An OMAAT reader posed a question that I think makes for an interesting discussion. He asks what my thoughts are on people requesting to jump ahead in the security line because they’re running late? He explains that he refused to let someone cut, and was then called names, and asks if he was being unreasonable.
It’s a fair question, and I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer. So I’ll share my take, and I’d love to hear what others think. On one hand, I’m a firm believer in the quote that goes “a lack of planning on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part.” At the same time, this is one of those situations where I can see both sides, and I just try to avoid getting stressed.
In this post:
In general, I’m not a fan of letting people cut in line
Typically I’m opposed to the concept of letting people cut in line at airport security because they’re running late. I hate to make a “slippery slope” argument, but if the order in which passengers at security are screened is based on departure time, then that sounds like a very unpleasant reality for those who actually plan appropriately.
Most of the time when people are running late for a flight, it’s within their control. Not that they want to be running late so that they have to ask people for a line cut at security, but rather they didn’t leave enough of a buffer. It’s kind of like when you’re supposed to meet someone for drinks at 6PM, and then they show up at 6:30PM and say “sorry I’m late, traffic was horrible.” During rush hour, really?!? You don’t say!
But it’s also possible that the person has a “legitimate” reason they’re running late. Maybe they had a late inbound flight, had a family emergency and needed to book a ticket last minute, had an accident on the way to the airport, etc.
Is it worth giving them the benefit of the doubt? And even if it isn’t, is it worth the aggravation to be “that” person that doesn’t let them in?
Despite having flown millions and millions of miles, I’ve only ever once missed a flight at my origin, and in that case I overslept so much that I didn’t bother going to the airport.
My approach is that I typically go with the flow
My personal philosophy is that I go with whatever the others in line do. If they agree to let someone through, I’ll do the same. If they don’t, I’ll just typically avoid getting involved. If I’m the last person in line and they ask to cut me, it’s all about how they ask:
- “I hate to ask, but I just got off an international flight and my connection leaves in 20 minutes. Do you mind if I cut you?” Sure.
- If someone’s strolling up with a latte, three carry-ons, is on their cell phone, and says “it’s okay if I cut you, right?” I’m less likely to be kind then.
Basically, I choose not to get upset over it, or to have a strong opinion. However, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with not letting people cut you, so I wouldn’t lose too much sleep if someone makes unkind comments in response to such a denial.
In fairness, it’s worth acknowledging that airlines and airports do sometimes coddle people who are running late, even if it’s their own fault. At a check-in desk, airlines may sometimes ask if anyone is booked on a particular flight for which check-in is about to close, so that they don’t miss it. Of course they’re doing this for their own reasons — it’s going to be more work for everyone if people miss flights, need to be rebooked, etc.
Bottom line
It’s common for people to run late to the airport, and to then ask to cut others at security, so that they can still make their flight. While there are some situations like this that are completely out of the control of the passenger, more often than not, it’s due to a lack of planning on their part.
Ultimately I think there’s nothing wrong with saying “no” when someone asks to cut. At the same time, it’s also probably not worth getting involved in some sort of a confrontation, even if other people are acting unreasonably.
Where do you stand on the concept of letting people cut you at security?
My favorite memory of all time: JNB airport.
Line must have been 150 people long with 2 immigration officers. 20-40 people tried to cut saying their flight was boarding. Turns out there flight boarded in 90 minutes . Once that happened, everyone piled on saying go to the back. Fantastic.
I think if someone has a genuine reason, sure. Such as connection, very long check in times, or something.
I’ll always be...
My favorite memory of all time: JNB airport.
Line must have been 150 people long with 2 immigration officers. 20-40 people tried to cut saying their flight was boarding. Turns out there flight boarded in 90 minutes . Once that happened, everyone piled on saying go to the back. Fantastic.
I think if someone has a genuine reason, sure. Such as connection, very long check in times, or something.
I’ll always be grateful to the hundred odd people I cut at Newark as I had a 17 minute connection B-C (int-domestic). Even though the flight was closed they let me on. Humans can be amazing!
I don’t really care provided I’m not also short on time. It’s hardly worth raising my blood pressure over what will amount to 30 seconds of my life.
Got stuck behind an unexpected road closure last year that held me up for an hour and I was appreciative that although the line was short people let me go past. I was the last to board the flight 3 minutes before sked door close… and then they delayed us half a hour due to a fuel problem… oh the irony.
This is just like the election system.
It's a broken system but works good enough to get by and shut people up or believe it is working.
You're brainwashed by propaganda to come early line up and wait.
You blame these people for bad planning and being late.
At the other end where you've been brainwashed not to see. Most people came too early and wasted their own time at the airport and clog up...
This is just like the election system.
It's a broken system but works good enough to get by and shut people up or believe it is working.
You're brainwashed by propaganda to come early line up and wait.
You blame these people for bad planning and being late.
At the other end where you've been brainwashed not to see. Most people came too early and wasted their own time at the airport and clog up the line for other people who are at the airport just in time and waste their time in line too.
I’m OK letting the odd one or two people go in front if I feel they’re genuinely running late and I have plenty of time - you can usually tell by what they say and how they ask.
Americans rarely try it. At least in my lines, I almost never see it. The vast majority of people in TSA Pre-Check know how to travel.
Never in Asia.
I see it mostly in Europe (men) and...
I’m OK letting the odd one or two people go in front if I feel they’re genuinely running late and I have plenty of time - you can usually tell by what they say and how they ask.
Americans rarely try it. At least in my lines, I almost never see it. The vast majority of people in TSA Pre-Check know how to travel.
Never in Asia.
I see it mostly in Europe (men) and in South America (often the more clueless types - I suspect many of them have rarely flown, mostly women).
The Middle East - take a guess. There is a level of entitlement that surprises no one - but it's still rare.
Morocco is the wild wild west at security.
HEATHROW - due to the worst transfer system at Terminal 5. Many are running late. Sometimes it's best to clear the border, go back up to check-in, and use the FIRST wing if you have access. Muuuch quiker.
Again, if someone asks nicely, I’m happy to let them go ahead. We all run late from time to time. Millions of miles, and I missed one international flight by 5 mins check in cut off - My fault, I misjudged NYC traffic, but they put me on another flight. Two close calls at LHR T3: 15 mins from curb to jetbridge TWICE. Once with VS...she was like we are going to jog to security and I'll check you in with my tablet....then buggy on the other side to the gate. AA, I was checked in, ran to security and buggy to the gate. Last one on each time.
Once I asked to cut the line at DEL (no one allowed)...so we left the line and got an airport employee to walk us to the front ;-)
Kindness goes a long way.
Always ‘fun’ when someone cuts you in-line, only to later find out they’re on your flight, and board after you… psh.
The problem I have with person A asking a person B in front of me, if s/he can cut in line, is that it's not only B who is affected, but everybody between B and the end of the line. So A should ask ALL persons, not just B. Which is obviously not realistic
This is stuff we learn in school - go to the back of the line. The real problem is not whether you agree but whether the people behind you agree to be cut also. Whose going to negotiate with all of those people among who at least someone is also running late.
I've flown maybe 1.2 million miles. I've been on the other end of this exactly once, needing to ask. The result of leaving my passport at home after the new ID standards were implemented. I did arrive 2.5 hours early to the airport. Traffic back and forth on a friday would take about that. I was ready to just not go and wife insisted I try. Wife kept the bags and went through security while...
I've flown maybe 1.2 million miles. I've been on the other end of this exactly once, needing to ask. The result of leaving my passport at home after the new ID standards were implemented. I did arrive 2.5 hours early to the airport. Traffic back and forth on a friday would take about that. I was ready to just not go and wife insisted I try. Wife kept the bags and went through security while I hauled ass and called everyone I could think of to help meet me in the middle.
I got to the TSA Precheck line, which was enormously long for once, 20 minutes into boarding for a small plane. I HATE cutting or asking. I called my wife and let her know there was no way I'd make it. She persuaded me to ask. And I did. Even though I HATE it with a passion, I proceeded to ask (and tell them my flight was departing in 15 minutes) literally every single person, one at a time, if I could move ahead. They all obliged. Maybe one guy out of the 100-ish people looked like he wanted to say no.
So, I've been on the other side. Frankly, it happens so rarely that I wouldn't be bothered if 1 (or a few) were going to cost me 2-3 extra minutes of waiting. Extending a bit of grace to people can go a long way and it literally costs nothing to do so, assuming you aren't in the same predicament.
I think this happens a lot less than it used to. Anyway, if I'm feeling a little pissy, I might ask them what time their flight departs, and if they answer, tell them to be patient because my flight leaves even earlier.
Meh, if I’m on time and someone asks nicely….I’ll let you go through. It’s no stress for me.
I have never missed a flight, but I had a very close call internationally. I was in Southern Paris with a 10am flight. The night before I asked the concierge about the taxi situation and they said "come down in the morning and we can call you a cab". I did that at 6:30, requesting a 6:30am taxi so we could eat breakfast. At 6:20, the concierge calmly comes over and says "I'm sorry but...
I have never missed a flight, but I had a very close call internationally. I was in Southern Paris with a 10am flight. The night before I asked the concierge about the taxi situation and they said "come down in the morning and we can call you a cab". I did that at 6:30, requesting a 6:30am taxi so we could eat breakfast. At 6:20, the concierge calmly comes over and says "I'm sorry but there are no available cabs". I'm shocked -- no cabs in the entire city of Paris?!?
They didn't have any alternatives but to request an Uber. I spent the next half hour unsuccessfully trying to request a ride. Eventually at 7am, I pull up Google maps for public transit. Amazingly, we were able to make it to the airport at 9am via a 1 mile walk, subway, 1 mile walk, bus that leaves hourly, arriving at 9:15 for a 10:00am flight.
I had considered asking to cut as we were still in the security line when boarding was scheduled to begin. However since things were moving we held our tongue, cleared security, and raced to the gate as the last boarding group was boarding.
Lesson learned on cabs (even if the concierge says otherwise) and now we plan on a public transit alternative -- thinking about this carefully even when selecting a hotel.
I tend not to agree. If someone is late, it is almost always a result of their choices. Not my problem.
The one thing a person can say to ensure I don't agree. "I have a flight to catch."
Yes. We all do. That's why we're all in this line.
I like the idea that if you’re going to ask me for anything, including cutting in line, making change for a bill, watching a bag to go change your kid’s diaper… just “come at me correct”. If you expect me to empathize with you, at least empathize with me that you’re asking for a kindness or favor… not an obligation.