Do you ever *skip* anyone in the security line?
 

Just curious!!! Today I was waiting in line - ready to go - shoes off/laptop out/purse and jacket in bin/etc (this was BEFORE I made it to the main table). The person in front of me was digging through a bag. Fully clothed (shoes and coat) and no indication of moving faster. So to keep the line moving, I advanced myself ahead of them. I heard a grunt/scowl directed my way after the fact. But in all honesty... another person skipped them as well. So opinions here.. wait? or move on?

All the time... get it together or get passed.

Please follow the discussion in our Travel Safety/Security forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Yes I do, and I motion to others to go ahead of me if I'm delayed getting my stuff ready. Sometimes people have waved me past, but usually they don't, so I skip around.

How could you possibly know where a grunt/scowl is directed when there are so many possible targets. :D

For me, only once. There was a long line waiting about 15 minutes for the ID checker to show up with me second. Then, finally, after the checker appears, the guy at the head of the line starts searching for his ID. Searching ... searching ... searching ... then the checker saved his life by pulling him aside as the angry crowd surged forward. :D

I always leave space for people to go around me when I'm loading all my stuff into the plastic buckets because I need extra time. Some go around. Some don't. I don't really pay attention.

Yes. The space at the head of the line should constantly reshuffle to maintain whatever maximum throughput the TSA bottleneck will allow.

I know this is not going to be popular with some, but....

I skip families with children. Most of them anyway. Some parents have little Jimmy and Suzie with shoes/jackets off and PSPs and juice boxes gone, but most don't. By the time my license is being checked I have my baggies ready to go, and by the time I can pick up a bin, my shoes and coat are off and ready to go. I'm going around.

The same thing goes for the older generation who is likewise not ready for security. Like the lady on my last flight who refused to take her belt off.

Exactly. I do it all the time. Maybe once a week, even.

Bruce

yes, i do. no need for me to wait for the infrequent traveler to get him/herself together, as i'm ready to go. i feel vaguely guilty about it, but...i'm prepared, s/he's not. it's nothing personal. :p

Hell yes... and if I was to find that I was not ready.... last second thought about something in the carry on or whatever... I would try to move aside and get out of the way... if necessary verbally (or non-verbally:)) encouraging people to go past...

Only been in that situation once.... but geez.. if you aren't ready to go it's a bit much to object to folks passing!

This shouldn't be limited to airport security lines either!

Seems like 9 times out of 10 the unprepared are fiddling around RIGHT IN FRONT of the x-ray, so I'm unable to skip around them.

To me, it is considered just plainly rude and is cutting the line. I have told off people before for doing so as its simply not fair to the people waiting in front of you. If you want to cut and ask, you should also do so politely and nicely and not expect any favours. I have told off fellow Y passengers or a F couple. If people follow the rules to stay in line, you should not cut the line

It is cutting in line if you go ahead of someone who is ready and moving forward. If someone gets to the front of a line and is not prepared to make the next step there is nothing wrong with moving past them. If I already have my stuff ready to go why do I need to stand behind you waiting? It doesn't impact your ability to move through the next step once you are ready, and it keeps the flow going.

I often have to let people go past me at the ID check while I try to explain that I'd prefer a secondary rather than show my ID. That definitely is a situation where I won't stop others from going past.

But here I would say anyone that holds up the regular flow of the line is ruder (not necessarily intentionally) than cutting in front of the one that is delaying the flow. That one person may be "wronged", but that person is probably "wronging" a dozen or so others by holding up the line.

It's not cutting if the person in front of you is holding up the flow of passengers through security. Think about all of the people behind you that benefit from a faster and more consistent flow through screening.