To get cross at airport baggage carousels

[faeriequeen]

Why is it that some men think it's ok to completely take over at the carousel? They completely ignore the line you're supposed to wait behind and insist on getting as close to the belt as possible, obstructing anyone else's view.

Heaven forbid someone else might spot their case and want to reach it.

I've had men tell me to get my husband to fetch the cases (travelling alone so I'd have had a long wait) and almost hit me swinging their cases off the carousel, so poor was their estimation of personal space.

Why do they do it?

I think air travel makes people behave very oddly in general. Especially WRT personal space.

Travelling sucks - I love holidays but hate the whole airport experience. Queuing, taking off half your clothes for security, more queuing, long walks to the gates (usually in a hurry as you've spent so long queuing).

Take hand luggage only next time - no luggage carousel required

This gets me too! I almost spoke in my 'teacher' voice last time I was there to say, 'If everyone stands back, we can all see our cases', but refrained.

What really got me was that one carousel was being used for two flights coming in at almost identical times, and the second flight's luggage was obviously going to be a bit later, but they still came and stood round the carousel while our baggage was being unloaded instead of waiting till ours had gone.

I get irritated when nosy kids stand in the way at the carousel too.

There’s a line?

There's definitely a line.

LostInShoebiz I thought that as well.

Ummm don't you just stand around the carousel and wait? I just got back from the airport today and there was no 'line' to stand in or behind.

Why is it that some men

So you've never seen any women do it at all? Why does everything have to be "anti-men"?

The line is painted on the floor about 2 feet back from the actual carousel. If everyone stood behind it then far fewer people would get whacked by wayward suitcases. But everyone thinks that if they stand right next to the carousel then their bags will come out faster

I've only ever seen men do this. It's not all men, just some, who behave as though collecting luggage is a masculine role.

It really irritates me too. It's not only men that do it. Everyone (apart from me does it)
Does there REALLY have to be a line. Do we have to be spoon fed everything. It's just common sense. Stand back and then everyone can see their bag coming.

I travel a lot and it always does seem to be men that do this. I hate it when they elbow you out the way because you're in the spot they want.

I think it's proportional to the number of people travelling. Can't say I've noticed it'd exclusively men. I can be just as stubborn and forceful if needed but at luggage carousels I let the impatient people first - life is too short for me to get my knickers in a twist over that.

I find it really irritating when there are small children standing close to the conveyor belt, they are in the way & at risk of being hit by luggage. When there are two adults traveling with children surely it makes sense for one to get the bags & the other keep the children safe?

I get irritated when nosy kids stand in the way at the carousel too.
I assume you just mean small children? Older children may be waiting for their own bag.

I've never noticed a line! Does this mean I always stand in front of it? How mortifying if so. I don't push in front of anyone or elbow people, though, I hasten to add. And I've never taken a swing at anyone while hefting my case off the belt.

I'm way more annoyed by young kids standing by the belt. Personally, I haven't noticed anything gendered about the luggage carousel. DH and I collect our own bags.

I'm probably a terrible passenger though as I've never noticed the line and I regularly fly through major hubs in the UK and US.

Maybe it's only the airports I use most often that have lines (and rude men!).

I haven't noticed this being a male only activity. I've been hit by plenty of of women too. I think it's a "I'm an important and superior person" thing. Also a line depends on the nationalities you are travelling with. I like to just stay back and wait for all the jumped up people to get their bags first. Especially if you get to swan past them later when they and their important bags have been pulled over and checked

I've never seen a line. The luggage belt snakes around over such a length that many people can stand next to it at the same time. Many times I've had men offer to take my bag off the belt for me if I point it out to them. Perhaps they were just trying it on with me, but I don't think so.

Not many children, but I mostly take city flights rather than family holiday destinations.

Not noticed men doing this but it massively pisses me off when people put their trolley right in front of them so it's just in the fucking way.

That and letting kids stand beside the carousel - again, just in the bloody way.

Most airports don’t have a painted line.
Men and women do this
It is irritating

ThanksHunkyJesus nosy kids? Why do you think they're nosy, any more than anyone else of any other age? Mousehole too - why can't kids collect cases? Unless you mean preschoolers?

My kids always get the cases - I stand back a bit with the ones they've collected. They are better at recognising our cases than me and the teen and pre teen kids grab them and the littler one pulls grabbed ones back to me.

Any reason only over 18s are allowed to do this?

Yes, it is generally men who push through in front of women and children who are standing 50cm back from the belt, not actually up against or leaning over it, though not exclusively - sometimes couples do it but rarely women alone.

The carousel is usually so long that most people can stand around it easily when I have got my bags.

I have only ever seen crowds at the small airports when they cram several flights on one and are very slow at putting the bags out so it all backs up.