Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
235
“You Aren’t Special”: Entitled Family Attempts To Skip Massive Line, Faces Public Outrage
Waiting in airport lines is never fun, especially when time is ticking away before your next flight. Most of us just grit our teeth and hope for the best, knowing that everyone else is in the same situation.
But a Redditor recently shared a story about a family who thought they could skip the line and save themselves the hassle. What followed was a perfect example of what happens when entitled behavior meets a crowd of equally frustrated travelers.
RELATED:
Passengers were anxiously waiting in line for passport control at a busy airport, hoping to catch their connecting flights
Image credits: Tim Gouw / pexels (not the actual photo)
However, one family thought they could outsmart everyone by cutting ahead
Image credits: Longxiang Qian / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Mathias Reding / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: External_Affect2391
Why do we hate waiting in lines?
The answer might seem obvious—no one enjoys standing around with nothing to do. But there’s more to it.
In 1985, David Maister, a Harvard Business School professor, looked into the psychology of waiting in lines. He discovered that it’s not just the time we spend in them that affects our mood, but what we do during the wait, what we expect at the end, and whether we think it’s worth it.
One major issue with lines is uncertainty. Not knowing how long it will take to reach the front or where we are in the queue can create a lot of anxiety. In response, we release stress hormones like cortisol, making the experience feel even longer and more frustrating. If people are stuck at passport control in an airport and worried about missing their connecting flight, a simple announcement that the plane will wait for delayed passengers could instantly ease everyone’s nerves.
Another major factor is our sense of justice. Research shows people prefer fairness over efficiency; seeing someone skip ahead is especially aggravating. Just think about how irritated you feel when someone who arrived after you gets served first at a restaurant.
Interestingly, if there’s something rewarding at the end, people are more willing to endure the inconvenience. For example, fans might show up hours early to a concert to secure a spot close to the stage, while a 15-minute wait to get connected to customer service feels unbearable.
Understanding this, many businesses design their spaces to manage the waiting experience more effectively. Richard Larson, a professor at MIT who studies queuing theory and even signs his emails as “Dr. Queue,” lists Disney as a leader in this area. “In my book, they’re number one in the psychology and in the physics of queues,” he says.
At their theme parks, Disney have been known to give longer wait times for rides than they actually are, according to Larson’s research. For instance, they might say the wait is an hour, but when guests get through in 45 minutes, they’re pleasantly surprised, making the whole experience more enjoyable.
So, when it comes to lines, it’s clear that waiting itself isn’t really the problem—it’s everything else that comes with it. Next time you’re stuck in line and feeling annoyed, try to recognize what’s really bothering you and take a moment to stay calm. And rather than cutting ahead, think about keeping things fair for everyone around you.
Image credits: Lisa Fotios / pexels (not the actual photo)
Commenters were glad the family was called out for their entitlement
Other Redditors chimed in, sharing their own frustrating experiences with people who try to skip lines
Poll Question
Thanks! Check out the results:
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
What do you think ?
Donkeywheel 3 months ago (edited)
Passengers jumping the lines are annoying yeah, but the most entitled people in these stories are the airport and local government people. Shame on them for planning many many flights at the same time with short stopovers while not willing to provide enough immigration officers. They will take the money (because don’t forget you passengers are paying for this) and provide the shittiest experience possible. Airlines have no control over it, they cannot streamline anything customs or immigration related. So people end up stressed in an unknown airport, fight each other, miss their connecting flights, because of the morons running the airport/local government who want their hub even if it’s completely undersized and understaffed.
DC and S 3 months ago
Absolutely!!!! Connections should be 2+ hours. Period. Maybe 3. Given that a plane boards 30+ minutes before the flight. And you have to get off the plane and get there, a one hour layover becomes 0 minutes. And that's IF the plane is on time. It's my biggest stressor flying. That and having room in the overhead bin above me for my bag.
Load More Replies...
CaliPanda 3 months ago (edited)
Traveling from California to Germany, first flight leg was cancelled (happened more than once TBH). Re-routed through Amsterdam with a very tight connection. Went through Customs & Immigration, and still needed to wait in line for my next boarding pass. When I finally got it, the agent realized how late it was and told me to cut the security line so I’d make my next flight. I didn’t, but they still held the plane for me. THEY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. If there are many people waiting to connect and the timing is reasonable, the plane will wait.
Donkeywheel 3 months ago (edited)
Passengers jumping the lines are annoying yeah, but the most entitled people in these stories are the airport and local government people. Shame on them for planning many many flights at the same time with short stopovers while not willing to provide enough immigration officers. They will take the money (because don’t forget you passengers are paying for this) and provide the shittiest experience possible. Airlines have no control over it, they cannot streamline anything customs or immigration related. So people end up stressed in an unknown airport, fight each other, miss their connecting flights, because of the morons running the airport/local government who want their hub even if it’s completely undersized and understaffed.
DC and S 3 months ago
Absolutely!!!! Connections should be 2+ hours. Period. Maybe 3. Given that a plane boards 30+ minutes before the flight. And you have to get off the plane and get there, a one hour layover becomes 0 minutes. And that's IF the plane is on time. It's my biggest stressor flying. That and having room in the overhead bin above me for my bag.
Load More Replies... CaliPanda 3 months ago (edited)
Traveling from California to Germany, first flight leg was cancelled (happened more than once TBH). Re-routed through Amsterdam with a very tight connection. Went through Customs & Immigration, and still needed to wait in line for my next boarding pass. When I finally got it, the agent realized how late it was and told me to cut the security line so I’d make my next flight. I didn’t, but they still held the plane for me. THEY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. If there are many people waiting to connect and the timing is reasonable, the plane will wait.
You May Like Farmer Laughs In HOA's Face And Tells Them To Get Lost 50 People Who Weren’t Afraid To Call Out The Jerks They Saw In Public (New Pics) “Out Of Her Mind”: GF Expects BF To Pay For Her Kids And Her Ex’s Family To Take A Trip To Disney
Shelly Fourer
Simona Kinderytė
Shelly Fourer
Related on Bored Panda
54
20