Okay everyone, ignore the pretty lady for a second and listen up good.
If you are in the middle seat on an airplane, jetiquette dictates that it is you who is entitled to both arm rests. Your seat neighbors each have one guaranteed. Don’t let anyone crowd you out of what’s yours.
I fucked up my back defending my armrests on a 12 hour flight. Person in the isle seat (who had lots of room I’m skinny) tried to elbow me out in the first five minutes so I grabbed the armrest and held on. They “accidentally” hit me with their carry on, threw elbows repeatedly, tried to push me when they sat down after using the restroom. I didn’t fucking move. My armrest. Worth it to hear the entitled person bitch loudly to their friends how they were crowded the whole flight. Fuck em.
For situations such as this, the British have invented the exasperated sigh, which can be escalated to a “tut” and then adjusted in intensity as needed.
The Germans have mastered the art of telepathically emanating an aura which lets the person next to you feel what they did wrong, without any sound or even eye contact.
Very efficient!
Americans are unfortunately left without options here.
The natural response of shooting your neighbor in justified self defense is not ideal on a plane. And neither is it possible to mount your horse and displace some Native people further west when you feel crowded.
I would argue the person at the window seat should get both, they’re squished against a wall so their armrest hardly counts. Middle seat and aisle seat should get their left armrest.
Interesting perspective. I think the prevailing idea is that in addition to each having their own arm rest (we will get to your qualm with the arm rest in a moment), both the window and the aisle have their own advantages, while the middle seat has no advantages. Simply put, no one wants the middle seat, so the only compensation is that you get first refusal on the shared arm rest, since both of yours are shared.
Pros/cons in review:
Aisle seat pros: guaranteed arm rest, and easy access for to the bathroom.
Aisle seat cons: the guaranteed arm rest is sticking out in traffic, so to speak, and your elbows (and knees) are at constant risk of bumping by passengers, or worse, beverage carts in the aisle. Plus you may be disrupted by people in either middle or window seat needing to use the bathroom.
Middle seat pros: no risk to elbows/knees from aisle?
Middle seat cons: no dedicated arm rest, minimal elbow room, need go climb over someone to use the bathroom, but may also be disturbed by the person in the window seat needing to use the rest room
Window seat pros: dedicated arm rest (I have never heard a complaint like yours, or had reason to complain myself since the walls are slightly concave), no risk to elbows/knees, no one will disturb you to use the rest room, access to a window and control of the shade
Window seat cons: need to disturb 2 people to use the rest room
Okay everyone, ignore the pretty lady for a second and listen up good.
If you are in the middle seat on an airplane, jetiquette dictates that it is you who is entitled to both arm rests. Your seat neighbors each have one guaranteed. Don’t let anyone crowd you out of what’s yours.
I fucked up my back defending my armrests on a 12 hour flight. Person in the isle seat (who had lots of room I’m skinny) tried to elbow me out in the first five minutes so I grabbed the armrest and held on. They “accidentally” hit me with their carry on, threw elbows repeatedly, tried to push me when they sat down after using the restroom. I didn’t fucking move. My armrest. Worth it to hear the entitled person bitch loudly to their friends how they were crowded the whole flight. Fuck em.
For situations such as this, the British have invented the exasperated sigh, which can be escalated to a “tut” and then adjusted in intensity as needed.
The Germans have mastered the art of telepathically emanating an aura which lets the person next to you feel what they did wrong, without any sound or even eye contact.
Very efficient!
Americans are unfortunately left without options here.
The natural response of shooting your neighbor in justified self defense is not ideal on a plane. And neither is it possible to mount your horse and displace some Native people further west when you feel crowded.
Obviously, speaking up is never an option.
I would argue the person at the window seat should get both, they’re squished against a wall so their armrest hardly counts. Middle seat and aisle seat should get their left armrest.
Interesting perspective. I think the prevailing idea is that in addition to each having their own arm rest (we will get to your qualm with the arm rest in a moment), both the window and the aisle have their own advantages, while the middle seat has no advantages. Simply put, no one wants the middle seat, so the only compensation is that you get first refusal on the shared arm rest, since both of yours are shared.
Pros/cons in review:
Aisle seat pros: guaranteed arm rest, and easy access for to the bathroom.
Aisle seat cons: the guaranteed arm rest is sticking out in traffic, so to speak, and your elbows (and knees) are at constant risk of bumping by passengers, or worse, beverage carts in the aisle. Plus you may be disrupted by people in either middle or window seat needing to use the bathroom.
Middle seat pros: no risk to elbows/knees from aisle?
Middle seat cons: no dedicated arm rest, minimal elbow room, need go climb over someone to use the bathroom, but may also be disturbed by the person in the window seat needing to use the rest room
Window seat pros: dedicated arm rest (I have never heard a complaint like yours, or had reason to complain myself since the walls are slightly concave), no risk to elbows/knees, no one will disturb you to use the rest room, access to a window and control of the shade
Window seat cons: need to disturb 2 people to use the rest room