It’s the rule of flying: We’re all perfectly civilized humans … until we get on an airplane. I don’t know if it’s the change in oxygen levels, the cramped conditions or the weird airline water, but something about flying can really bring out the worst in people. Airplane etiquette goes out that tiny oval window. And nowhere do you see it more than during the deplaning process. The moment the plane touches down, it’s like the starting gun of a race nobody signed up for. People are popping up like meerkats, lunging for the overhead bins and elbowing their way down the aisle like they’re Mike Tyson.
“I like disembarking because it means we made it to our destination, but I also hate disembarking because there’s almost always someone who has to make it harder than it should be,” says Cecily Anderson, a flight attendant who has worked for all four major U.S. airlines.
If you’ve ever been part of this post-landing chaos (or worse, stuck behind someone causing it), you’re not alone. But of all the deplaning behaviors that make flight attendants want to scream into their tiny airplane pillows, one stands out as the absolute rudest. And there’s a pretty good chance you’ve been guilty of it at least once.
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What do flight attendants say is the rudest thing passengers do when deplaning?
According to the two flight attendants I spoke with and an unofficial poll of Reddit forums, the No. 1 rudest deplaning behavior has earned itself a delightfully disgusting yet vivid nickname: being “aisle lice.”
Aisle lice are the passengers who leap out of their seats the millisecond the plane arrives at the gate (sometimes even before the seat belt sign is off), push their way into the aisle, and attempt to deplane before the rows ahead of them. It’s one of the fastest ways to anger other people, like cutting in line at Disney World, except this happens all over the world.
“It’s not just annoying, but it also slows everything down, making them even less likely to get what they want,” Anderson says. “We have rules about deplaning for a reason.” Airlines actually have a method to the madness when it comes to unloading a plane: Passengers are supposed to deplane row by row, starting from the front and working their way back, all in an orderly fashion.
“What is it with people who stand up the minute the plane comes to a stop? You’re not going anywhere anyway,” wrote one exasperated Reddit user in a viral r/flightattendants thread about deplaning etiquette. “Wait for the people who need to get off to do so.”
But here’s what makes this behavior particularly rude: It often prevents passengers with actual urgent needs—like tight connections—from getting off the plane first when they genuinely need to. When flight crews ask those arriving at their final destination to stay seated so connecting passengers can deplane, aisle lice are the ones who ignore that request entirely.
Why is it rude?
Beyond the obvious “you’re not special, sir” element of cutting in line, being aisle lice can have real consequences for other travelers. That person you just body-checked to get ahead of? They might miss their connecting flight because of it.
And here’s the thing about connecting flights: Those gates can be far. Like, really far. At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the walk from check-in to the farthest gate is a whopping 2.16 miles. Washington Dulles International Airport isn’t much better at 1.62 miles. And if you’ve ever had a tight connection at Denver, Houston or JFK, you know the sprint to your next gate can feel like training for an Olympic event. (Check out the U.S. airports with the longest walks to gates—they’ll make you rethink that 45-minute layover.)
One travel forum user shared a particularly frustrating experience: “Upon arrival in Detroit, some nearby passengers said that they had only six minutes before the doors closed on their next connecting flight. The flight attendant asked everyone to please be considerate of those passengers who had six minutes but that he had no power to force compliance. Of course, that encouraged everyone to become animals and just jam the aisle.”
The kicker? “We sat, as we were in no hurry to get to our metro Detroit home. So we walked out with some of the people who missed their connection. Just ugly behavior … no etiquette observed whatsoever.”
What’s the polite thing to do?
The good news is that proper deplaning etiquette isn’t complicated, says Angela McMurray, a flight attendant on an international carrier. “We’ve got it down to a science, just trust us,” she says.
- Stay seated until it’s your row’s turn. “It’s fine to stand up if you need to stretch a little bit, but try and stay in your seat area,” Anderson says, adding that this is the optimal time to check your missed texts and other messages, as you can probably connect to the airport’s free Wi-Fi at that point.
- Gather your belongings while you wait. Check for your phone, snacks, water bottle, book—anything that might have migrated during the flight. The worst thing you can do is wait until it’s your turn and then start fumbling around. Also, we shouldn’t have to say this, but put your darn shoes on.
- Respect the announcement. When flight attendants ask those without tight connections to stay seated, they mean it. Those requests aren’t arbitrary. They’re trying to help fellow passengers who genuinely need to run to catch a flight to their final destination.
What if you’re the one who has to make a tight connection?
If you’re the one watching the minutes tick away, knowing your connecting flight is boarding but you’re stuck in row 37, don’t panic. (Easier said than done, I know.) Let the flight crew know—ideally when you board or during the flight, not after landing, McMurray says.
“If you let us know early, we will do [our] best to help you get off ASAP,” she says.
Flight attendants can make announcements asking other passengers to stay seated, which—when passengers actually cooperate—can be surprisingly effective.
If your flight arrives late and you need to move quickly, a polite approach goes a long way. Instead of bulldozing through the aisle, try something like, “Excuse me, I have a very tight connection—would you mind if I squeezed past?” Most people will step aside when asked nicely.
McMurray also recommends thinking ahead. “If your connection is really tight or it’s very important, you should spend the extra money to book a seat close to the front of the cabin,” she says. And if you know you’ll need to exit quickly, bring carry-on luggage that fits under the seat in front of you so you won’t have to fight against the flow of traffic to grab your bag from the overhead bin.
What are other rude things passengers do when deplaning?
Aisle lice may be the top offender, but they’re hardly the only deplaning problem. Here are some other behaviors that flight attendants really wish you’d stop doing.
Not being prepared when it’s your turn
You’ve had the entire descent to gather your belongings. You’ve had the taxi to the gate. You’ve had the five minutes of sitting there while everyone ahead of you deplanes. And yet, somehow, when it’s finally your row’s turn, you’re just now realizing you need to dig through the overhead bin for your bag, find your neck pillow, locate your second shoe (what did we say about your shoes?!) and wrestle your jacket out from under the seat. If you’re not ready, just let people pass. It’s the kind thing to do.
Opening overhead bins while the plane is still moving
Flight attendants on Reddit have described watching passengers open overhead bins while the plane is still taxiing, creating genuine hazards as bags shift during movement. “We’ve seen laptops fall on people’s heads, heavy bags tumble out unexpectedly,” one veteran flight attendant shared. “But somehow we’re expected to police this behavior without seeming like we’re scolding adults who should know better.”
Putting bags in overhead bins that aren’t above your seat
McMurray says that it’s even trickier when passengers end up with their bags in overhead bins that aren’t near their seats. When it’s time to deplane, those passengers have to fight against the flow of traffic to retrieve their belongings, slowing everyone down. “You don’t always have a choice where your bag goes, especially if you’re one of the last to board, but if you do have the option, keep it as near to your seat as possible,” she says.
Taking down overhead luggage when there’s no room for it
We get it—you want your bag. But insisting on wrestling it out of the overhead bin while the aisle is packed with people who have nowhere to move creates an unpleasant logjam for everyone. People will wait a few seconds for you to get your things down, but if it’s going to take more than a minute, you should wait until it’s less crowded.
“If there’s nowhere to physically put your bag, then you might need to wait a minute to get it down,” Anderson says. “This is especially true if you have a lot of bags or they’re big.”
Standing in the aisle and blocking movement
It’s one thing to stand up too soon and push for the door, but it’s even worse if you decide to stand in the middle of the aisle and then do your best impression of a statue. “Why do people do this? I think it’s because their brain just freezes,” Anderson says, charitably. “Or it’s because they’re being a huge jerk trying to hold space for a friend or family member seated farther back, to let them cut the line so they can get off together,” she says, less charitably.
If you’re seated ahead of your traveling companions and really want to walk out with them, then wait in your seat until their part of the line catches up to you. They don’t get to jump ahead while you hold up the whole plane.
Leaving trash behind
The second most common deplaning pet peeve of flight attendants is passengers “hoarding” their trash in the seatback pocket and leaving it for flight attendants to clean up later. Anderson says that more than once, she’s found a dirty diaper under a seat or in the pocket. “And this is why we always wear gloves, people,” she adds.
Shoving
Before social media, I might not have believed that deplaning could get truly physical, but there are so many videos online of everything from shoves to all-out brawls. “Any aggressive physical contact is unacceptable,” Anderson says. Whether it’s pushing past someone to get into the aisle or nudging them out of the way to grab your bag. We’re all getting off the plane eventually. Take a deep breath and be patient.
Not helping when someone is struggling
You know those passengers who obviously can’t reach their heavy bag in the overhead bin or are struggling to manage a carry-on while wrangling a toddler? We’ve all been the person who needs help sometimes, so if you have the ability to help them, offer that kindness. “In the end, it will benefit you too by helping the deplaning process go more smoothly,” McMurray says.
Blocking the jet bridge
Even once you’re off the plane, the deplaning process isn’t technically over. If you stop dead in the middle of the jet bridge to put on your jacket, reorganize your bag, or check your phone, you’re backing up everyone behind you. Keep moving until you’re in a spot where you won’t obstruct traffic, preferably all the way out into the airport waiting area.
Not saying thank you
This one might seem minor, but it matters. Flight attendants work incredibly hard, and here’s something you might not know: Most of them aren’t even paid for the boarding and deplaning process. Their compensation typically doesn’t start until the airplane doors close.
So when you’re walking off the plane, take a second to make eye contact and say “thanks.” It costs nothing and means everything.
Deplaning doesn’t have to be a chaotic free-for-all. With a little patience, preparation and basic consideration for our fellow travelers, we can all get where we’re going without losing our dignity—or our humanity—in the process.
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Sources:
- Cecily Anderson, flight attendant; in-person interview, Nov. 30, 2025
- Angela McMurray, flight attendant; phone interview, Dec. 1, 2025
- Reddit: “r/flightattendants”
- Reddit: “r/delta”
- Fox News: “Reddit user sparks heated debate about rushing to leave airplane upon landing”
- Rick Steves Travel Forum: “The Etiquette of Deplaning”
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