'Aisle lice' is latest air travel annoyance to spark social media debate

Move aside, "gate lice." Flight passengers are now debating the latest travel annoyance that takes place on the actual plane: "aisle lice."

Gate lice drew headlines after American Airlines announced it was expanding new technology that beeps when encountering the phenomenon at more than 100 airports. 

On the "r/delta" Reddit forum, one flyer asked, "Who do [we] hate more? Gate lice or aisle lice?"

The user shared that he or she was on a flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to LaGuardia Airport and witnessed "aisle lice" as soon as the plane landed. 

"Not only do the two people next to me decide to stand up, but [somehow] the guy from the window seat shoves his way forward and is the first of all of us to get off the plane," wrote the user.

The user added that the passenger ended up heading to the restroom in the airport's terminal.

Fellow flyers took to the comments section to share their thoughts.

Another commented, "Aisle lice don't bother me as much because if they get up in my row (I am a window seat person) I usually get more room to stretch while I wait."

A user said, "Lice are lice."

"The fact we have to choose between these two is ridiculous. Neither is emblematic of appropriate adult behavior," one person commented.

The same person added, "Yes, sure, there are exceptions. However, literally everyone does it - watch on your next flights. Everyone cannot be the exception."

Brandon Blewett, the Texas-based author of "How to Avoid Strangers on Airplanes," told Fox News Digital that "aisle lice" are also known as "eager exiters."

"[Aisle Lice] are those passengers who treat deplaning like an Olympic sport. The second the seat belt sign dings, they catapult from their seats, tossing bags into the aisle as if claiming prime real estate," Blewett told Fox News Digital.

He added, "They narrate their travel woes with a level of self-importance usually reserved for royalty, all while elbowing past rows of patiently waiting passengers in a frantic bid to shave off a few precious seconds."

Blewett added, "It seems to stem from a misguided belief that being first in line somehow grants a magical pass to bypass everyone else deplaning in an orderly fashion. Spoiler alert: It doesn't."

He said it's a travel habit he finds the "most annoying," as it can disrupt the deplaning order and cause hold-ups. 

Blewett said that it can sometimes be understandable for those who are in a rush if they have a short window to catch a connecting flight.

"Frankly, everyone would get off faster if we stuck to the unspoken rule of waiting our turn," said Blewett.