Plane Passenger With Disability Shocked by What ‘Inconsiderate’ Flyers Do During Flight

A disabled United Airlines passenger is calling out travelers who block the aisle with their legs while sleeping, preventing easy access to the restroom.

The incident, shared on Reddit, sparked discussions about airplane etiquette and the challenges faced by those with disabilities when navigating crowded flights.

The original poster (OP), using the handle peachygirlthrowaway, recounted the ordeal of taking a redeye flight where two passengers near them stretched their legs into the aisle after dinner, despite having entire rows to themselves.

‘Still wasn’t enough’

When the OP, who described themselves as having a disability, attempted to wake them to pass through, they received no response and had to push past. One of the individuals then reacted angrily, to the annoyance of the OP.

“Lady, you have the entire row of seats to yourself and it still wasn’t enough, you have to block the aisle too?” the OP fumed on Reddit.

The post quickly drew responses from other travelers sharing similar frustrations. As one user summed it up succinctly: “Inconsiderate people be inconsiderate.”

Another critic speculated that some travelers may not even realize they are causing an issue: “Some folk are just oblivious in life. Just ignore them or maybe oops, spilled my water on them.”

Several supporters recommended similar direct action, such as one who remarked: “Accidental knees and kicks as I stride in the dimly lit aisle—they usually get the message.”

Airplane Etiquette in Focus

Discussions about proper behavior on planes have become more frequent as air travel has rebounded.

A YouGov poll conducted for Newsweek found that many travelers are increasingly frustrated by passengers who fail to respect personal space and common courtesy. The poll identified seat reclining, armrest hogging and aisle-blocking as common complaints.

Experts say that personal space on planes is already limited, and blocking aisles only worsens the experience for others, particularly for passengers who need unrestricted access.

According to etiquette guidelines outlined in Newsweek, keeping feet out of the aisle and being mindful of others’ movement is a basic expectation when flying.

The article highlights that even small actions, such as placing a foot or bag in a shared space, can create discomfort for other passengers.

While flight attendants can intervene in extreme cases, enforcement of etiquette issues often falls on fellow passengers. For those with disabilities, challenges like inaccessible seating, blocked aisles and unresponsive fellow travelers can make flying even more difficult, as the OP reported.

Balancing Comfort and Consideration

The conversation on Reddit reflected a broader debate about balancing personal comfort with respect for others. Some users noted that overnight flights naturally lead to passengers seeking extra space to sleep, but they argued that it shouldn’t come at the expense of blocking others from moving freely.

For the OP, the experience was not an isolated incident. They recalled a similar situation on a previous flight where another passenger consistently extended their foot into the aisle, leading to multiple tripping incidents.

Despite multiple polite requests to move, the behavior continued.

“The restroom is for everyone to use, but people blocking the aisles especially in the dark make it harder for everyone to walk around and then they had the audacity to get mad at me for tripping over them,” the OP replied in the thread.

With travel etiquette often being tested, discussions like these raise the importance of awareness and courtesy in shared spaces.

Or as one Reddit user put it, “People need to re-learn some manners.”

Newsweek has contacted peachygirlthrowaway comment via Reddit.

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