Cutting in on security lines

[JohnK]

But how exactly? A 'quiet word' and they'll pay no notice. Yell at them and you could end up being banned by the airline as potentially disruptive.

Never one for a quite word. Just enough anger to let them know what they are doing is wrong.

Don't take something for granted. Ask if you want to push in front of someone. Common courtesy out the window?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Don't take something for granted. Ask if you want to push in front of someone. Common courtesy out the window?

Sometimes two sides to the coin though? The person 'pushing in' may think I am the one being inconsiderate and rude by being slow and not having everything ready at the security check-point. Or friends yapping to each other and taking their time to get stuff out. Sometimes the person I 'push past' is being completely self absorbed! Should I still have to ask politely?

 

[bad]

Sometimes two sides to the coin though? The person 'pushing in' may think I am the one being inconsiderate and rude by being slow and not having everything ready at the security check-point. Or friends yapping to each other and taking their time to get stuff out. Sometimes the person I 'push past' is being completely self absorbed! Should I still have to ask politely?

Good point totally agree .......when you wake up a totally adsorbed person by asking politely if it's OK to push past, they frequently go into a lower evolved reptilian mode and quickly close the gap not saying a single word. Go figure but I am with you on this. Will consider other options.

 

[JohnK]

Sometimes two sides to the coin though? The person 'pushing in' may think I am the one being inconsiderate and rude by being slow and not having everything ready at the security check-point. Or friends yapping to each other and taking their time to get stuff out. Sometimes the person I 'push past' is being completely self absorbed! Should I still have to ask politely?

Good point but still doesn't hurt to say "Excuse me please...." as you are walking past. I guess we are all different in dealing with situations.

 

[bad]

Good point but still doesn't hurt to say "Excuse me please...." as you are walking past. I guess we are all different in dealing with situations.

I am different I do let people in. But I have never been let into any queue. Even when being very polite. Some see it as a " badge of honour" to be before you, be it security, aircraft door, or the gate. It's like if they don't want to loose a 1 million dollars. It's like they will forfeit the 1 mln in prize money?

 

[Hvr]

<snip>

Don't take something for granted. Ask if you want to push in front of someone. Common courtesy out the window?

And looking at it from another point of view. If you're not ready to proceed then stand back and let those of us who are ready go through.

Surely it is selfish to delay others because you're not prepared?

And I see another poster has said the same thing.

 

[Pushka]

So if there are say 3 people unloading into trays at the beginning of security, there is a large gap of say two+ metres where no luggage is waiting scanning, I just have a bag I can put straight through the scanner, I should ask each of those people if I can move to the gap?

 

[dajop]

There are two scenarios for jumping queues:

- Person #1 in queue is fumbling at security, person #2 (or #3) overtakes person #1 to fill the gaps. Seems to be what most people are talking about, and not unreasonable. If for whatever reasons I happen to be fumbling about a bit that day (such as ipad that is hiding somewhere and doesn't want to come out) then fine, go pass me. More common scenario in Australia and western countries
- Person not already in the queue, just walks straight the front of the queue and tries to jump in, in front of the other 10 passengers politely queuing. IMHO OK with an excuse (running late for flight) that they offer, but not OK if they are just playing the ignorant or DYKWIA card .... FWIW I live in a country where people (usually foreigners) do try this on a lot when it comes to queues (not just security queues). Locals and particularly local staff members take great pleasure in sending them to the back of the queue. I think for staff it makes their day to tell such interlopers off and send them to the very back of the longest queue they can possibly find.

 

[Pushka]

Scenario 2 is blatant rudeness. But I dont think anyone here condones that - maybe if about to miss a plane but I would expect the person to say something and look stressed - not arrogant or unconcerned.

 

[drron]

I lay out 2 trays and laptop bag on the security "line" and start unloading. If I don't already ask you through then ask nicely and I will let you through. Don't push past me. Totally rude and I will give you more than you bargained for at the time.

By the way I only have laptop and jacket to come off. Wallet and phone are already in laptop bag before getting to security.

Ooohhhh highly contentious stuff being discussed here. I have been at both ends of this game. I do agree it's nice to ask, instead of walking right pass. Sometimes the gap can be big depending on the people ( ie children can take time). My limited observations have shown me that nobody likes letting u squeeze in ahead even if there is a gap. Asking was nicely ignored instead, mostly with a quick closing of the gap just in case you might manage to get through. ��

Sometimes two sides to the coin though? The person 'pushing in' may think I am the one being inconsiderate and rude by being slow and not having everything ready at the security check-point. Or friends yapping to each other and taking their time to get stuff out. Sometimes the person I 'push past' is being completely self absorbed! Should I still have to ask politely?

Good point totally agree .......when you wake up a totally adsorbed person by asking politely if it's OK to push past, they frequently go into a lower evolved reptilian mode and quickly close the gap not saying a single word. Go figure but I am with you on this. Will consider other options.

And looking at it from another point of view. If you're not ready to proceed then stand back and let those of us who are ready go through.

Surely it is selfish to delay others because you're not prepared?

And I see another poster has said the same thing.

Reading JohnK's post he only has a laptop and jacket to put in the trays.He is an experienced traveller and would have a well rehearsed procedure so any wait would be minimal.
so I think some of those posts aimed at him are a bit over the top.
As I said previously I will have everything out and it merely requires putting down in a tray.Not delaying anyone but have still had people trying to cut in usually going past several others in the line.Not on unless you are on a plane already boarding and let people know.Also as I know I will hold the line up with my knee if only a couple of people behind I will ask them to go through first.

 

[juddles]

For Christ's sake, who here has actually had their travel significantly affected by any security screening?

As in aside from perceived invasion of privacy, seconds extra of delay getting airside??

 

[JohnK]

So if there are say 3 people unloading into trays at the beginning of security, there is a large gap of say two+ metres where no luggage is waiting scanning, I just have a bag I can put straight through the scanner, I should ask each of those people if I can move to the gap?

Say there is a person unloading into trays at the beginning of security belt and has left a gap between their trays and trays in front but there are still trays waiting to be scanned. You have no right to move into that gap. Sit and wait patiently or ask nicely if you want to cut in.

If a person stands away from security belt to unload that is a different story.

 

[Pushka]

Agree John K. If there are trays waiting to be scanned before the 'unloading' person then there is no real gap. But the scenario I mentioned said there were no waiting bags. I suspect we are in agreement once the details are aligned.

Plus, I'd say hello to you as I blithely walked past you.

 

[Pushka]

For Christ's sake, who here has actually had their travel significantly affected by any security screening?

As in aside from perceived invasion of privacy, seconds extra of delay getting airside??

Its the little things sometimes. Like not serving bacon for breakfast!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Say there is a person unloading into trays at the beginning of security belt and has left a gap between their trays and trays in front but there are still trays waiting to be scanned. You have no right to move into that gap. Sit and wait patiently or ask nicely if you want to cut in.

If a person stands away from security belt to unload that is a different story.

See here I disagree... any gap means there is someone behind waiting to get their bag flat and start unloading items into a tray. That means delays.

I don't stand still at all... I have my bag ready and keep sliding with one hand as I unload things into the tray with the other. I don't even zip up the main section of the hand luggage cause that takes time. It all just slides on through.

 

[Pushka]

But its a fake gap as there is luggage waiting to be scanned so there really is no delay as the trays will have caught up once they move.

 

[JohnK]

See here I disagree... any gap means there is someone behind waiting to get their bag flat and start unloading items into a tray. That means delays.

I don't stand still at all... I have my bag ready and keep sliding with one hand as I unload things into the tray with the other. I don't even zip up the main section of the hand luggage cause that takes time. It all just slides on through.

Not quite. The 17th person in the boarding queue (me) leaves 2 metres gap from the person in front while everybody else is on top of one another in the queue. That gap is an illusion. Moving into that gap won't make the queue go faster.

I have seen a person unloading at the security belt not holding anyone up as there are 4-5 items to be scanned and belt has gone to a stand still. The person behind waiting and the person behind them waiting. Then 2 people out of nowhere push in claiming they don't have any bags but still have things to put in tray. Not on. And they deserve a spray.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not quite. The 17th person in the boarding queue (me) leaves 2 metres gap from the person in front while everybody else is on top of one another in the queue. That gap is an illusion. Moving into that gap won't make the queue go faster.

You know, sometimes the illusion can be just as bad even if there's no delay It's like drivers coming to a red light that like to leave a three or four car gap between them and the car in front. The person deciding to leave a gap (either at the intersection, boarding gate or security scanner) could:

(a) be acting perfectly rationally
(b) being a smarty-pants trying to make a point by controlling the queue on their own terms, or
(c) be completely innocently not realising they are being a pain by not going 'with the flow'.

Unfortunately (a) is not often the case, so people take action against (b) and (c) cause we can't be bothered

 

[Milboo]

I am pretty organised by the time I get to the line - for work trips, all I need to do is pull the laptop out which I do on the move.

I find men are generally slower than women due to the whole pulling out of keys, wallets, phones and coins from pockets.

Long flights - my liquids and iPad are together and at the top and I grab them out while queuing. Especially departing Sydney I have no hesitation in going around people who are fiddling and fumbling with bags, pockets etc and going back through multiple times.

However if someone cuts in front of me, I see absolutely no point in getting annoyed or saying something to them. It's not a frame of mind I care to be in at an airport nor do I care sufficiently to let it impact on my day and aggravate me. It is not going to affect me getting my flight, I can handle the 15 second delay in getting to the lounge and you never know when you'll encounter them again! Imagine giving someone a serve and then awkwardly having to share an armrest with them for X number of hours!

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

As the OP, I appreciate the number of people who have chimed in here.

It seems there are two scenarios:
1. Somebody is fumbling leaving a significant gap - most agree they can be bypassed
2. There are already items on the belt and the space is minimal, passenger is not causing a delay and therefore there is no reason to overtake

Most of us agree that if someone was courteous and expressed an issue with meeting a flight boarding time, most would agree to let them through.

What I am particularly interested to read is that some people think that if there is a tray width it's fair game. That's a really disappointing indictment on our modern society IMHO.