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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that it is ok to jump the queue when with an infant?

504 replies

Eole · 24/10/2022 19:42

DH, DC (3 months) and I were flying for the first time today to see family, long expected break!
We had booked priority, lounges and everything we could to relieve a bit of the stress.
Priority queue was quite long to check in luggage and we started queuing nicely.
Another mum came along and told us we could jump the queue which we did gladly as baby started stirring a little bit.
However it enraged some of the people in the queue, literally shouting that it was very out of order and that was no such thing as baby class, and what is wrong with you people etc.
Interestingly, every other step in the airport (security, customs, boarding) we were invited nicely by the staff to jump the queue.

So YANBU, of course you can jump the queue when with an infant
YABU no, you should queue like everyone else

OP posts:
CrazyLadie · 25/10/2022 18:16

Eole · 24/10/2022 19:42

DH, DC (3 months) and I were flying for the first time today to see family, long expected break!
We had booked priority, lounges and everything we could to relieve a bit of the stress.
Priority queue was quite long to check in luggage and we started queuing nicely.
Another mum came along and told us we could jump the queue which we did gladly as baby started stirring a little bit.
However it enraged some of the people in the queue, literally shouting that it was very out of order and that was no such thing as baby class, and what is wrong with you people etc.
Interestingly, every other step in the airport (security, customs, boarding) we were invited nicely by the staff to jump the queue.

So YANBU, of course you can jump the queue when with an infant
YABU no, you should queue like everyone else

It's standard practise that people with young kids or disabilities board the plane first, I have an invisible disability and get crap like that from folk but ah well rules are rules 😇

Heytheredeliah · 25/10/2022 18:36

You should have queued like everyone else. I am glad people shouted at you

Begoniasforever · 25/10/2022 18:37

@CrazyLadie

unfortunately the thread is about queue jumping at check in. Not boarding . Otherwise great comment though,

CrazyLadie · 25/10/2022 18:39

Begoniasforever · 25/10/2022 18:37

@CrazyLadie

unfortunately the thread is about queue jumping at check in. Not boarding . Otherwise great comment though,

Ah I never read it properly sorry 🙈

Hmm1234 · 25/10/2022 18:41

No the flight attendants normally allow people to
board first anyway sod the other holiday makers unless they would prefer to watch you chasing children around the airport queue

SHONNYSMUMMY · 25/10/2022 18:44

Eole · 24/10/2022 19:42

DH, DC (3 months) and I were flying for the first time today to see family, long expected break!
We had booked priority, lounges and everything we could to relieve a bit of the stress.
Priority queue was quite long to check in luggage and we started queuing nicely.
Another mum came along and told us we could jump the queue which we did gladly as baby started stirring a little bit.
However it enraged some of the people in the queue, literally shouting that it was very out of order and that was no such thing as baby class, and what is wrong with you people etc.
Interestingly, every other step in the airport (security, customs, boarding) we were invited nicely by the staff to jump the queue.

So YANBU, of course you can jump the queue when with an infant
YABU no, you should queue like everyone else

Jump the queue all the way, its not actually queue jumping its a written rule with all airlines families with children under a certain age always get priority and board first.

Going on holiday tomorrow and can't bloody wait to skip the queue that i so often stand in with envy, it now being half term and having wonderful children under a certain age travelling with us..

Rosie22xx · 25/10/2022 18:45

It's no one else's problem that you have a child who is uncomfortable. It's part of life regardless, just have to deal with it. No one is special enough to jump queues. Only if the staff there have a rule where they can accommodate, otherwise no, just queue, never expect special treatment for your own lifestyle.

Begoniasforever · 25/10/2022 18:59

CrazyLadie · 25/10/2022 18:39

Ah I never read it properly sorry 🙈

Show quote history

Everyone is at it, it’s really weird 😀

ZoeCM · 25/10/2022 19:00

😂at the "barbaric" comment. Some people completely lose all sense of perspective when they have children!

bluesapphire48 · 25/10/2022 19:04

In the states, there is a set order for boarding. Military folks in uniform and priority passengers first, then people with small children and disabled people (anyone with special needs who will take more time), and finally boarding by "zones."
People who are traveling with children have enough challenges, they need the extra time to get settled, and for people who get upset about it, they should remember that THEY were children once, too.

Naunet · 25/10/2022 19:10

If the staff say you can, then you can. They make the rules, not the public.

Mothership4two · 25/10/2022 19:24

OP you didn't think you were doing anything wrong at the time and I'd happily let a family through with a baby or a pregnant woman or a very elderly person. Horrible to be yelled at and a bit pathetic of them IMO. When we travelled to the Isles of Scilly on the helicopter with a baby and a toddler there was an announcement before we boarded telling everyone to let families with young children on first but most people rushed up and we were at the back. Once we got on there were no seats together (seats weren't allocated) so a pissed off steward turfed people out of their seats. I thought that they were pretty pathetic too

ScotsBluebell · 25/10/2022 19:24

Typical Brits and their queues. In Spain or Italy, for sure, you'd have been able to go to the front but then they like babies there.

AnnieSnap · 25/10/2022 19:47

edwinbear · 24/10/2022 19:50

It’s not really the done thing to jump the queue at check in, if that’s what you mean, baby or not. There is usually a separate family queue for security and they often call families with young children forward to board the plane first, which is fair enough. But check in, you queue with everyone else.

This 👆 I think your mistake was assuming the other mother was correct. Once you were up front and people were shouting, airline staff would call you forward to get you through and settle things down. People with young children are boarded first, but not checked-in first!

MarvellousMonsters · 25/10/2022 20:00

Honestly I'd escort you to the front of the queue myself if it meant you didn't have to juggle an unhappy baby. No one enjoys a crying baby, so why not help to make everyone's airport experience better by helping you get sorted first?

Withmayo · 25/10/2022 20:01

At the end of the day it makes no difference as everyone will get their seat. Getting on the plane early is no great advantage. I think it is mean of people not to help you when you have a baby.

Cony23 · 25/10/2022 20:20

Most airlines have the under 2's priority policy. I always had priority with babies and small kids even if not paid for it. I actually didn't know untill a member of staff told us after a 1 hour queue with kids under 5's including a baby and flying since 1st was a baby😄 I always tought the people in front was so nice to let us first when it was actually wrote on check in that we have priority LOL

Dahliasandtea · 25/10/2022 20:33

Personally I would rather parents and children got on first, went to the front of the queue and had the least stressful experience they could. Not least because I have kids myself and the longer they are in a queue the worse behaved they are. Get the kids on the plane, get them absorbed on something, be that a book, a game, colouring, or a film.
last time I flew child free to told the new parents in front of me the same thing..:. That parents could go in the speedy boarding queue. They polite declined and said it didn’t matter and then when 15 mins later no one had moved and the baby was stirring they went to the SB queue and got on quickly.
anyone shouting or muttering or commenting negatively is a plonker and deserve to have a frustrated bored tired kid behind them all flight….. ideally a child old enough to climb.

edwinbear · 25/10/2022 20:40

Wow - not been on this thread since last night, but are people STILL thinking OP is talking about jumping the queue at boarding??!! 😫

It was CHECK IN she was queue jumping, not boarding 🤦‍♀️🤯

SansaStarkWolf · 25/10/2022 20:42

With check in I do actually think that everyone should queue equally. There are several flights all checking in at the same time and queuing can potentially make a difference to people getting through security and reaching their gates so for that YABU. At what point do they cut off the age of the child for this to be acceptable? Just infants? Toddlers? We travel with 4 children from age 9-16 - I’d choose a single infant quite easily sometimes!!

However actually boarding the flight I’d have no issue with - boarding absolutely makes me howl with how territorial people get - everyone has their own booked seat!!! Doesn’t matter whether you get on first or last, your seat is still there!!!

We deliberately just chill to the side of the queue until we are specifically called - rows A-C for example - or until the queue isn’t manic!!

I would have no issue with a baby boarded first, I think this is a great idea!! The sooner they are boarded and settled the better.

T1Dmama · 25/10/2022 20:47

Very unreasonable! It’s easier to queue with a baby than it is literally a child of any other age that’s wanting to run off, complaining etc… not to mention the older people with achy joints you jumped in front of!

StripeyMow · 25/10/2022 20:55

I think if you begrudge a mother checking in before you so they can go settle a helpless infant, it says a lot more about you than it does the parent. The plane isn’t going to leave you behind, show a bit of humanity. I cannot believe people were shouting at you when the airline staff invited parents to check in first. Yobs.

Islandgirl68 · 25/10/2022 21:02

In that case you did not do anything wrong, the other lady was being helpful. The others were just being mean.

NickyT64 · 25/10/2022 21:52

Midnights · 24/10/2022 19:48

At the priority check in queue - unless asked by a member of staff, then yes it's a bit rude! I'm not sure that it's a rule that you can queue jump either?

To board the plane, they normally announce that people who need extra time can pop on up, so that's not rude. Same for security, if a staff member wants to pull you forward, again not rude.

But why is it rude if another passenger offers them to take her place?

bugbugMNthx · 25/10/2022 22:11

I have an obvious, visible disability and normally use the wheelchair assistance service at airports as although I can walk (a bit) I can't stand about and queue for more than a couple of minutes.

Often us crips are scooted by the staff wheeling us to the heads of check-in queues and boarding queues. Even then (when it's not even my choice!) I have had comments, tuts, eye-rollings and stares. Simply because I get to sit in departures for 5 minutes longer than they do or get to my assigned seat before them. What they might not realise is that I often have to wait 30+ minutes to get off the plane, if the wheelchair guys have turned up the other end.

The 'general public' en masse are in general, arses. Individuals are often nice. That seems to be a fairly good summary IME. If someone with a small child gets to go first, so what? If someone who's wonky like me does, how does that materially impinge on their health, wellbeing, journey or total time in the airport? Why can't we just be kind and hope that one day the same consideration will be shown to us when we feel we need it.

It seems to be sour grapes or some weird kind of envy - just like the occasional totally fit and able person who tells me that I'm 'lucky' to have a Blue Badge for parking. I've been tempted to offer them a hammer so they can break their own legs and then they can be 'lucky' too!