Proper etiquette for cutting in line
Jun 10, 2009, 5:10 pm
#46
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There’s plenty of non-Kettles that like to futz around at the bin table with car keys and pocket change, but I just give them the [/rolleyes].
There’s plenty of non-Kettles that like to futz around at the bin table with car keys and pocket change, but I just give them the [/rolleyes].
Jun 10, 2009, 11:48 pm
#47
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I think that there are two 'stages' of cutting in line. If you are at the belt and the person in front of you is dilly-dallying with their doodads of travel, it is perfectly acceptable to ask that person if you can step in front of them. But the person who jumps in front of the whole queue, even if they get permission from the person at the front of the line, is wrong because they are delaying the whole line, not just the person in front.
Jun 11, 2009, 5:06 am
#48
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I think that there are two 'stages' of cutting in line. If you are at the belt and the person in front of you is dilly-dallying with their doodads of travel, it is perfectly acceptable to ask that person if you can step in front of them. But the person who jumps in front of the whole queue, even if they get permission from the person at the front of the line, is wrong because they are delaying the whole line, not just the person in front.
What you describe as 'wrong' is completely and perfectly acceptable in the UK. Please remember that if you ever travel here. It will save you a lot of aggravation
Jun 11, 2009, 6:09 am
#49
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I love sweeping pronouncements that completely miss the point that different countries have different approaches
What you describe as 'wrong' is completely and perfectly acceptable in the UK. Please remember that if you ever travel here. It will save you a lot of aggravation
What you describe as 'wrong' is completely and perfectly acceptable in the UK. Please remember that if you ever travel here. It will save you a lot of aggravation
Jun 11, 2009, 11:01 am
#50
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I've seen non-Pakistani's who may have just walked out of the Club Class cabin of a 777 at Karachi airport get rather irritated with say, a woman with three children in tow who might have been last off the aircraft make her way to the front of the Passport control queue in front of them.
Jun 11, 2009, 11:12 am
#51
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I love sweeping pronouncements that completely miss the point that different countries have different approaches
What you describe as 'wrong' is completely and perfectly acceptable in the UK. Please remember that if you ever travel here. It will save you a lot of aggravation
What you describe as 'wrong' is completely and perfectly acceptable in the UK. Please remember that if you ever travel here. It will save you a lot of aggravation
Jul 15, 2009, 5:43 am
#52
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Now that summer is upon us, and there are many people who are taking a little longer than usual to disrobe and organize their stuff on the conveyor belt, I have begun my annual cut to the front of the line fest (TM), which generally lasts May 25 through mid to late August at domestic checkpoints.
I am always polite about it. I ask the person at the front of the line if it is OK with them. I never cut the line if I have anything more than a checkpoint friendly computer bag, or if the people in front of me don't have to negotiate kids, strollers, multiple family members, are having trouble getting their stuff together, etc.
Funny thing is, although I have not annoyed any [many] fellow passengers using this approach, the TSO's at the metal detector nearly always have something snide to say like, "you can't cut in line", or, "Sir, we have lines for a reason". Today, when I told an irate TSO at DFW that I was merely helping to expedite the flow of people through his checkpoint, he threatened me with secondary screening, but did not follow through, presumably when he saw how quick I was.
Just wondering if anyone else has a similar approach. I'm guessing not, but we'll see
I am always polite about it. I ask the person at the front of the line if it is OK with them. I never cut the line if I have anything more than a checkpoint friendly computer bag, or if the people in front of me don't have to negotiate kids, strollers, multiple family members, are having trouble getting their stuff together, etc.
Funny thing is, although I have not annoyed any [many] fellow passengers using this approach, the TSO's at the metal detector nearly always have something snide to say like, "you can't cut in line", or, "Sir, we have lines for a reason". Today, when I told an irate TSO at DFW that I was merely helping to expedite the flow of people through his checkpoint, he threatened me with secondary screening, but did not follow through, presumably when he saw how quick I was.
Just wondering if anyone else has a similar approach. I'm guessing not, but we'll see
Cutting is cutting, no matter how "fast" you think you are. I too have only a computer bag, do you think I would let you cut infront of me? What about civility?
A few days ago at PHX the line was crazy, I observed a woman try to go through the first class line with her two kids..she was stopped by a TSA guy and raised a stink, citing having children as her excuse. Plenty of folks in the correct line had children..they then backed down and directed her to the employee line..next thing you know, everyone with kids was trying it. Me me me me me.
That being said, there are tricks to getting through faster, starting with the days you pick to travel. Mondays, Sundays and Fridays should be avoided. Mornings should be avoided.
My home airport is PHX. At term 4 you can go through any line and walk beyond security to your gate area..so if I have to board at C but the C line is out of control, I will go do D, A or B and just walk around to C on the other side.
Jul 15, 2009, 7:16 am
#54
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I think it's fair to point out that there are many in Britain who would not avail themselves of the opportunity to go to the front of the line because they are either too timid, consider it poor form or are not in a hurry. Also, there are subtleties related to the act that most Americans on their first, second or third visit to Britain might not get. Cutting to the front of the line in some situations in Britain will get you a black eye and a bovver boot in your bottom.
Jul 15, 2009, 7:28 am
#55
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Theoretically yes. In practice, by (approximately) the second or third incident, the queue reserve the right to mutter and tut loudly. By (approximately) the fifth incident, the queue reserve the right to stop being polite and tell the person at the front to stop being a bloody idiot. Depending on who is in the queue (and who is at the front), and how much alcohol has been consumed, there may be threats of violence. If someone in authority is permitting the queue jump, the muttering stage is delayed about five incidents and the second stage may never be reached.
Even as someone British, I find British queuing etiquette fascinatingly strange, because most people aren't consciously aware of the unwritten rules - but yet they get applied almost devoutly - and people will recognise the rules when described. I can remember it starting to be taught to me at the age of 5, when we were taught how to form a queue properly by our teachers
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Jun 19, 2012, 8:12 am
#56
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Old thread but wanted to reply anyway:
Got to security in YUL this morning and there was only one person in line ahead of me. He was taking forever to get his stuff out and I was ready so I went around. I wouldn't consider it cutting because I didn't delay him in any way. Agent said that there is a line and I pointed out that I was ready and the next person wasn't and I was keeping things moving. Guy behind me spoke up and said it was fine. Agent decided to "randomly" screen my bag.
Cutting the line is a no-no but if the person right in front of you is taking forever going around them keeps things moving and only helps everyone. I also recall reading in a magazine discussing travel etiquette recommending the same thing.
Got to security in YUL this morning and there was only one person in line ahead of me. He was taking forever to get his stuff out and I was ready so I went around. I wouldn't consider it cutting because I didn't delay him in any way. Agent said that there is a line and I pointed out that I was ready and the next person wasn't and I was keeping things moving. Guy behind me spoke up and said it was fine. Agent decided to "randomly" screen my bag.
Cutting the line is a no-no but if the person right in front of you is taking forever going around them keeps things moving and only helps everyone. I also recall reading in a magazine discussing travel etiquette recommending the same thing.
Jun 25, 2012, 7:49 pm
#57
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Or if there's someone ahead of me, between me and them, I'll prompt the person ahead of me to pass. In particularly bad cases of kettle-dom, once I've done it, I've seen as many as 3 other better-prepared travelers skip past.
Ratio of business/frequent travelers to infrequent ones goes down a lot during the vacation season (big holidays are even worse. Mid-January and October are about as good as it gets.)
Jun 26, 2012, 9:17 am
#58
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About 2 months ago (before recheck) I was removing my laptop and my shoes to put on the belt (quickly and efficiently) when a woman cut in front of me. BUT, she then slowly took out her laptop, shoes, 311, etc so I picked up my trays and cut around her. She got huffy and wanted to scold me but I just ignored her with a roll of my eyes.
May 24, 2013, 11:49 pm
#59
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At SFO, there are certain terminals that do not have a separate employee entrance; we were told but TSA officers that we could jump right to the front of the xray machine, place our things for scanning and then walk through the metal detector.