How much would you pay for priority entry to an event?

[nunnun]

A festival I was attending this year has been cancelled. The organisers have asked for ticket holders to refrain from asking for refunds and instead to roll over the tickets to next year's event, which I agreed to do. So that they can keep the festival alive and also allow them to honour a commitment to give a proportion of the proceeds to charity, they have asked for donations from festival goers in exchange for freebies.

To cut to the chase, I have offered £12.50 in exchange for a priority entry ticket, basically to jump the queue. Does that amount sound reasonable to you, oh arbiters of fairness?

If you can afford it I dont see the problem. However I personally wouldnt be handing over any more cash. Is this an established festival?

Cheesypea yes, it's been running for three years (this year would have been the fourth year). The charity concerned is one I already support.

I feel to pay to jump to the front of the queue is morally wrong. Its back to the wealthy benefitting over the 'normal' people.
What if everybody paid for this facility? One would end up with one queue again.
Instead of charging more the organisers should 'organise' things to minimise queues, easy for me to say I know but then I'm not paid to 'organise' things.

I get what you mean, Who. Just to be clear, they aren't charging for priority entry, they are asking for donations in return for 'prizes' . I saw that another festival goer (not one of the organisers) had suggested one of the 'prizes' could be priority entry and it was something that appealed to me.

No i wouldnt pay a penny more and further, i probably would avoid such events where someone has apparent priority over me.

Joining in the spirit if their question...

I'd pay for use of a restricted use toilet 🤣

Agree, I'd pay for VIP toilets too!

I also wouldn't spend anymore on them though. A lot can happen between now and next year.

Priority queues are used for a number of reasons, and paying for it features differently on different people's agendas.

Anything with a VIP, priority, fast track system creates a two tier system based on who can afford it and who can't. But it doesn't come from a position of wealth. I would save for a festival ticket. And if a VIP box or a short queue was a vital part of my visit I would budget and save accordingly. I might pay for VIP entry but bring my own lunch. Or sit in the normal queue and fork out for that gourmet burger and chips.

It's not morally wrong to pay to queue jump in these circumstances, it's a pricing structure. Some people pay for annual passes and fast track tickets, others only go on a 2for1.

The only time I think it's getting morally dubious is paying for essential services, like a priority a&e line...but then...what's private healthcare I suppose, an expensive NHS queue jump?

Anyway bit side tracking.

Personally priority queue should be a proportionate to the ticket. For 12.50, I'd expect the ticket to have cost at least 70. If 12.50 is worth a queue jump to you, then that's that.

Its only worth as much as someone is willing to pay. I'd pay a fiver...but might buy that gourmet burger while you tuck into your sarnie.