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

YABU. No one cares if you have a baby on a plane, get in the bloody queue.

Baby's first holiday is no one else's priority.

You don't know how many of those passengers you overtook have medical conditions. Someone who finds standing difficult, someone who need urgent visits to the loo, someone with a thumping headache, someone enduring chronic pain. To those passengers, queue jumping with a baby is a pretty trivial reason.

Special assistance does seem to vary. DH and DS normally go to do baggage drop with the bags while I go and book DD in for special assistance. In one place (even though DD was fine as she wasn't with the bags and had checked in online), airport staff insisted in pulling DH and DS out of the queue and marching them to the front.

And, yet in other places, it's queue as normal ...

So you're in the priority check in queue anyway and thought you could jump to the front because you have a baby? That's so weird!

Also, is it actually stressful to queue with an infant? Queuing with a toddler or small child is a pain but a tiny baby? Chuck 'em in a sling and crack on.

It sounds like OP was standing in check-in queue and while there was informed by a just-checked-in mum that airline policy was that parents with young children could jump the queue.

OP took JCI mum's word for it, which I don't think is the crime that most of you are making it out to be, especially since everything else that happened indicated that JCI mum was probably telling the truth, and that was indeed the airline policy. Probably best practice to ask the staff member at the front "I was told it was OK for me to straight go to the front of the queue because I'm travelling with small children - is that right?"

It amazes me people want to get on the plane first!! It's longer in a small space!

I aim for last on, why on earth would you want to be on first?
I sit down until the queue is almost finished and then I stand up to join it.

Every flight I’ve been on (and there’s been lots) passengers travelling with young children are always invited to board first. You didn’t do anything wrong imo. We always took advantage of it when our children were still little and it also meant we could take the buggy right up to the gate

She was at CHECK IN

🤯

To be honest as so,some who never travels with a child (not having them and all) I'd rather spend time in a queue than sit in a cramped seat on a hot plane next to some sweaty oik I don't know 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

Check in, however, I will crush you in my rush to get to the front 🤣

😂 omg crime of the season, miss reading the OP. Get a life

It's also rude for a toddler/baby to be screaming behind you in your ear. I'd rather not have to deal with that, and let the parent jump the queue tbh. I have two small ones myself and the toddler stage is so full on. And it is never a case of just sitting in your seat and happy days. Many kids need to be settled which can take anywhere from 5-10 mins to up to an hour (or even longer). So the reverse queuing thing probably wouldn't work as more people will create more stimulation for the child.

You need to either have a disability or have paid for priority boarding. Otherwise you are taking the piss.

You took the piss. No reason why you and your pfb should be treated any differently than anyone else queueing. Embarrassing that you feel so entitled.

Yes that is a perfect summary of what happened.
I am a bit surprised by the amount of people who would just assume that someone volunteering information to them would be just bare lies, what a world to live in!
It did turn out to be airline policy because staff made a show to make us go through.

Ah dear god, couple travelling for the first time with PFB!

Give them a break!!! For future reference OP, having a small child does not qualify you for preferential treatment...

Now could people just bog off and do something productive with your evening!

I wouldn't get excited about it but I suppose if people with babies/pregnant women/the disabled/the elderly all get to go to the front then some people will get het up.

I haven't flown since before covid but I know queues were bad in the summer and people missed flights because of the length of queues, might be similar now with half term. I think if you are close to missing your flight it might get heated.

Really, what airline is this? I travel a lot and have never seen it at check in. You’d already barged your way to the front at that point, doesn’t make it airline policy.

It did turn out to be airline policy because staff made a show to make us go through.

That doesn't make it 'airline policy'. They were just trying to smooth over a difficult situation.

I don't know why you asked! You are sure you did the right thing so there is no issue.

Behave and stop acting like a diva, you are the same as everyone else. No better no worse. Nothing you have said makes it airline policy.