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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to have queue jumped?

44 replies

Genzymoo · 03/08/2020 17:46

Staying in a hotel on my own with my 3yo DD. It’s our second night here, and reception was completely empty when we checked in yesterday.

We arrived back from our day’s activity, came into a reception with a queue nearly out of the door. It’s a fairly big reception, but a large number of construction workers standing in groups, families with children... I’d say a good 20 - 25 people. SD was a challenge!

My DD and I tried to get to the lifts, which required a number of people to have to move themselves and their bags to let us through. Got up to the room to find the card had been deactivated.

Went backdown to reception and the queue was perhaps longer, with only two check in staff there. Each check in takes approx 5 minutes, and I’d say there were 5 or 6 groups/individuals waiting to be checked in (along with people hovering, having already checked in). So I asked my DD to wait on a chair out of the melee and hovered at reception until someone finished, and asked the receptionist what to do about a deactivated card. The receptionist said they could deal and beckoned me over. I got a load of muttered comments from the next person in line about how they would ‘just wait longer then’. They had children with them too, but had just sent partner off to an area where it was quieter with them. I didn’t really have that option, as my DD will wait for a minute or two at best before coming to see me. The reactivation took about 30 seconds.

Was I unreasonable for not just joining the end of the queue and waiting my turn (perhaps 15 minutes?). Or was it right (if perhaps a little cheeky) for me to hover and ask?

OP posts:
cologne4711 · 03/08/2020 17:49

No, I think a guest who can't get into their room gets priority over those checking in. But why on earth was there such a queue, and why did they have so few staff dealing?

Hotels need machines you can use to check in (and out).

Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 03/08/2020 18:03

I think it was fine as you’d already queued

Chickychoccyegg · 03/08/2020 18:11

i think what you did was correct, and what i would do too

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/08/2020 18:12

You'd already queued. Not your fault the reception staff didn't do it the first time.

1Morewineplease · 03/08/2020 18:13

I’d have done exactly the same.

Moltenpink · 03/08/2020 18:13

Yes, you had already queued so fair enough. I always do that in shops if I have to go back with a missed security tag.

zigzagbetty · 03/08/2020 18:13

I wouldn't give it any more thought. As you said it was a 30 sec job. I may have muttered if I was in the queue but only because I hate queuing, I would have forgotten about you doing it within about 5 minutes!

redcarbluecar · 03/08/2020 18:14

I think that was OK. Annoying situation all round, but one of those things.

HandsomeMaid · 03/08/2020 18:15

No, that’s fine. If I was in the queue I’d have probably muttered to myself when I saw you loitering by the reception rather than getting in the queue though. As soon as it was obvious that you were just reactivating card/ asking directions/ reporting a wet floor or similar then you would have my blessing.

Bridecilla · 03/08/2020 18:18

I'm on the fence- just because you (possibly) queued a day or so ago to check in doesn't mean it's OK to jump subsequent queues. I hate waiting to check in as I'm usually dancing for a wee after a long journey.

rosiejaune · 03/08/2020 18:45

@Bridecilla

I'm on the fence- just because you (possibly) queued a day or so ago to check in doesn't mean it's OK to jump subsequent queues. I hate waiting to check in as I'm usually dancing for a wee after a long journey.
But she shouldn't have needed to queue subsequently, as the card should have continued working for the duration of her stay.
CasaLuna · 03/08/2020 18:50

Hotel’s error = fine to queue jump imo. If you checked in, got up to the room, and there was a problem (door didn’t open, room hadn’t been cleaned, etc) you wouldn’t go to the back of the queue again! That’s madness to me.

PablosHoney · 03/08/2020 18:53

Yanbu, you didn’t jump the check in queue as you weren’t checking in, the fault is with the reception but the moaner was probably tired and disgruntled

Elouera · 03/08/2020 18:56

I would have faced the crowd and said something like 'sorry, I've already checked in, but they card they've just given me isnt working, thanks'. Then gone to the counter.

Original poster
Genzymoo · 03/08/2020 19:22

@Elouera

I would have faced the crowd and said something like 'sorry, I've already checked in, but they card they've just given me isnt working, thanks'. Then gone to the counter.
Maybe that would have been the right approach!
OP posts:
damnthatanxiety · 03/08/2020 19:28

No problem at all with what you did. It is acceptable when it is a hotel error or minor question, to push in ahead of people waiting to check in which is a long process. If any of the people currently queuing had checked in and then gone up and found their card not working, no reasonable person would expect them to come back down and join the queue again. Same thing with you - just because it was the day before makes no difference.

Sunrise234 · 03/08/2020 19:42

I’m going against the grain as I think if you had queued then left and it didn’t work it would be acceptable to jump to the front but you walked straight up to the front of the queue. If you had said to the person in the queue excuse me do you mind if I quickly get my card swiped then it would have been fine.
But I wouldn’t feel guilty about it now as once they saw you weren’t checking in they wouldn’t have minded.

Sunrise234 · 03/08/2020 19:46

This is a similar situation if you went to Tesco and queued and brought your shopping to then find out you had been overpriced on something so you would go to the front and explain. But if you returned a couple days later to ask the same thing you probably wouldn’t just go straight to the front of the queue.

Cadent · 03/08/2020 20:19

YANBU. I would have done exactly the same thing. And you didn’t need to address the crowd, it was none of their business.

I speak as a stickler for queues but you weren’t checking in and common sense was to get a staff member’s attention, which you did. And you should never apologise for using common sense!

Cadent · 03/08/2020 20:20

This is a similar situation if you went to Tesco and queued and brought your shopping to then find out you had been overpriced on something so you would go to the front and explain. But if you returned a couple days later to ask the same thing you probably wouldn’t just go straight to the front of the queue.

It’s really not similar at all.

BubblyBarbara · 03/08/2020 20:43

It’s the same as if a fast food place forgets something in your order, you can go up front to rectify it.

Sunrise234 · 03/08/2020 20:48

It’s the same as if a fast food place forgets something in your order, you can go up front to rectify it.

Yes I would do this if it was at the time but not a couple of days later.

BluebellForest836 · 03/08/2020 20:50

Yabu. You didn’t Just check in that day but the day before ... get in the queue like everyone else. Your child waiting around isn’t more important then anyone else’s.
I would of been pissed off if you would of jumped ahead of me.

BluebellForest836 · 03/08/2020 20:53

it is acceptable when it is a hotel error or minor question

Umm no it’s not acceptable to push in front of people to ask staff a ‘minor question’. If you need to speak to a receptionist then you wait in line like everyone else.

Cadent · 03/08/2020 20:53

Yes I would do this if it was at the time but not a couple of days later.

OP didn’t go down to reception a couple of days later, she went down a few minutes later because the card wasn’t working @Sunrise234 !