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.

I've done it a few times. I have my bag packed so I can open it, get things binned, shoes are slip ons so they are off in seconds. Usually my going around happens before they are done looking for whatever the mystery object is.

Usually what I'm thinking is.. its your bag.. you packed it why the h@ll dont you know where things are??

If someone is not ready I will say excuse me, cut in front of them, place my stuff into the x-ray and walk through if it is clear they're just not ready (i.e. shoes on and sitting there digging through a bag).

No reason I should be held up if someone isn't ready to proceed.

At the same time, there have been a couple times I have needed extra time to unload my stuff prior to the checkpoint (i.e. if I have extra computer equipment or extra items I need to unpack for screening). I kindly tell those behind me they can go ahead.

It's a two way street. If they're not ready, I jump ahead -- if I'm not ready for whatever reason, jump ahead of me.

How about this scenario
 

Ok, how about another scenario:

You arrive at the airport at 4:00pm for a 5:30pm flight to CVG and then have a 45 minute connection at CVG onto FCO. Reasonable connection time for CVG. Prior to leaving for the airport, delta.com states your 5:30pm flight is on time.

You arrive at the Delta ticket counter and the 5:30pm flight to CVG is now delayed to 6:05pm, which means you have a 10 minute domestic to international connection - if even that - assuming your original flight departs at 6:05pm with the delay.

Flight to FCO operates once a day; Agent checks alternate routes. The connection via ATL is sold-out. The DL/AF connections to FCO via CDG are no good because of a strike in France.

While at the ticket counter the agent says there is a Comair flight to CVG departing at 4:20pm. Since you are carry-on only, agent states this is your best chance at getting to FCO. Agent gives you last seat on CRJ at the rear of the plane and tells you to make a run for it.

You arrive at the checkpoint. At SDF there is no elite line. The checkpoint that is a normal 5 to 10 minute wait this time of day is backed up and ugly looking.

Do you:

(1) Politely excuse yourself and jump line
(2) Wait in line and potentially miss your flight (which means a likely mis-connect on the original flight).

If you excuse yourself to the front, do you try to justify it to other pax who are waiting? "Sorry, airline put me on a new flight" -- or do you just say excuse me, cut the entire queue to reach the TSA employee directing pax, politely explain why you jumped queue, and pray they allow you to proceed?

In this case I politely try to jump queue. It isn't a great situation to be in, but you either jump queue or you're potentially SOL. If someone wants to give me crap, so be it.

What would you do? I jumped queue and made it to the gate just in time for boarding. I made it to CVG and caught my connection to FCO. While at CVG, I notice my original flight is further delayed which meant I would have been a mis-connect.

I'd politely ask if i can cut in front. Usually people are quite understanding. I also quite often let people that are rushing to make their flight cut in front of me.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

In LAX I was waiting to go through security and the passenger in front of me was just taking forever. I asked if he minded if I go ahead of him and he replied that he was in a hurry, he did mind and pushed his bins up to the xray. Then he took at least another minute to get through.

That's OK, Karma will get him!

I will also encourage others to move ahead of me if I need a few extra seconds. I don't really have a problem with this but I usually travel very light and pack to go thru the checkpoint quickly.

I'm also usually early enough that the wait is not big deal. My only issue is that I have trouble standing for more than about 20 or 30 minutes.

I frequently travel with 2 very young kids and would have no problem if you skipped me if it didn't hold me up. As we travel so frequently, we are like a military operation at security and I doubt you'd be able to do it as we are pretty damn quick!

Have the DL agent escort me to the front of the line. I've seen it before and it is much better than trying to bypass a whole bunch of people on your own. Failing that, however, I would try to move up myself. Of course everyone in line is thinking "why didn't you just show up on time?" and hating you, but that's the way it is some times.

If the person in front if me is fumbling around and I am ready to go, I will politely say "I am ready to go, do you mind if I keep moving past you?". I can only remember doing it a couple of times, and was never refused.

The only time I've seen this cause a problem is when people leave their belongings on the tables leading up to the X-ray in order to dart around a slow person at the head of the line ... in which case, they're counting on the folks behind them to put their items into the X-ray! (Presumably without stealing anything ... ) When this happens, I will tell people, politely but firmly, that they need to stay with their items until they're all inside the X-ray.

OTOH, if someone alarms on the first pass and goes back to divest their pocket change, etc., I'll usually wave the next few folks through, as long as they've put their items into the X-ray.

We really DO want to get you through the checkpoint as quickly as possible, folks!

I've been waved ahead a few times, and am willing to accept, but have never asked or skipped without asking. Doesn't seem worth it to earn 15-30 seconds.

I only do it if it's offered and surprisingly it's fairly often now. It particularly helps, as others have said, if you have all of you things together to go through.

I've only seen a few times where a problem has arised is where a person is just fumbling around in front of the xray so other people move up to go past. The person fumbling around seems as if they feel threatened that someone is about to go through before them and they push all their stuff up to the front and hog the space so that no one can put their stuff in.

It just makes the person seem like a jerk when there are people behind them all ready to go and the person doesn't want anyone else to get through the line before him even when he is fumbling around the inside of his bag.

What I don't understand is how many people who seem like they've never passed through airport secure end up in the priority line. I don't think they're flying first, but they have status. Shouldn't they be used to the routine?

What is prefer a secondary rather than show my ID?

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.[/QUOTE]

If the consensus is that its ok to skip forward if you have all your things ready, i wonder what is to stop people from skipping the coffee line or other queues just because they have only 1 or 2 things and have their money ready. A queue is a queue.

Yes I want to get through security as fast as possible so I can hurry up and wait to be told my flight is delayed or canceled.
I have been in line and no less than six crew members just push their way through. I understand the system in place, but "excuse me" and other civilities go a long way. Is the treatment of the passengers in the security line a hint for what's to come in flight?

No, you have missed the analogy. The case here is comparable to the situation where person #1 gets to the front of the line at Starbucks and then continues to read over the menu board trying to decide among various offerings. Meanwhile, person #2 one back in line is fully ready to order and pay for his standard latte. The most efficient process is for person #1 to encourage person #2 to step to the front of the line so that persons 3,4, etc are not held up more. When person #1 is inconsiderate enough not to do this, it is not wrong for person #2 to move without "permission".

A queue is simply a tool that helps maintain the orderly progression. If altering that queue will enhance the progression, then it should be altered. As long as everyone remains polite and considerate of others around them, it all works out just fine.

I do it if the folks ahead of me are really, really slow or impeding flow of the line. I've been waved forward a couple of times, but if I've got my stuff in the bin and the folks ahead of me are just starting, then I'll move ahead. At one or two airports, TSA has encouraged it.

Likewise, I'll grab my stuff as quickly as possible and get out of the way at the exit.

If the "disgorge" tables are short, however, it really isn't practical to move ahead.

Yes, I do skip people ahead of me if they are having a dickens of a time getting their stuff sorted out.

However, as I refuse to step through the WTMD myself until my stuff is on its way through the x-ray, I am also passed on occasion. In other words, when the x-ray operator is being slow for whatever reason (taking a closer look, pax who don't grasp the concept of bin management, etc.), I wait until my stuff is safely on the belt before going ahead. If someone else is ready to go on through, so be it, and more power to them. I'm not leaving my stuff where it can be stolen, knocked off the belt, etc.

I don't know about anyone else but this skipping behavior to gain 15 seconds makes me nervous. Besides having to deal with the TSA's absurdities I now have to be aware of my fellow pax in what has become a very competitive environment. I am no faster or slower than anyone else but I feel this subtle pressure that I should have all my stuff out and ready to go before I even get to the table or I'll be skipped. I don't like it. I feel that there is an imaginary stop watch pushing me to go faster and faster. Can't we ease up just a little bit? I'm making a clear distinction between me and Ma and Pa Kettle who don't have a clue about what's going on. I think the line between being in a hurry and being rude is a very fine one. Isn't there enough stress in this process already?

If its a matter of less then 20 seconds wait (perception wise), I will wait behind them, double checking if I have everything out. If its more then 20 seconds, I will absolutely go ahead of them, since I am usually ready to go right after they check my ID. No patience for Ma and Pa Kettle trying to delay everyone else.

Another complicating factor is when there are several lines feeding the same WTMD. (At IAD, for example, there may be 2x carry-on x-ray machines which have their own lines, but only one WTMD between them.)

I've watched people try to do an "alternating merge" between the lines, which is a bit silly, as well as people insisting on waiting right in front of the WTMD for the rest of their party, holding up the people from the other line who could/should be "going ahead" of the slowpokes.

I admit I skip from time to time. I do give the pax in front some chance to be ready but if looks to be really slow then I'll pass. The other time is the rare times I'll miss the flight if I don't jump ahead, in which case I'll politely ask. I'm happy to reciprocate if others ask me.

The issue isn't just saving me 15 seconds. It saves everyone else behind me 15 seconds also. In a loooong line, if enough people do this it can save many minutes for those at the end.

Why? Does your ego take a hit when someone else passes you? If so, then I suggest you be ready to go... if not, then what's the big deal about getting passed?

The "no skipping" attitudes on this thread sound a lot like some of the behaivor I see on the road all the time. Go to pass someone and they speed up to parallel you.

For me it's much less about the "15 seconds" or getting ahead, etc. and more about getting through to get my stuff back together. Awkward understates the feeling of laptop, shoes, jacket, briefcase, roller board and boarding pass balancing in two hands waiting for Joe Snuffy to fish the coins out his pants pocket. The 5 feet of open table in front of Mr Snuffy is even more inviting when trying to balance same in bins at the back end of the table.