The International Armrest Agreement
For years I’ve wondered about who is entitled to the armrest when sitting next to a stranger in an aeroplane or a movie theatre. Should it be shared? Does it go to the person who got there first? Do you get dibs if you’ve somehow managed to smear nacho cheese all over it? Generally, while I ponder over this thought, the people seated beside me waste no time in claiming the armrests for themselves.
Personally I believe there should be an international protocol. At movie theatres and cinemas you get the armrest to your right. The logic behind this suggestion is that most people are right-handed and are probably going to put their beverage there, regardless of whether there is an internationally accepted agreement.
In aeroplanes, the person in the middle seat should be compensated for their unpleasant positioning by getting the armrests on both sides. I say this based on numerous experiences of sitting next to people with no concept of personal space. While people in window and aisle seats have the opportunity to lean away from the offenders, individuals in the middle seat don’t really have a direction to lean in. The tangible barrier the armrests provide are actually essential to their sanity.
So what about aircrafts with 2 middle seats? In these cases I propose that the people in the middle automatically get the armrest that separates them from the person in the aisle seat. In order to determine who gets the centre armrest, a simple game of rock-paper- scissors should suffice. (the lizard and Spock edition is acceptable if you are a Big Bang Theory enthusiast)
If you require further convincing about the need for the International Armrest Agreement, try spending 9 hours trapped in a middle seat between someone who has terrible body odour and someone who clumsily elbows you in the ribs every 3 minutes.
too funny. i’m in agreement with this understanding !
I find the best way to get the armrest back from somebody who has already claimed it, is to pretent to fall asleep and lean your head on their shoulder. Works every time….
🙂 so the best way to get personal space is to completely abandon the concept for awhile?
Absolutely!
I’m not convinced that this will work if you’re female and (relatively) young and the person claiming the armrest is a middle-aged male.
I did once, in a seat next to someone with really bad breath. I was so nauseous by take-off that even the air-hostess (generally an uncaring breed if you aren’t male/beautiful/expensively dressed/all of the above) took pity on me and let me sit in the kitchen area with a glass of soda water. Luckily it was only a three-hour flight.
Then I trust you will join in my crusade to make the International Armrest Agreement a reality 😉
OMG I just read all the replies from this post… I’m about to fly to Hong Kong at the end of this week and I’m having more anxieties than I already did prior to reading this! EWW, bad breath? BAH! Funny post Abigail! –I mean, Shweta! ;D
Your idea for the right armrest is brilliant. Unfortunately, most people don’t seem to know their right from their left, and even if they did, would try the nacho cheese trick anyway. 😀
I certainly don’t want to be trapped between someone with body odor and one who constantly pokes my ribs so as much as possible i get the aisle seat even if it means being relegated to the tail of the plane with the toilet behind me :). And as for the arm rest, if i recall correctly, the one in the middle is entitled to both.
Very insightful. Any thoughts on the proper timing for putting your seat back? Should there be an announcement during meal service that this is not the time to put your seat back?
I’ve heard announcements about keeping your seat upright at meal service, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m routinely seated behind deaf people.
It would be fantastic if the captain had a button that automatically ensured all seats were upright during take off, landing and meal times.
haha ! I’m all in, with this . Lets file a petition or something
Its hilarious….. very often have i faced the problem of the armrest in flights and movie theaters too. I am all for the armrest agreement!!!
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You have so eloquently set forth one of the many reasons that I refuse to fly! Great post.
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Cool thought .. International Arm Rest Agreement.. Maybe WHO can sponsor in the interests of the sanity of international travellers LOL !!
My husband really appreciated this installment. He won’t shut up complaining about his armrest-hogging neighbors every time he steps off a plane. Now he can reference the International Arm Rest Agreement next time he gets frustrated. Thanks. 🙂
Tell him to print out and hand it to neighbouring passengers 😉