To think people jumping the airport security queue should pay for fast track or wait like everyone else?

[TiredTraveller]

Last week I had to get 2 coaches to the airport during the train strike and as a result, was worried about making my flight in time due to the coach being delayed by almost 2 hours.

Joined the security queue and it was moving slower than I thought. Regretted not paying for fast track. But during the time I was waiting, people jumped the queue on three separate occasions by saying things like ‘Sorry, I need to go to the front because my plane leaves in 10 minutes (or some other weak excuse). Everyone let them through (they didn’t ask me because they were cutting through the people further ahead.)

I was quietly annoyed about this because I was so tight on time and didn’t want people (one of which was a family of 5) delaying me. AIBU to think they should have paid for fast track rather than ask to jump in front of everyone else who was waiting patiently for 25 minutes? I find it so entitled because realistically they knew that people would be too polite to refuse.

Has anyone ever seen anyone actually say no when this happens?

I would say no.

The problem is that you have two types of people who are delayed in the queue.

The first is people who are genuinely late. The second is people who were not late, but the progress of the queue (both in security and check in) is so poor that they can't get to security in time for the flight.

I would quite happily turn up earlier and check in earlier if I could. But often check in does not open early enough to allow people to get through security without being pulled.

Normally anyway people don't go to the front of their own accord. They go to the front because they are called by the security staff to move ahead.

The solution is to make check in earlier and have faster queues. The second is what we pay airport taxes for.

I would also pay more to go fast track every time. Unfortunately sometimes that is not possible because fast track is full.

Edit : It also makes no business sense for people to be waiting around in queues when they could be spending money in the departure lounge.

YABU
People genuinely need to skip the queue at times. If your busses had been very late, you would have been able to do the same. Usually you ask a member of staff and they either tell you, go to the front while I call ahead for you or they escort you to the head of the queue.

This.

YABU

"People shouldn't skip the queue because I've been queueing longer... " let them miss their planes, serves them right...

Coming across as very bitter. I get it, I hate queues and that is why I purchase fast track and don't go near an airport on a bank holiday weekend... Still makes my blood boil everytime I go near Mcr Airport.

I flew alone on my last flight, the guy directing people to security unclipped the barrier and told me to go through as I was on my own, it took me right up to the security area, bypassing quite a number of people. Not sure why being on my own made a difference but I was very appreciative that I didn't have to spend ages queuing.

I was in marrakech airport, which is an absolutely dumpster fire of an airport. So many people missed their flights because they opened check in so late for quite a few flights whilst really early for others with no sense around it. Their security queues are so long because they don’t have enough booths open and literally don’t seem to give a fuck about getting people through quickly. So those passengers had absolutely no choice but to beg to get through first. Our check in had opened early and I let a few groups ahead of me when we were near the front. It was a total shambles but planes were literally about to leave and these people were still fighting to get through.

Just to add, people were asking the staff for help and being told no, they had to wait and if their plane left then their plane left. Worst airport I’ve ever been through the worst staff. Looked at the reviews for it when I got home and seems to be universally slated.

It would piss me off too OP as I always allow loads of time for these things (too much according to DH and The DC) but I might chunter a bit but I wouldnt wnat anyone to miss their flight.
Having said that I have never had an individual do it unless called forward by Airline/Security staff

I see your points but this was at Stansted where the majority of people were checking in online and travelling with hand luggage. I didn’t see them being told to jump the queue by security staff, they seemed to take it upon themselves.

Just find it entitled because why is their need to make their flight greater than mine? I literally arrived as the gate was closing and if anyone else had cut in, I may well have missed it.

I’m not saying I vindictively want them to miss their flights but I don’t believe all of the people that do this are unfortunate victims of some other queue etc. Some people just don’t want to wait.

I wouldn't be standing there in a queue deliberately missing my flight just to be polite and not queue jump.

@WarshipRocinante we had a connection through Atlanta a few years ago. Our flight got in on time but we didn't get to clear through security to get our 2nd flight. I asked a security officer and was very firmly told 'ma'am return to the line' and I did because airport security there are a bit scary!!😳

OP in general I would think most people jumping the queue have had a genuine reason it's annoying when you are on time but maybe their car broke down or 100 other things. Or maybe they are CFs who want to get in ahead of you so they can pay 5x the price for a warm glass of white wine

If you were getting close to boarding time I'd have said it to the staff

We missed our flight a while ago, the guy in front of us in the security queue could not have cared less 😂the staff didn't help us either. I can still picture his face now - so annoying but what can you do!

No fault of our own btw, and we did eventually get a refund. I would personally always let someone in!

So why did you just stand there then?
”Excuse me, my flight is leaving in minutes and I will miss it if you keep letting people in. Could I get through please!”

Because I’m not entitled. It’s not other people’s problem if I’m late.

I agree OP (mostly).

If someone is that late, they should ask security as they enter the queue and, if security then agree, they should show them into the fast track line. I think they should also pay at the time - a small price for making their flight and I'm sure the majority just don't leave enough time.

They should not just take it upon themselves to force their way through the regular queue, where noone has any idea if they are genuinely late or if they are just twats.

I'd like to think I would refuse to move and then, if things got heated, get security over, but more likely I would be scared they would get violent and move out of the way, sadly. Twats are twats mostly because they know that they usually get away with it.

This is basically like the government getting us to bicker over scraps.
The more serious question should be why airport security takes so fucking long.

I agree. Don’t just stand there!
My train to Heathrow was delayed twice where we sat on the tracks at a dead stop. The first time was tragically due to a suicide. The second was due to the train before us having a medical emergency where we had to wait until the ill passenger had been taken off by paramedics to an ambulance before we could come into a station. So instead of arriving 3.5hrs before my flight, I arrived at Heathrow 1hr 10mins before my flight. I had no choice but to jump the bag drop and security queues. Luckily I am disabled and had prebooked assistance so they took care of me. But if I were abled, yeah I would have done exactly what others did.

We were at Schipol a while ago when they had disastrous 3h queues for security.

The number of people walking up to staff saying that they were catching a flight was incredible. One security man waved to the thousands-long queue and said that the rest of us were waiting for a bus :D

we had this in Toronto and had no choice - but we went through the staff/ channel as our inbound flight was very delayed - we made the connection then they delayed our outbound waiting for others stuck in security as a lot of the connecting flights where late.

Yes it’s annoying I always pay for fast pass we flew from Manchester on Saturday from bag drop to sitting in the lounge 15 minutes bliss

We always get to airports stupidly early, we arrive for everything early. As do my parents.

My parents were once those people, asking to move to the front of a security queue. They were stuck for over 5 hours in a traffic jam once, they didn’t move anywhere. Somehow checkin stayed open for them and they managed to make their flight. They were 60+ at the time and were absolutely exhausted by running through the airport. So now I try to be a bit more accommodating. Yes, some will people who didn’t bother to leave enough time, but sometimes people have had such bad luck.

We live in a society. We don’t live in an “everyone for themselves” apocalypse. You were delayed by coaches so your fellow humans will let you go through. It’s not entitlement. It’s courtesy. Show some and maybe you’ll receive some.

Not sure how you’ve come to this conclusion because I was showing courtesy by not going in front of other people who were also waiting. It’s actually the opposite of what you’re saying. Imagine if everyone jumped the queue. It would be a chaotic ‘everyone for themselves’ apocalypse then.

I’m a really stressy person so am always way too early for flights. I don’t mind at all letting people go ahead of me.
so long as you ask nicely, I think it’s fine.

Why were you so strangely passive OP? I wouldn't have just stood there either watching everyone else who was late do what you should have done.

FWIW I'd happily let someone genuinely stressed through - why wouldn't I? It's no skin off my nose if I have plenty of time.

Their reasons for being late are probably just as valid as yours.

I think the numbers of people who intentionally turn up late and then overtake in the queue are in the absolute minority so I really wouldn't let it bother me.

You're so fixated on how "entitled" you'd have been to ask that you miss the part where people ahead clearly were accepting and would have let you

Pushing in for no reason is entitled, asking for some compassion because of circumstances beyond your control is not