Woman in Airline Check-In Queue

[Zilverblue]

Not life or death but a question of modern manners!

I was standing in a long and slow moving check in queue for a flight recently. One of the queues where they weigh and check the size of your hand luggage. It really wasn't going anywhere fast as there was plenty of time before the flight left, in fact it wasn't moving at all as they hadn't started letting people through yet.

The woman behind me kept jostling me, touching me, so that she was almost at my shoulder. I think she wanted me to stand really close to the people in front and do the same to them. So, hoping she would get the hint, I pulled back my hair (it gets caught under my bag strap anyway, as its very long) and of course it made contact with her. More nudging and jostling from her in response. So I did it again. This time there was loud sighing and tutting from her.

So I turned to her and said "Maybe you might stand a little less close. Or perhaps you are so desperate, you might prefer me to let you in front of me" (in the non-moving queue).

This resulted in a long, deep sigh and the words "behave yourself" and a rant about how I shouldn't "flick my hair at her". Then a brief and reasonably quiet argument ensued, the queue started moving and she barged past me. Sympathetic looks from other passengers.

Who was U?

[SquinkiesRule]

She was

[TSSpectreDNCOntheParanormal]

She was. Anyone who invades my personal space, particularly in an airline queue, deserves everything they get.

I am laughing at the whispered argument you had though. You daren't unleash full fury in an airport for fear of consequences unknown and terrifying.

[FrenchJunebug]

Both of you. If you had a problem with her pushing you, just tell her instead of flicking your hair in her face!

[guitarosauras]

I would have forced a fart out

I hate when people do this. Mostly I look at them and whisper 'personal space'.

[Zilverblue]

I would have forced a fart out

Sadly, I had none available guitarosauras!

[Hatespiders]

I've flown countless times all over the world, and I'm convinced airports and flying bring out the worst in some folk. I suppose it's the stress involved (no excuse, but a reason) I think I'd have turned round and said, "As you seem very anxious about this non-moving queue, you can step in front of me, if you like." and move aside for her to overtake. You'd have only been one place further back, and the poor soul now ahead of her could inherit the hassle.

[guitarosauras]

You need some of that fart putty!

Just so we know, I have never in my life forced flatulence!

[HappyAgainOneDay]

There are some cultures where they really do queue very close behind one another. It's so close that it made my DH and me laugh. Imagine segments on a caterpillar all moving together! Perhaps she was one of those. Was she foreign?

[TheSpottedZebra]

I read a funny phrase on here that someone used when they had a jostle behind them in a queue. Only promise, I can't remember what it was. It was something to do with perfume, smelling of.

I tried my best to use the comment once in a long queue. It didn't really come out right at all, but made me sound so odd that the person behind stopped their jostling and did indeed leave space (a LOT of space) between us from then on.

Maybe try that?

[Catsarebastards]

If she was standing close enough to be touched by your hair then she was too fucking close. Unless you are rapunzel?

She was UR.

[Catsarebastards]

I'd have probably started scratching my head and loudly reminded myself to pick up some more hedrin.

[Bewooohooove]

I hate space invaders. Even experienced them in the check out queue at the supermarket.

She was btw.

[Zilverblue]

You need some of that fart putty!

What is it? Mexican beans?!

[MokunMokun]

Gosh, don't offer to let them go in front! It will only encourage them. I sort of go rigid and send out "back-off" vibes when this happens.

[Zilverblue]

Happy she was very British. She was so British, she had that supercilious, bossy, righteous act down to a T. I don't know what my presence ahead of her in the queue did to bring it out though. She kind of spoke as if she was a headmistress and I was a misbehaving schoolchild. I'm 46.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

I used to work at an airport, they really do turn ordinary, reasonable people into the world's biggest arseholes.

[TheCraicDealer]

Like this OP! The stuff childhoods were made of....

I'm glad you had the balls to say / flick something, nothing gets on my tits more than invasion of my personal space.

[MiddletonPink]

This would make me claustrophobic! I hate queues with a passion.

[thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter]

You don't actually need to fart, if you're with someone sniff the air a couple times, wrinkle your nose, then loudly whisper "eew was THAT you?" When they deny it, eye up the person behind you - nobody wants to hang around to a) catch a whiff b) be thought of as the one who did it.

[LL12]

Bit different I know, I used to get it in a supermarket when my daughter was small.
My daughter would be in the trolley seat while I was unloading the food and the next person would push their trolley right up to my daughters legs, I would have to make a point that they had to move their trolley as I needed to go back in front of the trolley to be able to move it.

It did seem to be the same people that would hover over you when you are putting your pin number in the machine to pay.

This was always in ASDA.
I no longer use their pharmacy as every time I was trying to speak to the pharmacist the next customer would stand so close to me that the pharmacist would always presume they were with me.

[Lottapianos]

Oh god I hate this! People who virtually crawl up your bum in a queue. I always want to scream 'back off!!!!' in their faces.

I usually push back gently or stand sideways on so I take up a bit more space. But I might try the 'would you like to go in front?' in future.

It was her OP, definitely her being unreasonable.

[Poopooweewee]

I hate space invaders and would have had to say something to her, asked her to back off, politely but firmly; I find that passive aggressive people often shrink to nothing when pulled up on their behaviour. Half the time they are seeing what they can get away with (which isn't much on my watch )

[TheBooMonster]

If they were that close I'd have simply taken a half step back and firmly stood on their toes! Can't stand people stood right up behind me... DH does it to people all the time because he's seriously inpatient, I always have to drag him back.

[StillStayingClassySanDiego]

People who have their trolley behind me in a supermarket checkout queue will have me taking more time than I usually take if they have that fuckin' thing right up my arse!

I've been known to take ages rooting through my bag looking for my purse, much to their annoyance.

Well get that trolley away from me then!

[ifuknow]

Air travel does seem to bring out the worst in people, they push and shove to be first on and first off. My pet hate is people who have to go to the toilet the moment the seat belt sign is switched off, or have to fiddle with items in the overhead locker - on short domestic flights. How difficult is it to sit still for 45 mins FFS?