Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, certain types of buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parliaments and legislatures, courtrooms, theatres, and in certain types of passenger vehicles. Their floors may be flat or, as in theatres, stepped upwards from a stage. Aisles can also be seen in shops, warehouses, and factories, where rather than seats, they have shelving to either side. In warehouses and factories, aisles may be defined by storage pallets, and in factories, aisles may separate work areas. In health clubs, exercise equipment is normally arranged in aisles. Aisles are distinguished from corridors, hallways, walkways, footpaths, pavements (American English sidewalks), trails, paths and (enclosed) "open areas" by lying between other open spaces or areas of seating, but enclosed within a structure. Aisles have certain general physical characteristics: They are virtually always straight, not curved. They are usually fairly long. An open space that had three rows of chairs to the right of it and three to the left generally would not be considered an "aisle". Theatres, meeting halls, shops, etc., usually have aisles wide enough for 2–3 strangers to walk past each other without feeling uncomfortably close. In such facilities, anything that could comfortably accommodate more than four people side-by-side would generally be considered an "open area", rather than an "aisle". Factory work area aisles are usually wide enough for workers to comfortably sit or stand at their work area, while allowing safe and efficient movement of persons, equipment and/or materials. Passage aisles usually are quite narrow—wide enough for a large person to carry a suitcase in each hand but not wide enough for two people to pass side-by-side without touching. Usually, even without luggage one person must turn sideways in order for the other one to pass. Warehouse aisles normally are at least 8–10 feet (2.