AIBU - Etiquette disembarking plane

But you were blocking the aisle so you were the problem, and you were the one lacking in etiquette.

Logically there are two options:

1. people whose luggage is near them stay in their seats so that those whose luggage is far away can walk up the aisles to retrieve it. Then everyone gets off in order.

2. (this is what I’ve always seen, as you describe) people get up and stand in the aisle as soon as the belt light is off, to stretch their legs, get their bags from overhead etc. So the people who need to retrieve bags have to wait till most people are off.

I’ve also seen cabin crew retrieve bags for passengers when it’s at the wrong end of the plane, once plane has landed but before the belt signs are off. But this is only possible if it’s just one or two people.

I don’t know whether 1) is more usual on US flights. Were you the only person who got up and stood in the aisle? Were you the only person blocking the way? If so then that suggests it is and you were out of step.

If you weren’t the only person blocking the aisle then why did she only have a beef with you?

You talk about etiquette but you were the one who failed to observe the row order for disembarking from the flight….

I don’t get why it was any of your business to decide whether her mission to the back of the plane was allowable or not. Ultimately she just wanted to squeeze past you at that moment. If she did end up getting back, with her bag, and managed to get to her seat row before the doors opened then you wouldn’t ultimately have suffered any delay would you? It would be the same wait if her bag had been overhead and she was just waiting ahead of you.

So I think you were really out of line to block her going past you in the aisle. The aisle was narrow? So what! Two people can pass in a plane aisle. You were beside your aisle seat so you could have squished yourself or your bag in for one second to let her past.

After such a long flight I was over it, and said in my most calm but firm voice:

"Guys, waiting is a fact of life, you're just going to have to sit and wait.

"Your luggage is down the back of the plane. I'm sorry but that's not my fault. This is a very narrow space and I don't know what you want me to do."

This is so cringe worthy OP

You should have let her pass, who do you think you are?

Why couldn't you have let her pass you? Once she's passed you you're free to go. I know it's knackering long haul but there's no need to be so mean.

Transiting through the US can be awful.

I had a a tight connection last week, under an hour to get off a plane, change terminals from one side of an airport to the complete opposite and get to my transatlantic flight. My internal flight was rammed, my luggage was shoved right at the back of the plane.
Others who didn't have connections were getting people to pass their luggage forward, and ignoring that there were people in more need. Mine was too far back. Some people had even tighter connections. It just turned into a free for all, every person out for themselves. I moved myself back row by row, every time there was even a small gap in the aisle until I could get close enough to my bag to call to someone to ask them to get it down for me.

I had to run through the airport and just made it to my flight as they were boarding. It was hideously stressful.

Before anyone says check your luggage in. Bad idea in the US. It goes missing. And makes it slower getting through immigration on arrival. And if you have a tight connection, it doesn't make it, and then they won't let you fly.

Why are you seeking opinions of your actions if you’re maintaining you were in the right? You seem very insistent no matter what anyone else thinks.

Then why are you posting on AIBU and not chat or more relevant section?

You have zero place policing how other people move about on a plane. I'm very confused really as to why you created a drama rather than just let her pass by you. If she gets stuck further back it isn't your issue.

I would have let her go past, by the time she had fought her way through, found her bag and tried to fight her way back then Op would probably have been walking through the terminal.

By virtue of the fact that it’s hand luggage, surely you can just hold it or rest it on your knee and it doesn’t need to block the aisle? You seemed to feel like your preferences trumped everyone else’s which is nothing to do with where you live and everything to do your attitude.

In answer to your question, I expect things are different according to where in the US. Certainly from my experience though not about flying.

I don’t understand why you didn’t just move back to your seat. Holding your luggage. And let her at least get to her luggage.

Yes she should have waited.

I'm American and in that situation, I would do exactly as you suggested: wait until the aisle was clear because everyone had exited and go and get my luggage from where it had been stored. I don't think this is a nationality thing. Realistically, if there are people in the way, you just have to wait until they have moved out of the way to get through.

You sweet summer child 😂

If I had been one of the last off my recent flight to Dulles Airport in the US it would have added an extra hour to the time spent queuing at immigration. Worse if I had got caught up with passengers disembarking from the flight that landed just after us. They only had 3 staff on immigration and any one with a non-western passport seemed to have a 5 min interrogation.