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Southwest Airlines has reignited one of the biggest air travel etiquette controversies after joking in a social media post that passengers who stand up immediately after landing “will not get off the plane any faster.”
“You 👏 won’t 👏 get 👏 off 👏 the plane 👏 faster 👏 if 👏 you stand 👏 up 0.001 👏 seconds 👏 after 👏 the seat belt 👏 sign 👏 turns off 👏 👏,” the airline recently wrote on Threads, using the emoji exactly as shown.
The post quickly reignited a familiar debate among travelers.
Standing up immediately after plane lands sparks viral debate over air travel etiquette
Some say they find the habit inconsiderate, while others say standing helps them stretch, reach their carry-on luggage and prepare for disembarkation.
The comments section quickly filled up as travelers shared why they stand up as soon as the fasten seat belt sign goes out. Many insisted it was less about getting off the plane immediately and more about being comfortable and ready to leave the plane as soon as they could.
Southwest Airlines has reignited the debate over airline etiquette after ridiculing passengers who stand up as soon as their plane lands. (iStock)
“Maybe be👏🏻I👏🏻need👏🏻stretch👏🏻my👏🏻legs👏🏻after e👏🏻seats👏🏻in👏🏻your👏🏻cramped👏🏻plane👏🏻”, – said one of the users.
“This 👏isn’t 👏 about 👏 getting 👏 off 👏 the plane 👏,” another user wrote.
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Diane Gottesman, an etiquette expert from Texas, previously told Fox News Digital that passengers who stand up immediately after landing are a source of frustration for many other travelers.
“On long flights, people are eager to get up and stretch their legs,” Gottesman said.
Many travelers say they get up as soon as the fasten seat belt sign goes out because they want to stretch their legs and be ready to go out. (iStock)
“They also want to get their suitcases out of the bins and be ready to exit the aisle efficiently.”
Problems arise, she said, when passengers enter the aisle too early, block others or invade limited personal space inside the cabin.
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“Walking up the aisle and trying to push is a clear violation of etiquette,” Gottesman said.
“For safety reasons, it is best to stay put if there is no room to move comfortably.”
Etiquette experts say many passengers wake up early to grab their bags and be ready to get off, but also warn that the act becomes rude when they block an aisle, push past others or crowd fellow passengers. (iStock)
Flight attendants must deal with the situation to ensure order during the disembarkation process, Gottesman added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment.
Many commentators said that standing after landing was not a problem. They argued that passengers should wait their turn and not get ahead of others.
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“I immediately get up, politely grab my things and get ready to fly,” one commenter wrote.
“I don’t push myself in front of people and try not to disturb others. I wait for the rows in front of me to get off. People who are not in a hurry to pack their things are delaying others and the plane,” the commentator continued.
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“I consider this a form of respect for other passengers and flight attendants,” the commenter added.
Kelly McGreal is an assistant producer on the Fox News Digital lifestyle team.