When dozens to hundreds of people share the limited and confined space of a flying tube, actions that are typical on the ground can be rather tricky while in the air jetting through the atmosphere at hundreds of miles per hour. What is the travel etiquette of letting people out of a row aboard an airplane?
Letting People Out of a Row Aboard an Airplane: Travel Etiquette
Suppose a passenger who is seated in either a seat by the window or a middle seat needs to leave the row — perhaps to use the lavatory; to get a snack on a long-haul flight; or maybe even to exercise by walking up and down the aisle. Should the passenger who is seated by the aisle get up to accommodate the fellow passenger who wants to get out of the row; or can he or she simply contort his or her body to create more room while staying seated so that the fellow passenger can shuffle and squeeze past towards the aisle?
During a meal service, should access be granted by the person sitting in the aisle seat to a passenger who needs to use a lavatory?
If one passenger needs to access the aisle and the passenger seated adjacent to the aisle is sleeping, should he or she be awakened?
What if the flight was a short flight — for example, less than one hour in duration? Must the passenger who is seated by the window wait until the flight has concluded; the airplane is at the gate; and the illuminated Fasten Seat Belt indicator is deactivated before he or she can get up?
Also, should a passenger not grab onto the seat in front of him or her when standing up and leaving the row?
Final Boarding Call
The protocols which I follow for myself are if:
- A fellow passenger needs to get past me to access the aisle of the airplane, I will stand up — if only because that is much easier for me than scrunching my legs or putting my feet up; and doing so gives easier egress to the fellow passenger. I will usually do this regardless of the duration of the flight. This also reduces the chance of accidents from happening — such as a drink being spilled.
- I need access to the aisle, I will usually wait until at least one of the other passengers in my row gets up before I get up. I can usually control my need to use the lavatory or get a snack on which to munch.
- In the rare event that the need is urgent, I will gently let a sleeping passenger know that I need access to the aisle. I expect a similar gesture from a fellow passenger if I am the one sleeping in a seat next to the aisle.
- During a meal service when trays are down, I prefer to wait until remaining items are collected by flight attendants. I will accommodate a fellow passenger if I have someplace else to temporarily store items that are on my tray table.
- I need to get up, I try to avoid grabbing onto the back of the seat of a fellow passenger to minimize his or her discomfort.
I do realize that not everyone has a strong enough bladder to wait for an opening to the aisle. I also realize that not everyone is tall enough to reach for the handle that is usually located below the overhead storage compartment bins; or strong enough or balanced enough not to use anything to get up in a row. Medical issues can also be a factor for some passengers. This is why compromises should be considered: whatever needs to be done to minimize the discomfort of fellow passengers as much as possible. Physics does not always allow that to occur; but we should try our best anyway.
If for some reason I believe I will need access to the aisle multiple times, I will usually choose an aisle seat — but most of the time, I prefer a window seat.
What are your thoughts pertaining to the travel etiquette of letting people out of a row aboard an airplane? Please opine and share your experiences in the Comments section below.
All photographs ©2024 by Brian Cohen.
