It's a debate that has gone on since the dawn of the airplane.
Well, probably not since then but for a good while now at least.
Who gets the armrests on the middle seat of the plane? Are they both yours? Are you supposed to try and share? Finally the question has been answered once and for all.
Flight attendant Boris Millan revealed in his plane etiquette book 'The Common Sense of Flying' that the person sitting in the middle seat is the undisputed owner of both armrests (at least for the duration of the flight).
Reader's Digest reached out to some other etiquette experts on the issue who came to the same conclusion explaining that each seat has a different luxury.
The person in the aisle gets to move about as they wish, the person on the inside has a window to look out of and so the person in the middle's consolation prize is indeed, both armrests.
Jodi R.R. Smith, president of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, told the publication:
"Both the person on the aisle and the person on the window are only being potentially touched by one other person.
But the person in the middle are potentially being touched by two others. Therefore, they have control over the armrests."
Well that's that. Now, go and keep your elbows to yourself next time you have the aisle or the window.
