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

Interview With Author “I Cut Hundreds Of People In Line For Food At The Airport - AITA?”Man Finds A Way To Avoid Hundreds Of People In Line For Food, Wife Disapproves Of His ‘Jerk Move’Man Cuts In Line At The Airport To Get Food For His Kid Before Flight, Asks If It Was So WrongDad Asks If He's A Jerk For Cutting The Line At Airport To Get Food For His KidInternet Can’t Decide If Dad Is A Genius Or A Jerk For How He Managed To Cut In Line Of HundredsDad Asks If He’s A Jerk For The Way He Cut In Line To Get Food At Airport, Gets Mixed Reactions“No One In Line Seemed To Notice”: Desperate Father Cuts In Line To Feed ChildDad Decided To Cut In Line At The Airport Because His Kid Was Really HungryPeople Have Mixed Opinions About This Dad Cutting In Line For Hungry KidWife Calls Out Husband For His
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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.

Below, you’ll find the full story and a conversation with the original poster (OP) and America’s trusted etiquette expert, Thomas P. Farley, also known as Mister Manners. 

Navigating a busy airport is a mission on its own, let alone trying to deal with delays and hungry children

Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual image)

After desperately cutting a line to feed his child, the OP was shamed by his wife, saying it was a jerk move

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Image credits: photobac (not the actual image)

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Image credits: u/madeupname230

Cutting line in the airport without annoying other passengers

Bored Panda got in touch with madeupname230 who shared the story and was kind enough to give some additional details about the experience. Of course, we were curious to know what inspired him to share this with more than one million people; after all, such incidents happen very often.

“I shared because I was genuinely curious if the majority of people would think it was a good solution or that I was a jerk.”

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.

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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.”

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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.”

Navigating a busy airport with children

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.”

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Redditor madeupname230 was also kind enough to share his own tips on navigating crowded airports. “My advice is to always plan for unexpected situations, but to also remember that people are usually pretty kind if you truly need help and ask nicely. We are all in this together; try to keep that in mind.”

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.”

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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.

Commenters found father’s solution impressive

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Others were confused why he didn’t pack emergency snacks

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Austeja Zokaite

Austeja Zokaite

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Hi, glad you swung by! My name is Austėja, and I’m a writer at Bored Panda. With a degree in English philology, I’m interested in all aspects of language. Being fresh out of university, my mission is to master the art of writing and add my unique touch to every personal story and uplifting article we publish. In my time here, I’ve covered some fun topics such as scrungy cats and pareidolia, as well as more serious ones about mental health and relationship hiccups. When I’m not on my laptop, you’ll probably find me devouring pastries, especially croissants, paired with a soothing cup of tea. Sunsets, the sea, and swimming are some of my favorite things.

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Austeja Zokaite

Austeja Zokaite

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Hi, glad you swung by! My name is Austėja, and I’m a writer at Bored Panda. With a degree in English philology, I’m interested in all aspects of language. Being fresh out of university, my mission is to master the art of writing and add my unique touch to every personal story and uplifting article we publish. In my time here, I’ve covered some fun topics such as scrungy cats and pareidolia, as well as more serious ones about mental health and relationship hiccups. When I’m not on my laptop, you’ll probably find me devouring pastries, especially croissants, paired with a soothing cup of tea. Sunsets, the sea, and swimming are some of my favorite things.

Dominyka

Dominyka

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, crafting captivating visual content to enhance every reader's experience. Sometimes my mornings are spent diving into juicy dramas, while afternoons are all about adding extra laughs to the world by editing the funniest memes around. My favorite part of the job? Choosing the perfect images to illustrate articles. It's like imagining a story as a movie in my mind and selecting the key shots to tell the story visually.

Read less »

Dominyka

Dominyka

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, crafting captivating visual content to enhance every reader's experience. Sometimes my mornings are spent diving into juicy dramas, while afternoons are all about adding extra laughs to the world by editing the funniest memes around. My favorite part of the job? Choosing the perfect images to illustrate articles. It's like imagining a story as a movie in my mind and selecting the key shots to tell the story visually.

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MR
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was ready to call him the AH, but honestly, having the first person in line place your order and paying for theirs? I'm okay with that as a transaction. I don't view this as cutting. It's an edge case and could get complicated if more people did it, but then the economics of it would sort itself out.

kissmychakram
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"the economics of it would sort itself out" is part of the problem. The "poor" people have to wait in line for their overpriced food for their hungry kids and run the risk that a "rich" person will buy their way to the front.

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Libstak
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would be OK with this if I was in that line knowing it was for a child. I would not be OK with it if it was for another or multiple other adults.

E.V.
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a parent and seeing another parent in distress because their kid is hungry, def not the A-hole here. Kids can get wild when hungry, especially little kids! You do what you can to make things less stressful as possible and if it means cutting in line, then go right ahead! I'll even offer you my kid's snacks if we have extra!

Fussy1
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you! All three of my babies are adults now and I don't have these types of issues anymore, but believe you me, it isn't something you forget once your kids are grown. I'll always be a 'mom', regardless of who the kid(s) belong to. Meaning, if I have something or can do something to help a distressed kidlet out, I'll happily offer assistance. Dad needed 'help' he offered a kindness in exchange for a kindness. Keep your money dad, this one is on me, bc kindness and empathy have no monetary value.

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MR
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was ready to call him the AH, but honestly, having the first person in line place your order and paying for theirs? I'm okay with that as a transaction. I don't view this as cutting. It's an edge case and could get complicated if more people did it, but then the economics of it would sort itself out.

kissmychakram
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"the economics of it would sort itself out" is part of the problem. The "poor" people have to wait in line for their overpriced food for their hungry kids and run the risk that a "rich" person will buy their way to the front.

Load More Replies...
Libstak
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would be OK with this if I was in that line knowing it was for a child. I would not be OK with it if it was for another or multiple other adults.

E.V.
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a parent and seeing another parent in distress because their kid is hungry, def not the A-hole here. Kids can get wild when hungry, especially little kids! You do what you can to make things less stressful as possible and if it means cutting in line, then go right ahead! I'll even offer you my kid's snacks if we have extra!

Fussy1
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you! All three of my babies are adults now and I don't have these types of issues anymore, but believe you me, it isn't something you forget once your kids are grown. I'll always be a 'mom', regardless of who the kid(s) belong to. Meaning, if I have something or can do something to help a distressed kidlet out, I'll happily offer assistance. Dad needed 'help' he offered a kindness in exchange for a kindness. Keep your money dad, this one is on me, bc kindness and empathy have no monetary value.

Load More Replies...
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