‘Aisle Lice’ Are Enraging Passengers

First there were ‘gate lice,’ and now this.

There’s a new term to describe passengers who are in a hurry to deplane at the end of a flight, according to the internet. “Aisle lice” is a descriptor used by some on Reddit in reference to the passengers who can’t wait to get off the plane as soon as it arrives at the gate.

The “lice” reference is an offshoot of a longtime airline industry term, “gate lice,” which describes passengers who crowd the departure gate, hoping to board a flight before their group or row number is called. American Airlines introduced new technology to help quell that phenomenon last year, and it floated the term back to the top of the zeitgeist. 

Unlike during boarding, airlines do not prescribe a manner in which the aircraft must be deplaned, and in most cases, the process is relatively orderly. Passengers in aisle seats often stand up as soon as the seat belt sign is turned off (although some oftentimes don’t wait for the seatbelt sign to be turned off, which is a violation of federal law) and start collecting their carry-on bags from the overhead bins. However, it may be that very lack of structure during deplaning that leads passengers to “freestyle” how they choose to self-prioritize their departure from the aircraft. 

This practice was also described on Reddit many years ago, albeit incorrectly. The thread and subsequent memes describe passengers getting up as soon as the aircraft lands, but what they appear to mean is passengers getting up as soon as the aircraft reaches the gate. In any case, commenters generally seemed not to mind passengers who immediately stand, but there was a general consensus that it’s poor form to attempt to “skip” ahead of passengers seated closer to the front. 

“Aisle lice” complaints appear to describe passengers who attempt to push their way to the front before the rest of the passengers in their row. It’s worth noting, however, that there are a number of reasons a passenger might wish to deplane expediently, ranging from wanting to make a connecting flight to needing an emergency restroom visit. Passengers seeking to reach the front of the aircraft often explain their needs and apologize. Sometimes, passengers are even aided by flight attendants who make announcements asking passengers not making tight connections to remain seated to allow passengers with urgent needs to deplane first. 

Airlines and their workers are admittedly in a tight spot when it comes to passenger behavior. Flights are often full because airline revenue management systems have gotten better at predicting demand and managing inventory to fill aircraft, even during times once considered off-peak. Tightly packed seating, delays threatening connecting itineraries, and a host of other travel stressors can lead to a lack of consideration among passengers. 

Air rage incidents—largely driven by travel stress—peaked during the pandemic (one report found more air rage incidents recorded in 2021 than in the preceding three decades) and have since fallen, but still remain elevated. In higher profile cases, air rage can lead to onboard passenger meltdowns, but there has also been an uptick in mildly annoying behavior that doesn’t necessarily lead to confrontation or altercation—like so-called “aisle lice.” 

That the situations don’t result in confrontation is likely a relief to cabin crew and fellow passengers alike. The best course of action when confronted with pushy behavior during deplaning could simply be to allow a little grace in the interest of maintaining the peace and getting everyone to where they need to be—annoyed, certainly, but still moving forward.