Lounge etiquette

[t1grm]

Open question. I'm sure this will polarise opinions.

If you're entering a lounge with a card where they have to sign you in (e.g. priority pass or frequent flyer) is it OK for people with paper invites which don't have to be signed in (of the kind they hand out to biz class passengers at check in) to jump the queue?

Reason I ask is I was just entering busy lounge at MLA with my priority pass (after queueing) and some Italians marched in with paper invites, went to front of queue and shoved them under mine and receptionists nose whilst he was signing me in. I told them there was a queue and to go stand in it. Quite an argument ensued. Nothing came of it. We all got in lounge after more of a delay and bad feelings all round and causing a scene.

I appreciate Italians are never going ot be the best queuers but, was I being a prude or is this another example of rude antisocial behaviour at airports?

[yellowperil]

One would like to hope that said receptionist would have told them to get to the back of the queue, rather than the customer having to do it, thus avoiding the aforementioned scene and bad feelings....

...on the assumption that is, that everyone who is eligible for the lounge is of the same status. Unfortunately, for those who are unduly concerned about the sort of "status" imparted by possession of such priority passes, frequent flyer programmes etc is that there's invariably someone with a higher status, tier points, priority ranking etc than them, and this realisation can be a little painful when brought home in such a manner.

(also suspect what will really polarise is your characterisation of Italians, rather than the lounge etiquette query, but you probably know that already....)

[Mr Mac]

Have always lined up with my lounge pass, even when I have lounge access anyway via FFC, but then I am British and its in our mentality it seems.


However I have always been a patient soul until push really does come to shove, and Rome Airport on a Friday night when wanting to get home can do that to you ! Take the high ground t1grm.

[ExXB]

Many of the Latin cultures have no idea of queuing. Their grandparents didn’t do it, their parents don’t do it. They don’t do it either. They were not taught it, and they won’t teach their children how to queue.

It’s not that they are being rude, they are being themselves.

When in Rome ...

[flapsin]

And the relevance to queuing in Luqa?

[PAXboy]

Correct ExXB. Had I not have been to Italy I would not have believed it. One evening was waiting for an EZY back to LTN from FCO and all pax were milling around the gate due to a slight delay in boarding. The second the announcement was made there was a stampede to the front as if no one had tickets and only the first five would be allowed on board. I was pushed and squashed forward by the crowd.

Once airborne, I would have liked to ask the Italians, "Did you get on any quicker? "Did the flight get delayed by the pushing and shoving at the gate?"

Next year I have to go to Tuscany for a wedding. I had thought about driving but then realised that would have left me driving in Italy (and they REALLY drive in their own world ) so I have been thinking about taking the train. But all roads lead to Rome and that beautiful country is full of Romulans ...

I would not expect Italians to behave differently when overseas anymore than I would expect other nationalities to change their fundamental approach to life.

[TCU]

t1grm I am beginning to enjoy your MLA lounge tales...maybe a book in it one day for you?

[Hartington]

When I first started work in the late 1960s I took a job as a travel agent. One of my clients went to Saudi Arabia on business and when he came back he described how he had spent three days trying to fly between 2 cities. On days 1 and 2 he had checked in, been given a boarding pass and headed to the gate and then across the tarmac to the plane only to find every seat taken.

On day three he decided he wasn't going to be left behind. He made sure he checked in early, was first on to the tarmac and, if not first on the plane (he was a tad large!) he certainly wasn't last and he flew (he claimed there were standing passengers and I saw no reason to doubt him).

Queuing? Orderly behaviour? Optional in many places.

[eckhard]

One of my clients went to Saudi Arabia on business and when he came back he described how he had spent three days trying to fly between 2 cities.

I had a similar experience in 1974 trying to get from Bahrain to Riyadh. F-27 to Dhahran, then overnight in the terminal hugging my precious cargo (air survey film), finally the following evening a 737 to Riyadh. My memory of 'queuing' is a large semi-circular throng, about 5 people deep, around the ticket desk, all waving paperwork/passports in the air and shouting.

Still, both I and the film got there eventually and then we just had to wait for 'permission' to operate the survey flights that the government had asked us to perform......
I remember weeks but maybe it was only days waiting for that!

[Heathrow Harry]

On the other hand I've been on japanese airlines where everyone checked in on time, were all at the gate ahead of time, boaded according to instructions and we were able to leave early as no-one was still in duty free.

[Dairyground]

And I have recently had a very similar experience on a fully loaded A320 out of Vladivostok ... to Narita (but only a minority of Japanese, I think)

[PAXboy]

Yes Heathrow Harry and, when using the totally efficient railway system, the platform staff and guards where white gloves to direct you. If they cannot understand your request, or the ticket/voucher you have, they will find someone who does as quickly as they can. Will be delighted to vist Japan again.

[Heathrow Harry]

so like our own dear railway system.

[Ignore the HUD]

Just a question to the starter of this thread, did they have to sign in after all that or go to the back of queue?
Last week when queuing for tickets to the Gatwick express, people were trying to jump to the front..when they were asked to join they queue they told me to keep calm and not get so annoyed!

[double_barrel]

Originally Posted by t1grm

If you're entering a lounge with a card where they have to sign you in (e.g. priority pass or frequent flyer) is it OK for people with paper invites which don't have to be signed in (of the kind they hand out to biz class passengers at check in) to jump the queue?

I don't understand the distinction. Sometimes I enter the lounge with an economy boarding pass on the strength of my frequent flier status, sometimes as a business class passenger. In both cases they just scan the boarding card, job done.

Boarding passes are always scanned, whether you have a paper pass or not.

[ExXB]

DB, this was not an airline/alliance lounge. It was a company that sells access to airlines which don't have their own lounge, members of external clubs (Priority pass, etc) and all and sundry who are prepared to pay a fee.

Premium customers for said airlines are given a printed 'invitation'. Club members sign in and the all and sundry get out their credit cards.

Edelweiss, for example, flies to Vancouver in the Summer only, three and four times a week. Their business class passengers are invited to one of these lounges. (Although I would have expected them to use a Star Alliance partner's lounge)

[parabellum]

Diners Club operate a system such as you describe ExXB.

[Mr Oleo Strut]

I've heard it said that an effective deterrent to this sort of queue-jumping is to break wind loudly and then accuse the queue-jumpers of being the offenders. The richer and fruitier the effusion the better, apparently, aided by dramatic gestures, shrugs, raised eyebrows, grunts and groans. Do it convincingly and you'll soon have the place to yourself. A good Madras or Tandoori the previous day also helps, they say.

[double_barrel]

Originally Posted by ExXB

DB, this was not an airline/alliance lounge. It was a company that sells access to airlines which don't have their own lounge, members of external clubs (Priority pass, etc) and all and sundry who are prepared to pay a fee.

Premium customers for said airlines are given a printed 'invitation'. Club members sign in and the all and sundry get out their credit cards.

Ah. I see the distinction. I used a lounge like that flying out of MAN with KLM a few days ago. (In fact I got away with inviting in a guest who was traveling with Flybe, I hadn't expected that to work!). I would certainly not expect any priority over, for example, a Ryanair passenger who chose to pay for the pleasure. How could it work? Do those with a pass work their way along the queue checking each person to decide who has priority?!!

[ExXB]

I believe the issue is that some customers jumped the queue. The agents should have applied first come, first served but didn’t.

Mind you I have been frustrated in queues when the ones in front aren’t ready when it’s their turn.