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

[Eole]

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

Absolutely fine if invited to the front of the queue by airport staff, or to jump in front of one other person if they offered for you to do this. Many airports have special assistance/family queues at security, and will board families first at the gate and so on.

But it's not ok to jump a priority queue because another mum told you it was ok. Presumably a priority queue is because the people in it either need special assistance, or have paid extra to be in this queue. In which case, you were unreasonable to think they'd be ok with you queue jumping.

I got ushered through security because they'd noticed I was having trouble walking was prepared to queue though.

Is queue jumping with a baby the equivalent of the mother and baby parking. Right outside the door of the supermarket? Special privilege.

No you don't get to jump the queue because you have a baby. Having said that seats are already allocated. I would much rather board last than sit on a cramped plane for 20 minutes while everyone else boards.

This is correct.

No sorry you should not have done that. Presumably you had your small baby in a pram. Why would you need to go forward? I get that toddlers and older babies get restless but at three months what was your baby going to do that was different in the queue?

Airport staff invited me and my family to the front as toddler running about and wouldn't queue. Anyone who's been there will understand. So yes it's a thing.

The thing is that everybody's got a booked seat so why does it matter if people jump the queue if it makes it easier for them?

If you're talking about checking in luggage, no, it isn't usual for people with children/babies to be given priority. For boarding, yes, but I've never seen it at check in.

I think if it is airline policy that is fine. If you just got an informal queue bump, not fine.

YABU. I assume the 3 month old was in a pram or sling. No reason why you shouldn't queue at check in with everyone else.

You shouldn’t have queue jumper. However, I agree with pp, people with kids should get on last as at least they can walk around. I’d be happy to get on last (if they could guarantee my hand luggage as I never check in baggage) as I’ve no desire to fit in a metal box any longer than I have to.

For boarding it's fine, airlines often call people with babies/young children first.

But I think it's pretty cheeky to jump the check in queue because another mum says to!

Most airlines do allow families to board first. But otherwise no you should queue like everyone else. That said I wouldn’t have any objections as I haven’t forgotten it’s hard travelling with babies and young children

Very entitled

Is that you Phil and Holly?

If you're invited / directed to by the staff controlling the queue, yes, fine. H&S / efficiency will be at the front of their minds and if they think they can make the queue move more quickly and safely by redirecting certain customers, fine.

If you do it just because you think you should be able to, no (and doubly so to just randomly invite other people to do the same thing). Having children does not give you god-like powers.

Yabu

I've been flying with mine since eldest was 8 weeks old. You should queue for check in like everyone else

I’ve seen plenty of people with young children and babies queuing to bag check and you’re already in priority anyway.

Very!

Well, quite. But God knows we British love to queue and love to complain, so for some, this situation is very frothy.

This. OP did nothing wrong.

It makes sense and helps everybody in the end as it can take those with young children longer to get seated and sorted and so getting them on early means it's less likely you will miss your take off time.

I'm a bit confused as to where the priority bit came in.

Priority boarding- like with Ryanair, then no, you don't get to jump the check in queue.

Priority/fast track check in- you're in a queue with other people who, for whatever reason have chosen to pay a premium for faster check in. So no, you don't get to jump the queue.

On airlines where there is no priority/fast track anything, it is more usual for them to ask any families with small children to go forward first (to board, not to check in) but it's not a given.

Yeah of course you should queue like everyone else. I flew long haul with my baby at 3 months and wouldn't have dreamed of trying to skip queues. Just got back from holidays with my one year old yesterday (a billion times tougher than travelling with a 3 month old btw) and again we queued just like everyone else. Plenty people have problems that make it difficult to queue, I don't consider myself to be more important or deserving than anyone else just because I have a small child. YABVVU.