“I Cut Hundreds Of People In Line For Food At The Airport - AITA?”

While air travel can be exciting, it can also be stressful. Making sure you have everything you’ll need, reaching the airport in time, and going through security really bumps up your anxiety levels. And when an airport is crowded, it multiplies by a thousand.

In redditor u/madeupname230’s case, he was traveling with his family during the busiest days of the year. After delays and running super late for a flight that was already boarding, his kid started freaking out due to hunger. There was no way they would make it, so he cleverly cut the line of a hundred people and successfully fed his child.

However, his partner thought that it was a totally jerk move to do so. Baffled about what to make of the situation, he shared his story on the “AITAH” subreddit, asking its members to give him their unbiased opinions.

Airports were expecting 3 million passengers daily through this holiday period, marking a 16% spike from last year. So it’s no surprise that the original poster (OP) found himself cutting lines for food. But do we really know when it’s fine to do so? We reached out to America’s trusted etiquette expert, Thomas P. Farley, also known as Mister Manners, who weighed in on how to sneakily skip lines without annoying other passengers.

"If there are pressing circumstances that require a traveler to go to the head of the line (such as a medical condition or a tight connection), the best way to do so is to request assistance or an escort from a security staff member or airline employee. No one waiting in line has the desire to be there for any longer than needed, and for a solitary passenger or group to unilaterally decide that their situation is unique and deserving of a self-bestowed line-cut is not acceptable.

With air travel back to—and in many cases exceeding — pre-pandemic levels, security-check lines are unpredictable and passengers should be prepared to wait their turn. Sanctioned means of bypassing longer lines do exist and for any passenger who is incapable of tolerating a lengthy wait (for whatever reason) should avail of them. These include wheelchair service to the gate for those with mobility issues, TSA PreCheck in the U.S. and Clear for international travel. At select major airport terminals in the U.S. and internationally, travelers can also set an appointment for their security screening in advance, which allows them to go to the head of the line at the appropriate time—often saving vital minutes in the process."

It's evident that the OP's solution to jumping a queue was quite impressive. When asked about how he managed to act so cleverly and quickly, he said, “I’m generally a good problem solver. So rather than get frustrated, I just thought, how could I inconvenience the smallest number of people? And the option to ask someone already in line popped into my head. Then I thought, well, if I also offer to pay for their food, it’s a win for everyone. So I went for it.”

When someone cuts in line without any heads-up, etiquette expert Farley encourages giving them the benefit of the doubt. "If someone has cut in front of you in line, you may politely give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn’t realize they were doing so. With lines often snaking around corners or even down corridors, it can sometimes be difficult to establish where a line ends. For that reason, if it is not patently clear, a person joining a line should ask one of two questions: “Pardon me, are you in line?” and/or: “Excuse me, is this the end of the line?"

"If the new arrival has not asked either question and skips ahead in a line, the person directly behind them should interject, “Excuse me, the back of the line is there,” pointing to the location where the line begins. To cower from speaking up only enables the rude behavior and letting the situation persist has a ripple effect on every person behind you, who will have to wait untold additional minutes while this line skipper is screened before them."

As is evident in the OP’s story, traveling with children is even more challenging. When asked about previous experiences travelling with little ones during a busy period, the OP said, “Travel is always stressful. But add a kid and the holidays, and it's on the next level. My partner and I usually plan well and have tons of snacks, so this particular kind of stressful situation was a first for us.”

In addition, a writer from “How to Travel With Little Ones,” Meredith Wuori, suggests trying to book a flight early in the morning or during their nap time. This increases their chances of sleeping through it, bringing peace to everyone on board. Another alternative is to tire them out before flying. Some airports have play areas where kids can stretch their legs and burn off some energy. Or simply allow them to walk whenever possible.

Farley also adds that "Regardless of whether you are in an airport terminal or a bakery, a theater or an amusement park, line-cutting is rude. There are places around the globe where it is more deeply scorned—such as Japan—and other places where it is more common, such as in Italy. I would nonetheless remember that we all want to get to our destination as quickly as possible. To self-annoint your situation as superior and non-worthy of line-waiting is narcissistic and inconsiderate regardless of what the local customs may be."

Navigating a busy airport is a mission on its own, let alone trying to deal with delays, mile-long lines, and hungry children. Skipping those queues is usually not acceptable unless there’s a reasonable explanation and a good attitude towards it. And according to etiquette experts, redditor u/madeupname230 dealt with it just fine.