If you’ve been on a plane, you would have noticed a certain passenger habit, and maybe you’re someone who does it. But a travel expert has revealed why it can do more harm than good
I see travellers make the same mistake every time I fly(Image: Getty Image/Stock Image)
Regardless of the flight, be it long-haul or short-haul, I always see passengers make the same infuriating mistake – but it can be hazardous.
We all know the feeling; we’ve just landed, the seatbelt sign has been turned off, and we’re eager to disembark the plane and get through airport border control as soon as possible. Some travellers have the added pressure of trains and pre-booked taxis to catch, while others have family waiting for them in the arrival hall or vital flight connections to their final destination.
It’s understandable that passengers want to leave the plane as soon as possible, but this can result in a mass of people crowded together in the narrow aisles. Time after time, I see travellers scrambling around the cabin, getting out of their seats, grabbing their suitcases from the overhead lockers and standing in the plane aisle -before the plane doors have even opened.
It can take up to 20 minutes, sometimes more, for travellers to start leaving the plane, depending on the location, aircraft, and overall process, and during that time, it can get progressively congested. Instead of remaining in their seats with ample space, passengers are shoulder to shoulder in the aisle, bags lodged between their knees and arms stretching above people’s heads, with the risk that at any moment, a personal item could be dropped on an unfortunate nearby traveller.
While there’s nothing stopping them from getting out of their seats when the plane is parked at the gate, and the captain has turned off the fasten seat belt sign, it can cause absolute mayhem. I understand if you’ve got places to be, but overcrowding the aisle and selfishly filling it with your suitcases won’t make departing the plane any quicker or easier, and it frustrates me every time.
Not only can it cause disorder in the aircraft, but it can also be more dangerous than just an annoying passenger habit. “Even when an aircraft has safely arrived at the gate, and the seatbelt signs have been switched off, standing up immediately can still create avoidable risks, “Gavin Lapidus, company director at eShores, exclusively told the Mirror.
The travel expert at the luxury tour operator explained: “While many travellers are eager to leave the aircraft as soon as it lands, standing up immediately rarely gets anyone off the plane faster. Instead, it increases the likelihood of trips, falls, bumps, and luggage-related injuries.
“Waiting until the row ahead begins moving allows passengers to disembark more safely and efficiently, while reducing risks for both fellow travellers and cabin crew.”
Gavin added: “From a crew perspective, passengers crowding the aisle before the doors are opened can make it more difficult to carry out essential post-landing procedures. Flight attendants need clear access throughout the cabin and must be able to respond quickly if an issue arises. A congested aisle can slow communications, impede movement, and create additional hazards.”
So once the queue to leave the plane starts moving, by all means, get out of your seat and prepare to grab your bag from the overhead lockers. But until then, be patient. Aimlessly waiting in the aisle before the doors open won’t speed up the process, especially when you still have to wait for the passengers in front to leave; it really isn’t worth it.
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