Nowadays, it seems like the moment the plane touches down, passengers are standing up, unloading their bags from the overhead bin and scrambling (a.k.a. pushing) to get to the front of the plane. It’s no wonder this is a huge pet peeve for passengers.
In fact, according to a public opinion poll about unwritten travel rules by Kayak, the travel search engine, 58 percent of travelers think you should not rush to deplane, even if you have a flight connection.
An article in the Seattle Times addressed this issue, explaining that many pushy passengers claim they have a tight connection and that’s why they are pushing ahead of everyone else. If that’s the case, you’re advised to let the flight attendants know. They can make an announcement asking passengers to please remain seated so that those with a connection can disembark first.
Travel experts suggest, rather than being rude, if you want to exit quickly you should try to book a seat near the front of the airplane. Scheduling non-stop flights is another good idea because then you will not need to rush to make a connection.
However, as travel expert Chris Elliott acknowledges, that is not always possible with many airlines operating hub-and-spoke flights that necessitate a connection, and scheduling connections too close together. “That makes passengers nervous and ready to bolt the moment the plane lands.”
It’s important to note that should you miss your connection, there’s no need to panic. The airline will put you on the next available flight at no extra charge, assuming your connection is on the same itinerary. The article points out that if you have to spend the night at the airport, your airline should also cover your hotel, meal and transportation expenses.
Hopefully, this knowledge will ease the anxiety some passengers face and reduce the number of passengers rushing to get off the plane.
Message The Seniors Trust on Facebook or Twitter and let us know if you are someone who tries to be one of the first off the plane or do you wait patiently in your seat until it is your turn to exit.
