I recently flew into LA, the flight was jam packed and the overhead lockers filled up quickly so the flight attendants took bags off people and put them wherever they could find space in the lockers.
I was in an aisle seat, and had a connecting flight, so when the seatbelt sign went off I stood up like everyone else, got my carry on out of the overhead locker and waited to disembark.
That's when an American lady from the row in front of me turned to me and said she needed to get past me to get to her luggage and then bring it backto her place in the queue.
I said sorry, that's not going to work as the aisle is really narrow and filled with luggage right now, it'd be best if you sat down and waited until some people have disembarked so there's more space.
She got angry and said "Fine, if you don't move I'm going to BLOCK the aisle. We'll get the flight attendants involved"
It wasn't just her, there was also a group of men in front who needed their luggage from the back of the plane as well and they backed her up (!)
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."
In the end the flight attendants never got involved, as someone behind me passed luggage over my head to the lady and the men.
At the time I thought I was in the right (I fly a lot for work). But the more I think about it, is that just how they do it in the US? If you're "ahead" in the rows, you retain the right to get off first even if you're not prepared? If that's the case, I understand why she was angry.