From Dave Barry's "passengers rights":
If a passenger is standing at the ticket counter with some hideously complex airline problem that has caused the other airline counter personnel to be sucked over, one by one, until they are all gathered in front of the problem passenger, staring in bafflement at the computer terminal, and this has been going on for 25 minutes, then the passengers waiting in line behind the problem passenger have the right to emit a hoarse cry of rage, rush forward in a mob and stuff the problem passenger into the little box that indicates the maximum size of carry-on baggage.