A FLIGHT attendant and travel expert has revealed exactly why they hate passengers who queue at the boarding gate.
Boarding a flight can be very stressful – and slowing down the queue is unlikely to win you any fans.
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Flight attendant and co-creator of the blog Two Guys on a Plane Rich Henderson explained that cabin crew members have a word for people who crowd the boarding gate.
He told Business Insider that passengers who queue before boarding has even opened are called “gate lice” by flight attendants.
Instead of swarming the boarding gate, he said: “Just stay as out of the way as possible of the boarding area until your group is at least close to being called.
“If our frequent fliers and top-tier people aren’t even close to getting on the plane and your crew isn’t even close to getting on the plane, you really have no business standing right at the gate.”
And, Rich isn’t the first person who has found passengers who queue too early annoying.
Bonnie Tsai, founder of the etiquette consultancy company Beyond Etiquette, explained that people who crowd the gate simply create a bigger line and slow down the boarding process.
She told the Washington Post: “You should steer clear of standing in line at the gate before your boarding group.
“It may also cause other travellers and the gate agents to become frustrated.
“Lining up before your boarding group is called won’t get you to your destination any sooner. Be considerate, and you’ll all get where you’re going.”
Flight attendants also aren’t impressed by any passengers who try and board an aircraft before their group has been called.
This is because holidaymakers who board in the wrong group can disrupt the entire process.
Another travel expert has revealed how to speed up your boarding process.
If anyone is after a drink on a plane, this flight attendant has revealed how to get one for free.
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