After a long (or even short) flight, many just want to get off the dang plane. How exactly best to do that is a polarizing hot topic issue. Some advocate for standing up as soon as the fasten seat belt light goes off. Others find that rude and pushy. Travel professional Nicole Campoy Jackson from Fora Travel believes those in the aisle seats should get up as soon as it is safe to do so.
She spoke to People about her controversial opinion. She believes this saves time and makes people feel better. She warns travelers to be aware of their surroundings and not to be rude to others so disembarkation can go as smooth as possible.
Nicole believes there are a number of reasons aisle seat passengers should stand up quickly. “First, everyone’s been sitting for hours, you may just want to hop up to get the blood flowing,” she explained. “Second, the person in the middle seat will appreciate the aisle seat opening up as they collect their things.”
“It does feel good to get the next step in the process going,” she added. She is aware that this “likely saves a matter of seconds at most.” Regardless it is a “considerate, mental, and emotional” step that benefits everyone on the flight.
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Nicole says her procedures only work if everyone on board acts with kindness and empathy. You have to be aware of other people’s needs and not just focus on your own. Traveling can be stressful so patience is also key.
“The worst version is when people are basically standing on each other's toes, bags squished together in the aisle, people nearly dropping carry-ons onto the heads of passengers still seated," she explained. "Standing is a yes. Making others feel crammed, inconvenienced, or like you’re trying to cut ahead of them is a no.”
Nicole advised others to keep their impatient comments to themselves. There is no need to call someone out for moving slowly. It just doesn’t help.
“Every airplane passenger wants off that flight, whether it was a 2-hour hop or a 16-hour haul,” she stated. “Some people move more slowly, some are pro travelers who have their disembarking process down. You don’t get to choose how fast they move and yelling always makes things more stressful, not less.”
If you are trying to catch a connecting flight, communication is key. Sometimes special arrangements can be made. “If you have a short connection time, you make it known and hope that your fellow passengers will help you get off the plane quickly,” she concluded.
