A United Airlines flight attendant has ignited a travel etiquette debate after announcing a set of armrest 'rules' during a recent flight. The announcement, made before take-off, reportedly instructed passengers to use the armrest on their right side, or left depending on their position in the row, and asked those in aisle seats to keep the aisle armrest clear for cabin crew.
A passenger on the flight shared the incident on Reddit, saying the flight attendant was emphatic that no one should claim two armrests. The passenger noted that the attendant stated 'no armrest drama would be tolerated' and clarified that the aisle armrest should remain free for carts and people walking down the aisle.
The instructions, however, do not reflect an official United Airlines policy. In standard three-seat economy rows, armrest allocation is typically left to passengers' discretion, with the middle seat often considered entitled to both armrests as a compromise for its lack of space.
Reddit users largely criticised the flight attendant's approach, with many asserting that the aisle seat passenger has a right to the aisle armrest. One commenter noted that the middle seat 'sucks' and should be compensated with both armrests. The Independent has contacted United Airlines for comment.
