Proper etiquette for cutting in line
#31
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I find it interesting that on the carriers I think you are talking about, that there is a gyrating V of people standing at the door of the aircraft ready to disembark even before the aircraft has arrived at the gate, after landing. Sort of a closed loop of V-ing.
#32
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To their credit, I've never seen a TSO complain while a pax behind me with less stuff enters the WTMD ahead of me, and indeed I've seen TSOs encourage it.
Last edited by mre5765; Jun 9, 2009 at 1:29 pm
#34
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It sounds to me that what the OP is doing is not jumping an entire queue, but when they are second in the queue, moving past a slow-moving person who is first. That seems perfectly reasonable. As someone who, when traveling for business, takes a long time to prepare for x-ray (I carry a lot of electronic equipment), I normally encourage the person behind me to go first, while I set up my trays. If I am too pre-occupied to do that, I have no problem with the person behind me asking politely and going ahead. Why should the entire line behind me wait because I have to split my carry-on into 4 or 5 different trays?
#35
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I've always considered that the queue ends when you get to the staging area for the belt. Once there, it's first come, first served because, if you're quicker than someone else, you are not holding them up.
#36
Join Date: Apr 2008
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You're not just cutting in front of the person at the head of the line. You're cutting in front of everyone else who waited. Is it OK if I decide to cut in front of *you*? After all, you took a few seconds to talk to the person at the front of the line. You're holding me up so I think I'll just skip ahead while you and the first person have your nice chat.
#38
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Phlying, I am surprised you'd do something like this. You always seemed like a reasonable person from the other posts I read.
Several points:
1. Why would it take people in the summer longer? I'd think the winter with coats and heavier shoes that must be laced and unlaced takes longer, plus scarves and such.
2. Are you basically stepping up to the line and walk by, say 20 people, to the front of the line, then you ask if it's ok to go ahead because you only have your briefcase? Even if you are not in a hurry? I mean a hurry caused by something outside of your control. If you just arrive late at the airport because you know you will skip the line and gain time, that is even more outrageous.
If that's the case you are breaking the social contract. Seriously! That is not acceptable and very rude. There might be others who also only have a briefcase but they are waiting. It really would screw things up badly if everyone did. In some airports they have lines for experienced users and non-experienced users. That's a good system. But you can't just step in front of a general line just because you are an experienced user with little luggage.
3. I would only see two exceptions to that rule. One is that you have waited in line and it is almost your turn. But the person right ahead of you obviously takes a lot of time. You then ask him if you can step ahead. Even that would be impolite by strict standards but it wouldn't give you the ahole certificate. The other is if you are really hard pressed to board your flight when this is for a reason outside your control. In that case, it would be best to signal to one of the stand-around TSOs and tell them by showing your boarding pass that boarding has already begun and you'd like to make your flight. They will probably send you to the front of the line and even make an effort to get you through there quickly if you ask nicely.
But in general, there is not etiquette for cutting the line because cutting the line is against the etiquette.
Till
Several points:
1. Why would it take people in the summer longer? I'd think the winter with coats and heavier shoes that must be laced and unlaced takes longer, plus scarves and such.
2. Are you basically stepping up to the line and walk by, say 20 people, to the front of the line, then you ask if it's ok to go ahead because you only have your briefcase? Even if you are not in a hurry? I mean a hurry caused by something outside of your control. If you just arrive late at the airport because you know you will skip the line and gain time, that is even more outrageous.
If that's the case you are breaking the social contract. Seriously! That is not acceptable and very rude. There might be others who also only have a briefcase but they are waiting. It really would screw things up badly if everyone did. In some airports they have lines for experienced users and non-experienced users. That's a good system. But you can't just step in front of a general line just because you are an experienced user with little luggage.
3. I would only see two exceptions to that rule. One is that you have waited in line and it is almost your turn. But the person right ahead of you obviously takes a lot of time. You then ask him if you can step ahead. Even that would be impolite by strict standards but it wouldn't give you the ahole certificate. The other is if you are really hard pressed to board your flight when this is for a reason outside your control. In that case, it would be best to signal to one of the stand-around TSOs and tell them by showing your boarding pass that boarding has already begun and you'd like to make your flight. They will probably send you to the front of the line and even make an effort to get you through there quickly if you ask nicely.
But in general, there is not etiquette for cutting the line because cutting the line is against the etiquette.
Till
#39
Join Date: Jul 2008
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3. I would only see two exceptions to that rule. One is that you have waited in line and it is almost your turn. But the person right ahead of you obviously takes a lot of time. You then ask him if you can step ahead. Even that would be impolite by strict standards but it wouldn't give you the ahole certificate.
But in general, there is not etiquette for cutting the line because cutting the line is against the etiquette.
Till
But in general, there is not etiquette for cutting the line because cutting the line is against the etiquette.
Till
On the other hand asking one person if you can jump ahead because they have more stuff and then asking another would be wrong.
Also, to the OP, if you wish to jump to the head of the line, you need permission from EVERY person in line or you are just being a jerk.
#40
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Till
#41
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2. Are you basically stepping up to the line and walk by, say 20 people, to the front of the line, then you ask if it's ok to go ahead because you only have your briefcase? Even if you are not in a hurry? I mean a hurry caused by something outside of your control. If you just arrive late at the airport because you know you will skip the line and gain time, that is even more outrageous.
If that's the case you are breaking the social contract. Seriously! That is not acceptable and very rude. There might be others who also only have a briefcase but they are waiting. It really would screw things up badly if everyone did. In some airports they have lines for experienced users and non-experienced users. That's a good system. But you can't just step in front of a general line just because you are an experienced user with little luggage.
3. I would only see two exceptions to that rule. One is that you have waited in line and it is almost your turn. But the person right ahead of you obviously takes a lot of time. You then ask him if you can step ahead. Even that would be impolite by strict standards but it wouldn't give you the ahole certificate.
As an aside, I am the guy that accredits the organization in charge of issuing ahole certificates.
#42
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LOL.
Tfar, the difference is that it's once or twice a year summer travelers unfamiliar with TSA requirements, and if I may gingerly say so, checkpoint etiquette. I just flew LAX-SMF this afternoon and while waiting in line at the LAX T7 checkpoint, there were two families in front of me as I arrived at the conveyor belt. They were sorting out strollers, diaper bags, those little pink pre-K rollaboards things, camcorder, etc. I asked one of the matriarchs if she wouldn't mind me going ahead. I don't think I was out of line. My laptop bag, shoes, jacket and I only jumped past six or seven people trying to get their stuff together.
I don't do what you describe above. However, when I get to the conveyor belt and people are rummaging through their stuff, I will cut in front of them. I do this even if I am early, because I don't see the point of standing around when I could just walk around a couple of people who are not quite ready / getting their stuff together. Me standing there waiting does no one any good. OTOH, in my estimated 600+ journeys this decade, I can only recall a couple of times when airline staff have escorted me to the front of a line due to lateness/flight change.
Yes, I'd prefer it if others didn't join in.
Yes, this is what I do.
As an aside, I am the guy that accredits the organization in charge of issuing ahole certificates.
Tfar, the difference is that it's once or twice a year summer travelers unfamiliar with TSA requirements, and if I may gingerly say so, checkpoint etiquette. I just flew LAX-SMF this afternoon and while waiting in line at the LAX T7 checkpoint, there were two families in front of me as I arrived at the conveyor belt. They were sorting out strollers, diaper bags, those little pink pre-K rollaboards things, camcorder, etc. I asked one of the matriarchs if she wouldn't mind me going ahead. I don't think I was out of line. My laptop bag, shoes, jacket and I only jumped past six or seven people trying to get their stuff together.
I don't do what you describe above. However, when I get to the conveyor belt and people are rummaging through their stuff, I will cut in front of them. I do this even if I am early, because I don't see the point of standing around when I could just walk around a couple of people who are not quite ready / getting their stuff together. Me standing there waiting does no one any good. OTOH, in my estimated 600+ journeys this decade, I can only recall a couple of times when airline staff have escorted me to the front of a line due to lateness/flight change.
Yes, I'd prefer it if others didn't join in.
Yes, this is what I do.
As an aside, I am the guy that accredits the organization in charge of issuing ahole certificates.
I fly certainly much less than you do but the thing with asking a security officer for a quick pass has worked the one time I did need it. It was in Zurich, though. Perhaps the agents tick differently there. I find that security in ZRH is very efficient, speedy and polite anyway.
OTOH, if I am early I wouldn't cut the line, even if there are people ahead that take longer. While it does nobody any good if you stand there, you can see from the responses that people might or do get pissed if you skip ahead. So staying does nobody any good but it also does nobody any harm. Skipping has the potential to anger people, so I avoid that. What I said about "if everybody would do that" does apply here. It is usually an argument I hate and refute when it is applied to my own behavior but I think here it could apply very well, just because the incidents are so common and so likely.
Till
#43
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I've never, anywhere in the world (except in the US, and once only at CDG) experienced the need to jump the queue - the security lines at all airports I have flown through have always been extremely efficient, and have done the task assigned to them in a timely and effective manner. Again, US (and one occasion at CDG) excepted.
Maybe this tells us more about your screening processes than the TSA wants us to believe?
Dave
Maybe this tells us more about your screening processes than the TSA wants us to believe?
Dave
#44
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#45
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I don't do what you describe above. However, when I get to the conveyor belt and people are rummaging through their stuff, I will cut in front of them. I do this even if I am early, because I don't see the point of standing around when I could just walk around a couple of people who are not quite ready / getting their stuff together. Me standing there waiting does no one any good.