Flying Etiquette: Who Really Gets Both Armrests on a Plane?
Flying and going through an airport is somewhere where rules and etiquette are completely different from life outside it.
Debate Over Middle Seat Armrest Etiquette
An airport bar is the perfect place for a beer at 7 am, despite it being frowned on in normal life. But one contentious area where debate rages over etiquette is whether the person in the middle seat on an airplane gets both armrests on either side of them.
The Survey Results
A survey has found that there isn’t a general agreement among travelers that the worst seat in the aisle should get both armrests. Stuck in between two strangers without much space and only a view of the back of the seat and the back of the head in front of you.
Window Seat vs. Aisle Seat
The window seat gets the view and control of the shade while the aisle seat has more room for the flyer to stretch their legs and get up when they want. A 2023 survey carried out by ticket seller Kayak found that only 43 per cent of air travelers think the middle aisle gets both armrests. Meanwhile, it found that 57 per cent of flyers thought this wasn’t the case.
Flyer Opinions on Armrest Etiquette
One flyer, Joe Shulz, 38, flies two or three times a month and agreed with the majority. He viewed the armrests as less of a place to put your arm and more of a physical barrier between the flyers. On the other hand, flyer Ryan Gregg, 49, said middle seat sitters should get both armrests as a matter of common courtesy. He said: “It’s the one thing you get for being stuck there.”
Expert Analysis on Armrest Battle
Behavior expert Judi James previously told Sun Online Travel that the no man’s land of the armrest is a battle that will never end because the battle for space is inbuilt into us as human beings. She said: “Space is something that humans and animals fight wars over – it’s the most inflammatory thing. It’s why people whose garden wall if half a centimeter to the right can fight with their neighbors for years. We can’t avoid being territorial. We even adopt personal ownership of things that really don’t belong to us, like our chair in the office, or our seat on a plane. It brings out the warrior in us.”
Innovative Airline Solutions
An airline has ditched the dreaded middle seat on a number of their flights – and has even thrown in some complimentary booze. Most passengers avoid the middle seat, with the cramped section ditched in favor of the aisle or window. However, a budget airline has launched a number of flights where you no longer have to worry about being stuck in it. Canadian Porter Airlines uses Embraer E195-E2 planes, which work on a two by two seating arrangement.
Conclusion
The battle of the armrest on a plane will continue to be a topic of debate among travelers. While opinions vary on who should get both armrests in the middle seat, it ultimately comes down to personal courtesy and understanding the dynamics of shared space in a confined environment. Next time you find yourself in the middle seat, remember the importance of being considerate and respecting the comfort of your fellow passengers.