Flyingfox

Actually, most of them do it because of either 1. not caring that it's rude or not caring about the others in line, or 2. grandiosity

I don't think it's an esteem issue. They just feel entitled to get on board first. I don't think they're looking for an audience, usually.

But that's my half-pence worth.

GBadger

I find that the number of people trying to cut in front of me increases approximately proportionally to the number of straps that I have over my shoulders... Bag types and observed reactions below:

- Roll-aboard (which I have had exactly once...): No attempts to cut in front of me

- Single strap messenger-style Patagonia MLC (bag I carry most frequently): A few attempts to cut in front of me on a regular (per-flight) basis.

- Backpack (generally hiking pack, carried every now and then): OBVIOUSLY not as important as anyone else standing in line. There is simply NO WAY that people carrying backpacks could be carrying status, and they are DEFINITELY not in F. Get out of the way of the roll-aboard...DYKWIA coming through!!

lambrettaStarr

Yes, very very special. Now back of the bus, lowly plat.

lambrettaStarr

A place for my bag - and be up front. I hate swimming upstream like a salmon to get my bag while deplaning. For some reason delta has a preference set somewhere on me that says I like bulkheads, which I don't - so if I get stuck in a bulkhead, I have to try to get on as early as possible before people start taking bins in rows 1/2 since I have to put all luggage up top. Frustrating. If you're in row 4, put your bag above your seat - not mine!

Brick

When you sit in Y, it is not a problem.

In F it can be a problem. Once the F bins fill up, then you have to put your bag in Y. After arrival you have to swim upstream to get your bag. That's why F passengers are in a hurry to board...you still have to fight for bin space in F.

Thankfully I never travel with anything that won't fit under the seat in front of me, so unless I'm in a bulkhead seat I don't have to fight for bin space.

dd1612

If you are in Row 1 or 2 .... and you see the bags already occupying the bin... in my experience - most often the bags belong to the FAs working at the back.
This forces the pax in 1 or 2 to store their bags in the over-head bins above Rows 3 and 4.

james318

See, it's kinda hard to know if you are cutting sometimes... Most of the time, the gate-lice contains seats in zone 3, just standing there. And short of asking everyone what zone they are in, you just take some initiative and move forward past them. If I notice that I cut someone off from zone 1, I will step back behind them.

It can be hard to tell the lice from those who should be boarding...

DCBob

That is not a good assumption. Many of the "wall leaners" are not elites and are not "in line." I will certainly pass you up if the 10 feet at the front of the boarding line are completely EMPTY. If you want to be first, second, or third, then get in line in the proper location and not 25 feet away from where the line is supposed to begin. Because nature abhors a vacuum. LOL.

Opositive

Whatever the arguments about this, let's face facts - this becomes a non-issue if gate agents simply enforce the boarding plan.

I was in DTW just yesterday when we ran into this problem. The GA called for first class only on a DC-9, 30+ people rushed to the carpet. GA did nothing about it. He didn't even look at the passes to see if people had status or not. By the time I got to 3C all of the bin space in F was taken - much of it, it turned out, by three people in Y who dumped their bags up front on the way to the back. DL needs to enforce the policy.

I once had an GA at ORD cure this problem with a single statement over the PA:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be boarding this flight according to the zone number printed on your boarding pass. However, we are a little short staffed on ground crew today and we are seeking volunteers to help us prepare the aircraft for departure. If any of you would like to volunteer to clean the lavatories for us simply approach the gate before your zone is called and we'll be happy to supply you with cleaning materials and instructions for the job."

Crude? Yes. Appropriate? You could argue about that. Effective? Damn right it was. Most orderly and efficient boarding I've ever seen.

Enforce the policy and nobody will ever have to complain again.

Cheers,
Opos.

tgtg

Oh! Flashbacks of SONG!

-=tg=-

falco

Hear Hear!

I never cut in line if someone is "obviously" in line, but many times people in other zones stand near the end of the line and it is hard to tell if someone standing 5 feet away from the end of the line is waiting for the next zone or is actually in line.

To solve this, I normally very slowly walk by them, giving them ample chance to shorten step forward and claim their spot in line.

pdac1975

Really? So the guy who buys his First Class ticket should board behind you, even though you're in Y or in F because of free upgrade? I'm not sure I'm on board with your plan. Traveling more than others does not necessarily make you more important than others.

Ryan8925

Not really sure your basis on this assumption considering I can't remember the last time I flew without my backpack. It’s a Northface Backpack with a padded section for your laptop computer so you evenly balance the weight of your computer with both shoulders and not strain or damage just one shoulder with the typical Messenger bag.

However back to the OP, I can understand your frustration, but unless GA's make a very clear announcement and stop line/zone jumpers, it’s not really worth getting worked up about it. Whether you hot tempered or not, as long as these people continue cutting in front of everyone with no repercussions from a GA, they will continue to do it.

Just this past weekend, I witnessed 35+ passengers "pre-Board." There was an Indian family with a child who was walking on his own pre board the plane with all 15 aunts/uncles/parents/god parents/friends/neighbors etc. boarding the plane right behind him. I think it started a chain reaction because anyone with a child under the age of 10 seemed to think they too should "pre-board" with everyone they know. By the time they boarded first class (Of course it was still First Class w/ zone 1) I was easily the 50th or so person boarding and was stuck on a very hot jet way while people slowly found their seats. Its one thing if someone cuts in front of you when your boarding first. Its quite another when everyone boards before you they even call First Class and give you the oppurtunity to board.

drat19

Allow me to add my +100 to the above point. While it may be true that maybe 1% are DYKWIA, the other 99% are ALL ABOUT securing overhead storage space that doesn't require swimming upstream upon landing/disembark. Period.

It is WAR for overhead storage space now on all flights...I am a proud gate louse on every flight I take, and while very few people try to line-cut me at my 6'3" and 250+, every once in a while I've treated those who have tried to my best loud NYC-native, "What the eff (not edited when I say it) do I look like, the 275 lb invisible man???"

And oh by the way, I travel with a backpack, not a rollaboard, and I always, always travel in t-shirt/shorts in the summer, or t-shirt/sweats in the cooler months...I do NOT wear the "frequent flyer business casual" uniform, ever. Oh, and of course my home base is GPT, HOME of the Infrequent Flyer. It's always fun to test who treats me like a Kettle when I fly.

GBadger

Re-read my post please. It's not my assumption, but rather the reaction I get when I'm carrying a backpack.

BTW-I have the same (or similar) North Face backpack (RECON II). Not usually the one I have as a carry on, but I would imagine the reaction would be similar.