AN ETIQUETTE expert has revealed the best way to skip lines at airports without annoying other passengers.
People pushing in front of you can be really irritating, especially if you’ve been queuing for a long time.
PAEtiquette experts say people should explain if they need to push into queues[/caption]
However, there are special circumstances when joining the back of the queue is just not an option.
In this instance, Jodi RR Smith, an etiquette consultant, explained that you should always ask, rather than just barge in, and you should always provide a good reason.
For example, if you’re rushing to get to your boarding gate in time, you can always explain and let people know why you’re being impolite.
She told Seattle Times: “While it is never OK to cut in line, it is perfectly acceptable to ask. We know from psych studies that people are more likely to accommodate a request when a reason is given.
Jodi also said it’s a good idea to ask airport staff if you can push to the front, particularly in those situations when waiting in line could mean missing your flight.
There are rules for dealing with people pushing in as well, although they might not provide people with the punishment they might like to see handed to line-cutters.
Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert who runs The Protocol School of Texas, also spoke to the Seattle Times.
She said it’s always best to avoid confrontation when someone pushes in front, claiming most people who push in deliberately are “highly aggressive and easily agitated”.
Anyone who insists on saying something should explain where the back of the line is in a friendly, non-confrontational voice.
Another thorny subject when it comes to queuing is holding places for other people.
Some people don’t mind when one person reserves a place for other people in the line and, but from an etiquette standpoint, it’s not the done thing.
That’s according to etiquette expert William Hanson, who told BBC News in a discussion on the subject: “Father will go and stand in the queue and when he gets closer to the front, the entire family will then join.
“That’s incredibly bad manners and that’s not to be encouraged.”
William also said that, for people queuing alone, there’s a use it or lose it rule, even if you have to use the toilet.
He said people were not able to ask strangers to hold their place in line for them, adding: “If you’re the only person, you can’t.
“You have to do a bit of bladder control. Think before, a bit of bladder planning, ‘do I need to use the lavatory before I join this queue? Yes, I’ll go now’ rather than expecting someone to hold your place.”
Meanwhile, this is the magic phrase that will stop people reclining their seat during flights.
And here are the etiquette rules for switching seats during flights.
ReutersOther etiquette experts say that people shouldn’t hold places for other people[/caption]