“Prove You’re Not Racist”: United Passenger Deplanes From The Back Of The Aircraft—And Everyone Lets Him Pass

A passenger at the back of a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 came up with a novel way to be first off the plane: “Prove you’re not racist and let all the black people off the plane first.” He said it as he walked all the way to the forward galley. It worked. This was a United Boeing 737-800, and the placard identifies it as N78524, a 2010 Continental aircraft. It operated flight 1657 from Chicago O’Hare to New York LaGuardia on Saturday and the video’s creator is Chicago-based and comments “New York im here.” So that seems likely to be the flight. The man gets up from the back of economy while most passengers are still seated and there’s an open aisle ahead of him. As people let him pass, he rewards them with “Good job.” The patronizing approval is awesome. Eventually there are passengers standing and retrieving bags, so he makes his case: he tells one passenger, “Excuse me, sir. You’re not racist, right?” Then: “Prove you’re not racist and let me off the plane first.” Our deplaner declares that everyone is an ally and that “America is great.” Even the flight attendant at the forward door of the aircraft laughs. The door is still closed when he reaches the front. He outmaneuvered the rest of the flight and eventually walks alone off the plane. His premise was to let “all the black people” off first, but commenters spot a Black woman and a Black child he passed. Why Everybody Let Him Through The passenger started during the brief dead period after the seat belt sign went off but before the aisle filled. He had no roller bag to retrieve or drag. By the time passengers farther forward were standing, he already had momentum. Then he created a choice: Letting him pass costs a passenger a couple seconds. Refusing meant being filmed while answering an accusation of racism. A decision not to move doesn’t have to be even close to racist to realize that moving for most people is the cheaper option! He also asks one person at a time, smiling, and immediately supplies positive reinforcement: “Good job.” Each passenger sees that everyone behind has already played along which makes the social cost of being the first holdout higher. The Comments Are Almost As Good As The Video The primary reaction of viewers was delight. I know I laughed pretty hard. “I’m not using my black privilege enough” — “Rosa Parks would’ve been so proud” “Blackmail” “You are such a sweet bully” Some dissenters called it racism, bullying and line-cutting. I’ve covered the “world’s best deplaner” before, and just last month wrote about another United passenger racing from the back of a 737. The norm is still that rows ahead go first. You should stand and get ready as soon as the seat belt sign turns off, moving into the aisle to make room for passengers stuck in the middle and at the window. It’s fine to move through a clear opening without slowing anyone else. It’s not fine to force your way past people who are ready to leave. Topics on this page