The Internet Is Set Ablaze By One Simple But Wildly Controversial Passenger Behavior After A Plane Lands

When it comes to traveling by plane, people can have some pretty strong opinions about what's right and wrong. There are those who swear by the aisle seat as the best choice, while there are other passengers who prefer a window seat (especially for red-eye flights). There's the controversy over whether it's ever okay to ask someone to change seats on a plane. And then there's the debate regarding one simple but wildly controversial passenger behavior: whether or not you should stand up as soon as the plane lands and the seat belt sign has been turned off.

One side of the argument claims that even though you can get up, you won't really be going anywhere, as you still have to wait for others closer to the exit to deplane. Even if you're seated in first class, you will still have to wait for the airport doors to be opened. People have very strong feelings about whether or not passengers should get up just to stand and wait, and they've taken to social media to vent.

There is a lot of shade online about those who get up right away. One user on X (formerly known as Twitter) shared a picture of someone standing in the plane aisle and said, "And all you impatient a** people that stand up right when the plane lands just so you can not move, YOU LOOK DUMB!!!" Another person posted more ominously, "Don't trust people who stand up as soon as a plane lands." Seems like many people share similar sentiments. Someone else wrote, "literally my biggest pet peeve like WE ARE ALL GOING TO THE SAME PLACE."

Some travelers have no problem with people getting up when the plane lands. Still, they draw the line of decorum at those who get up quickly and try to head to the front of the aircraft as fast as possible, ignoring all common courtesy and cutting off others who would otherwise have been in front of them. But then again, you never know if that person is trying to make a tight connection for another flight.

For tall travelers, especially, it could be an issue of comfort more than anything else. One person on X explained why they get up right away, "because I'm 30+ and my knees hurt from sitting for hours and I NEED to stand." There's not always a lot of ways to find space for yourself on a plane, so getting the chance to stretch your legs and back, even if you're not moving, can feel good after sitting in a static position for a long time. Others note issues with claustrophobia and being anxious to get off.

On the flip side, there are those who get irritated when someone doesn't stand up, especially if they're in the aisle, as these passengers effectively trap the person in the window seat. One person on Reddit has a line they use in situations like these, asking their fellow passenger, "'Are you staying on this plane for the next flight?'" It's clear that there's no one answer that everyone can agree on. But whether you're a sit-and-wait or stand-up-right-away person, we all get an opportunity for patience with our fellow travelers.