying to step out into the main aisle from her aisle seat (with two people seated next to her).

Nobody was petite.

She was leaning out into the aisle trying to get the guy in the aisle to move. He wasn’t budging.

Then why was she angry specifically at you? You said that she was fussing at you personally. Something doesn't add up here. But whatever... now you now what to do in the future.

Everyone mostly ignored her. Since she was facing me and pushing out into the aisle (and into me), I smiled and spoke to her.

You decided she should wait, and everyone followed your decision because they could attribute responsibility for the decision to you. You got to be the bad guy. They were just following your example.

Just because they were following your example doesn't mean it was the best decision. If you had decided to help out, they would likely follow your lead too. No one wants to look like a bad guy. You took the fall instead.

The best part about this whole dumb sub thread is that they all wound up standing around waiting for checked bags anyways. So the OP of the sub thread and all her equally smug comrades could have just let this woman get her bag and get off the plane and the story would have ended exactly the same, except OP wouldn’t have been the a$$hole.

is this some Gen Z thing? Come on - you don’t walk *backwards* in the plane when deplaning. if you for whatever reason put your carryon rows behind you, you wait until everyone else deplanes.

Some people put their carry ons as soon as they see a spot as they are boarding, even if it isn't their row.
Or some people have too many overhead items. Then there isn't room for the people who are actually in that row. FA then finds a spot somewhere else.

Person in that row knows the bag isn't theirs - the overhead bin has been emptied but there's still a bag sitting there. It shouldn't be a major grievance to send the bag up to the owner.

Yes you can argue it's all on them- should have paid more for seats to board earlier, should have had an under seat bag only, should have checked all bags, sorry, they just have to wait until the whole plane is empty.
Or you can take a few minutes and help the person out, understanding that travel these days is tough for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:***What do you do in this scenario?

You are in the aisle seat in row 8. You stood up in the aisle and are patiently waiting with your small carry on (which you kept under your seat).

Everyone in front starts exiting and you move forward — and then the woman in the aisle seat ahead of you jumps up and steps out into the aisle.

Naturally, you pause.

But then she says, “My carryon is in the overhead a few rows back.”

Her expectation was that everyone already standing in the aisle for 3+ rows would sit down so she could walk back and grab it.

I said, “Sorry, I think you’re going to need to wait until there’s space for you to walk back and grab it.”

She was clearly upset.

I walked by to exit as did everyone behind me.

She was upset, but you and others still got to move forward. Yes? So…and what? You can’t control the feelings and expectations and others. Her “upset” did not prevent you and others from deplaning. What are you looking for here, for strangers to tell you how to control the feelings of other strangers?

I’m asking if I should have sat down and let her try to pass a few rows down the aisle or if I was correct in moving forward.

She said some pretty unkind things to me as I moved on, and she was still fussing about it (and me personally) in baggage claim. (Along the lines of my “privilege” and the fact that we both ended up at baggage claim waiting.)

My thinking was this: even if I sit down and let her pass, she would then need to convince 3+ aisles behind us to sit still and let her grab her bag. Fat chance that would happen.

Why wouldn't you just step to the side a bit and let her squeeze behind you, then forget about her? She can navigate beyond that...or not.

This is exactly what you should do (if it happens in the future). She says, "oh I need my bag a few rows back." You say "oh, ok" and step into the row for a moment to let her go behind you. Then you step out and continue off the plane. It takes 3 seconds of your time. Problem solved.

There was no row to step into since the large man who had been in the middle seat next to me had already stood up in front of my my aisle seat, taken down his carryon and placed it on my seat. Ditto for the man in the aisle seat on the other side. Picture wall to wall people standing with luggage or trying to grab their luggage. And her bag was likely more than 3 rows behind. We had the attention of one person a few people back, but the luggage wasn’t in the overhead bin near them. That’s when we collectively realized she didn’t actually remember where it was and it was likely farther back. Impossible to get tons of people organized to help or move.

So you gesture to her row where there is space and say "here, let me just scoot in up here so that you can pass by me."

No space.

A guy was already in the aisle with his luggage and she was trying to step out into the main aisle from her aisle seat (with two people seated next to her).

Nobody was petite.

She was leaning out into the aisle trying to get the guy in the aisle to move. He wasn’t budging.

Then why was she angry specifically at you? You said that she was fussing at you personally. Something doesn't add up here. But whatever... now you now what to do in the future.

Everyone mostly ignored her. Since she was facing me and pushing out into the aisle (and into me), I smiled and spoke to her.

You decided she should wait, and everyone followed your decision because they could attribute responsibility for the decision to you. You got to be the bad guy. They were just following your example.

Just because they were following your example doesn't mean it was the best decision. If you had decided to help out, they would likely follow your lead too. No one wants to look like a bad guy. You took the fall instead.

The best part about this whole dumb sub thread is that they all wound up standing around waiting for checked bags anyways. So the OP of the sub thread and all her equally smug comrades could have just let this woman get her bag and get off the plane and the story would have ended exactly the same, except OP wouldn’t have been the a$$hole.

Practically speaking, how do you let someone move back multiple rows to retrieve their bag when there’s no room for the person to maneuver because everyone is already standing in the aisle and the aisle seats…not to mention she can’t see her bag from where she’s standing and can’t simply ask someone within earshot to pass it forward?

I would love to see you make an announcement instructing everyone to sit down so this one person can walk back several rows to look for her luggage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:***What do you do in this scenario?

You are in the aisle seat in row 8. You stood up in the aisle and are patiently waiting with your small carry on (which you kept under your seat).

Everyone in front starts exiting and you move forward — and then the woman in the aisle seat ahead of you jumps up and steps out into the aisle.

Naturally, you pause.

But then she says, “My carryon is in the overhead a few rows back.”

Her expectation was that everyone already standing in the aisle for 3+ rows would sit down so she could walk back and grab it.

I said, “Sorry, I think you’re going to need to wait until there’s space for you to walk back and grab it.”

She was clearly upset.

I walked by to exit as did everyone behind me.

She was upset, but you and others still got to move forward. Yes? So…and what? You can’t control the feelings and expectations and others. Her “upset” did not prevent you and others from deplaning. What are you looking for here, for strangers to tell you how to control the feelings of other strangers?

I’m asking if I should have sat down and let her try to pass a few rows down the aisle or if I was correct in moving forward.

She said some pretty unkind things to me as I moved on, and she was still fussing about it (and me personally) in baggage claim. (Along the lines of my “privilege” and the fact that we both ended up at baggage claim waiting.)

My thinking was this: even if I sit down and let her pass, she would then need to convince 3+ aisles behind us to sit still and let her grab her bag. Fat chance that would happen.

Why wouldn't you just step to the side a bit and let her squeeze behind you, then forget about her? She can navigate beyond that...or not.

This is exactly what you should do (if it happens in the future). She says, "oh I need my bag a few rows back." You say "oh, ok" and step into the row for a moment to let her go behind you. Then you step out and continue off the plane. It takes 3 seconds of your time. Problem solved.

There was no row to step into since the large man who had been in the middle seat next to me had already stood up in front of my my aisle seat, taken down his carryon and placed it on my seat. Ditto for the man in the aisle seat on the other side. Picture wall to wall people standing with luggage or trying to grab their luggage. And her bag was likely more than 3 rows behind. We had the attention of one person a few people back, but the luggage wasn’t in the overhead bin near them. That’s when we collectively realized she didn’t actually remember where it was and it was likely farther back. Impossible to get tons of people organized to help or move.

So you gesture to her row where there is space and say "here, let me just scoot in up here so that you can pass by me."

No space.

A guy was already in the aisle with his luggage and she was trying to step out into the main aisle from her aisle seat (with two people seated next to her).

Nobody was petite.

She was leaning out into the aisle trying to get the guy in the aisle to move. He wasn’t budging.

Then why was she angry specifically at you? You said that she was fussing at you personally. Something doesn't add up here. But whatever... now you now what to do in the future.

Everyone mostly ignored her. Since she was facing me and pushing out into the aisle (and into me), I smiled and spoke to her.

You decided she should wait, and everyone followed your decision because they could attribute responsibility for the decision to you. You got to be the bad guy. They were just following your example.

Just because they were following your example doesn't mean it was the best decision. If you had decided to help out, they would likely follow your lead too. No one wants to look like a bad guy. You took the fall instead.

The best part about this whole dumb sub thread is that they all wound up standing around waiting for checked bags anyways. So the OP of the sub thread and all her equally smug comrades could have just let this woman get her bag and get off the plane and the story would have ended exactly the same, except OP wouldn’t have been the a$$hole.

Practically speaking, how do you let someone move back multiple rows to retrieve their bag when there’s no room for the person to maneuver because everyone is already standing in the aisle and the aisle seats…not to mention she can’t see her bag from where she’s standing and can’t simply ask someone within earshot to pass it forward?

I would love to see you make an announcement instructing everyone to sit down so this one person can walk back several rows to look for her luggage.

I've had to stow my bag a couple rows back in the past for the reasons described ... I just figured it was on me to wait til folks empty out a little. Often times you can move back a row or two at a time after the initial rush, and still get your bag before the whole plane is empty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:***What do you do in this scenario?

You are in the aisle seat in row 8. You stood up in the aisle and are patiently waiting with your small carry on (which you kept under your seat).

Everyone in front starts exiting and you move forward — and then the woman in the aisle seat ahead of you jumps up and steps out into the aisle.

Naturally, you pause.

But then she says, “My carryon is in the overhead a few rows back.”

Her expectation was that everyone already standing in the aisle for 3+ rows would sit down so she could walk back and grab it.

I said, “Sorry, I think you’re going to need to wait until there’s space for you to walk back and grab it.”

She was clearly upset.

I walked by to exit as did everyone behind me.

She was upset, but you and others still got to move forward. Yes? So…and what? You can’t control the feelings and expectations and others. Her “upset” did not prevent you and others from deplaning. What are you looking for here, for strangers to tell you how to control the feelings of other strangers?

I’m asking if I should have sat down and let her try to pass a few rows down the aisle or if I was correct in moving forward.

She said some pretty unkind things to me as I moved on, and she was still fussing about it (and me personally) in baggage claim. (Along the lines of my “privilege” and the fact that we both ended up at baggage claim waiting.)

My thinking was this: even if I sit down and let her pass, she would then need to convince 3+ aisles behind us to sit still and let her grab her bag. Fat chance that would happen.

Why wouldn't you just step to the side a bit and let her squeeze behind you, then forget about her? She can navigate beyond that...or not.

This is exactly what you should do (if it happens in the future). She says, "oh I need my bag a few rows back." You say "oh, ok" and step into the row for a moment to let her go behind you. Then you step out and continue off the plane. It takes 3 seconds of your time. Problem solved.

There was no row to step into since the large man who had been in the middle seat next to me had already stood up in front of my my aisle seat, taken down his carryon and placed it on my seat. Ditto for the man in the aisle seat on the other side. Picture wall to wall people standing with luggage or trying to grab their luggage. And her bag was likely more than 3 rows behind. We had the attention of one person a few people back, but the luggage wasn’t in the overhead bin near them. That’s when we collectively realized she didn’t actually remember where it was and it was likely farther back. Impossible to get tons of people organized to help or move.

So you gesture to her row where there is space and say "here, let me just scoot in up here so that you can pass by me."

No space.

A guy was already in the aisle with his luggage and she was trying to step out into the main aisle from her aisle seat (with two people seated next to her).

Nobody was petite.

She was leaning out into the aisle trying to get the guy in the aisle to move. He wasn’t budging.

Then why was she angry specifically at you? You said that she was fussing at you personally. Something doesn't add up here. But whatever... now you now what to do in the future.

Everyone mostly ignored her. Since she was facing me and pushing out into the aisle (and into me), I smiled and spoke to her.

You decided she should wait, and everyone followed your decision because they could attribute responsibility for the decision to you. You got to be the bad guy. They were just following your example.

Just because they were following your example doesn't mean it was the best decision. If you had decided to help out, they would likely follow your lead too. No one wants to look like a bad guy. You took the fall instead.

The best part about this whole dumb sub thread is that they all wound up standing around waiting for checked bags anyways. So the OP of the sub thread and all her equally smug comrades could have just let this woman get her bag and get off the plane and the story would have ended exactly the same, except OP wouldn’t have been the a$$hole.

Practically speaking, how do you let someone move back multiple rows to retrieve their bag when there’s no room for the person to maneuver because everyone is already standing in the aisle and the aisle seats…not to mention she can’t see her bag from where she’s standing and can’t simply ask someone within earshot to pass it forward?

I would love to see you make an announcement instructing everyone to sit down so this one person can walk back several rows to look for her luggage.

I've had to stow my bag a couple rows back in the past for the reasons described ... I just figured it was on me to wait til folks empty out a little. Often times you can move back a row or two at a time after the initial rush, and still get your bag before the whole plane is empty.

+1
You go a row at a time backwards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:***What do you do in this scenario?

You are in the aisle seat in row 8. You stood up in the aisle and are patiently waiting with your small carry on (which you kept under your seat).

Everyone in front starts exiting and you move forward — and then the woman in the aisle seat ahead of you jumps up and steps out into the aisle.

Naturally, you pause.

But then she says, “My carryon is in the overhead a few rows back.”

Her expectation was that everyone already standing in the aisle for 3+ rows would sit down so she could walk back and grab it.

I said, “Sorry, I think you’re going to need to wait until there’s space for you to walk back and grab it.”

She was clearly upset.

I walked by to exit as did everyone behind me.

She was upset, but you and others still got to move forward. Yes? So…and what? You can’t control the feelings and expectations and others. Her “upset” did not prevent you and others from deplaning. What are you looking for here, for strangers to tell you how to control the feelings of other strangers?

I’m asking if I should have sat down and let her try to pass a few rows down the aisle or if I was correct in moving forward.

She said some pretty unkind things to me as I moved on, and she was still fussing about it (and me personally) in baggage claim. (Along the lines of my “privilege” and the fact that we both ended up at baggage claim waiting.)

My thinking was this: even if I sit down and let her pass, she would then need to convince 3+ aisles behind us to sit still and let her grab her bag. Fat chance that would happen.

Why wouldn't you just step to the side a bit and let her squeeze behind you, then forget about her? She can navigate beyond that...or not.

This is exactly what you should do (if it happens in the future). She says, "oh I need my bag a few rows back." You say "oh, ok" and step into the row for a moment to let her go behind you. Then you step out and continue off the plane. It takes 3 seconds of your time. Problem solved.

There was no row to step into since the large man who had been in the middle seat next to me had already stood up in front of my my aisle seat, taken down his carryon and placed it on my seat. Ditto for the man in the aisle seat on the other side. Picture wall to wall people standing with luggage or trying to grab their luggage. And her bag was likely more than 3 rows behind. We had the attention of one person a few people back, but the luggage wasn’t in the overhead bin near them. That’s when we collectively realized she didn’t actually remember where it was and it was likely farther back. Impossible to get tons of people organized to help or move.

So you gesture to her row where there is space and say "here, let me just scoot in up here so that you can pass by me."

No space.

A guy was already in the aisle with his luggage and she was trying to step out into the main aisle from her aisle seat (with two people seated next to her).

Nobody was petite.

She was leaning out into the aisle trying to get the guy in the aisle to move. He wasn’t budging.

Then why was she angry specifically at you? You said that she was fussing at you personally. Something doesn't add up here. But whatever... now you now what to do in the future.

Everyone mostly ignored her. Since she was facing me and pushing out into the aisle (and into me), I smiled and spoke to her.

You decided she should wait, and everyone followed your decision because they could attribute responsibility for the decision to you. You got to be the bad guy. They were just following your example.

Just because they were following your example doesn't mean it was the best decision. If you had decided to help out, they would likely follow your lead too. No one wants to look like a bad guy. You took the fall instead.

The best part about this whole dumb sub thread is that they all wound up standing around waiting for checked bags anyways. So the OP of the sub thread and all her equally smug comrades could have just let this woman get her bag and get off the plane and the story would have ended exactly the same, except OP wouldn’t have been the a$$hole.

Practically speaking, how do you let someone move back multiple rows to retrieve their bag when there’s no room for the person to maneuver because everyone is already standing in the aisle and the aisle seats…not to mention she can’t see her bag from where she’s standing and can’t simply ask someone within earshot to pass it forward?

I would love to see you make an announcement instructing everyone to sit down so this one person can walk back several rows to look for her luggage.

I've had to stow my bag a couple rows back in the past for the reasons described ... I just figured it was on me to wait til folks empty out a little. Often times you can move back a row or two at a time after the initial rush, and still get your bag before the whole plane is empty.

+1
You go a row at a time backwards.

Exaclty. And as we know there are often short gaps in the flow, thanks to OP's pet peeve!

[Anonymous]

I think it is hilarious how idiots rush to stand up and deboard. You're going to save what, a grand total of 2 minutes just so you can go wait for your bag at the carousel? If you have a connecting flight maybe, but they usually hold it for you many times, and if they leave, you probably wouldn't have made it a anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope! This happens on 90% of my flights. Crazy making. It's somebody from Row 4 who fancies himself a true gentleman, and he stands up in the aisle, blocking all the folks behind him. He then waits on every single person in row 3 to exit before he will get the eff out of the way.

+1. It’s almost always a man. These are the same type servers in restaurants call “the water captain,” who in a grandiose, sweeping gesture, immediately upon being seated, order a round of free waters for the table.

Move it or lose it, PeePaw. You may have all day, but others don’t.

This! If you need extra time to collect your things, adjust your balance, etc. just wait for everyone else to deboard.

I'm not pushing anyone out of the way to deboard, but sometimes I have a tight connection and yes, 15 minutes does make a difference. And, many times I don't know how tight that connection is until I learn at landing that my connecting flight is in the opposite wing/terminal of the airport!

Conversely, if I'm traveling with my kids and we don't have a tight connection, I'm more than happy to let others off the plane ahead of me and deboard at the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is hilarious how idiots rush to stand up and deboard. You're going to save what, a grand total of 2 minutes just so you can go wait for your bag at the carousel? If you have a connecting flight maybe, but they usually hold it for you many times, and if they leave, you probably wouldn't have made it a anyway.

People love to say this, but I completely disagree. We've all been sitting in a cramped space for a couple hours and EVERYONE wants off asap. The faster the better. Stand up, gather your things, and be ready to exit when it's your turn. I don't care if I have nowhere to be when I get off that plane. But maybe I'm hungry or I have to pee or my ride is waiting. It shouldn't matter. Why are you wasting time?