Originally Posted by
dmat
I'm relatively new to FT, and have often wondered why non-elites milling about very near the gate are called "kettles". Figured it had something to do with the old adage of "The pot calling the kettle black", or something like that.
Was just listening to an NPR podcast on their Stuff You Should Know show and the topic was about Vultures.
Come to find out, a group of vultures in flight is called a "kettle".
Is that where the annoying-non-elites-who-are-all-blocking-the-gate-so-they-can-rush-to-coach term comes from?
Hmmmm, that definition of "kettle" better describes elites circling the gate agent who is processing the upgrades.
Oh, yeah, non-elites (and elites!) who queue up too early and in the wrong place and block people are called "gate lice," not "kettles"