Passenger defends controversial 'gate lice' behavior as airlines crack down on early boarding attempts
A flight passenger came out in defense of a controversial travel trend, sparking an etiquette debate among flyers.
The trend of "gate lice" was widely reported last year when American Airlines began prohibiting people from boarding ahead of their particular seat zone.
The airline began using technology that audibly alerts gate agents when passengers are attempting to board ahead of their designated assignment, Fox News Digital reported.
Recently, a traveler posted in the "r/delta" forum on Reddit, writing "in defense of gate lice."
"Flying out of [Philadelphia] today, and you could not hear [what] the gate agent was saying, 'Now boarding blahblahblah.' What?" read the post.
The user admitted he is hard of hearing, but that his wife is not.
"We were not alone because everyone was crowding around the gate area trying to understand what this ridiculous woman was saying," the user wrote.
"There was a sign that displayed the boarding zones currently allowed to board, but it was facing another gate and not facing where all the gate lice were standing … To read the sign, you have to get in the way of the passengers who are allowed to board! Total madness," the person continued.
The user went on to share his grievances about the volume of gate agents and pilots over the speaker.
Redditors took to the comments section to discuss their thoughts about "gate lice" and their own experiences with flying.
"I stand against the wall facing the gate so I can hear the announcements. I don't consider myself gate lice," commented one user.
Another person wrote, "It's the inconsistency that bothers me. Figure out the best way to board planes … then every airport do[es] it exactly the same."
"Just a couple of weeks ago, I realized I could not hear a damn thing the gate agent was saying," said one user. "I couldn't see the screens and had to move closer like the dreaded gate lice. But I honestly did not know what they were saying. It was completely inaudible."
Other Redditors weighed in on the volume and tone of announcements by gate agents.
"I was boarding a flight in Atlanta, and the [gate agent] was muttering incoherently into the microphone and then would turn to the woman beside her and laugh. No one could understand what she was saying," commented a user.
Still another person wrote, "All need to learn how to enunciate. Then you don't need to raise your voice as much. Everyone understands clearly spoken words."
"I have a hearing impairment … This condition significantly impacts my experience when flying, as I often struggle to hear important announcements from gate agents, especially related to delays or gate changes," shared one user.
Another person commented that "[gate agents] don't even care they're announcing over another announcement on top of the PA system being terribly designed."
California-based etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall told Fox News Digital there have always been passengers who try to get around the general boarding process.
"Today, it has become more prevalent," she said.
"When caught, instead of admitting to it or shrugging with a clichéd, 'No harm in trying,' they become belligerent, still expecting to have their demands met," Randall said.
She added, "Gate lice may have different reasons for jumping ahead of their assigned zone. Other than having a tight connecting flight or traveling with a disabled passenger, wait your turn."
Randall also said, "When we don't follow the simple guidelines, airlines are forced to create rules. And, yes, for those of us who try to follow the rules and practice courtesy, it stinks and is frustrating."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
44 minutes ago
- New York Times
How The New York Times Handles Photography and Visuals
Our photojournalism follows the same guidelines and rules as for text. As we state in our Ethical Journalism Handbook, 'any published images that readers or viewers will understand as depictions of real events or situations must be genuine in every way.' That means we do not pose or rearrange subjects, or blur, retouch or digitally manipulate the image. We capture scenes as they are happening, without any intervention from the photographer. Here's how Times photographer Ruth Fremson explains it: I consider it a privilege when someone allows me into their life and trusts me enough to photograph them. In return I owe them the utmost respect in how I present them to our audience. As a photojournalist I am forbidden from altering a news situation, such as prompting people to do something or moving things around. In short, I don't interfere with the events I'm photographing. Portraits are the exception. They are a collaboration between the photographer and the subject. There, I will guide or coach the subject into specific poses and settings to create the final result. We do crop photos and sometimes make minimal adjustments to color to ensure we are accurately reproducing the image. Videography follows the same rules, and when we source photos or video from social media or other platforms we use extensive digital investigative methods to make sure they are real and accurate. We do not use artificial intelligence to manipulate photos or videos or use the technology to generate images to represent real events or situations. When we publish images created by A.I., we note clearly how they are made. (Here's more about how The Times uses A.I. technology in its journalism.)
an hour ago
Is air travel safe? Deadly Air India plane crash renews concerns after a string of other crashes
At least 240 people were killed when an Air India plane crashed Thursday into a medical school shortly after takeoff. It was the latest in a long list of aviation disasters this year. One passenger survived the crash but everyone else aboard the Boeing 787 was killed. More people died on the ground after the plane crashed and generated a large fireball. Black smoke billowed from the site where the plane crashed and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million and the capital of Gujarat. All the aircraft crashes and near misses have fueled many worries about flying. The Indian crash was far worse than the midair collision that killed 67 people near Washington, D.C., in January in the first major fatal crash on U.S. soil since 2009. Other recent incidents include an airliner clipping another in February while taxiing at the Seattle airport. In March, an American Airlines plane caught fire after landing in Denver, sending 12 people to the hospital. A sightseeing helicopter broke apart and crashed into the Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey in April, killing six people. Federal officials have tried to reassure travelers that flying is the safest mode of transportation, and statistics support that. But the cascade of headlines about all the things that have gone wrong is drawing increasing attention. Here is a look at some of the recent tragedies and mishaps: — Two different small planes crashed near San Diego over the past month. Six people died when a private jet crashed into a San Diego neighborhood in the midst of heavy fog. The runway lights weren't working at that airport. Six more people died earlier this week when a small plane crashed into the ocean shortly after taking off in San Diego. — The New York helicopter that crashed on April 10 departed a downtown heliport. The flight lasted less than 18 minutes. Radar data shows the helicopter flew north along the Manhattan skyline, then south toward the Statue of Liberty. The victims in this crash included a family from Spain who was celebrating the ninth birthday of one of their children. — Three people were killed and one was injured when a small plane crashed April 11 in Boca Raton, Florida, near a major interstate highway and pushed a car onto railroad tracks. — Two small planes collided midair near an Arizona airport in February, killing two people who were on one of the aircraft. Following the collision, one plane landed uneventfully, but the other hit the ground near a runway and caught fire. The crash happened at Marana Regional Airport near Tucson. — A small commuter plane crashed in Alaska in early February, killing all 10 people on board. The crash was one of the deadliest in the state in 25 years. Radar data indicated that the plane rapidly lost elevation and speed. The U.S. Coast Guard was unaware of any distress signals from the aircraft. — A medical transport plane that had just taken off plummeted into a Philadelphia neighborhood in late January, killing all six people on board and two people on the ground. About two dozen people were also hurt. The National Transportation Safety Board said its cockpit voice recorder likely hadn't been functioning for years. The crew made no distress calls to air traffic control. — The collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter above the nation's capital killed everyone aboard both aircraft in late January. It was the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground. — A jetliner operated by Jeju Air skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in late December in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people aboard were killed in one of that country's worst aviation disasters. — The American Airlines plane that caught fire at Denver International Airport in March had been diverted there because the crew reported engine vibrations after taking off in Colorado Springs. While taxiing to the gate, an engine caught fire, prompting slides to be deployed so passengers could evacuate quickly. The people taken to hospitals had minor injuries. The NTSB found a fuel leak and several improperly installed parts in the engine. — A single-engine plane carrying five people crashed and burst into flames that same month in the parking lot of a retirement community near a small airport near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Everyone on board survived. Three people were taken to an area burn center. — A Delta Air Lines jet flipped over while landing at Toronto's Pearson Airport in February. All 80 people on board survived, but some people received minor injuries. Witnesses and video from the scene showed the plane landing so hard that its right wing was sheared off. Investigators said when trying to determine the cause, they would consider the weather conditions and the possibility of human error. — Last month, two commercial planes had to abort their landings at Reagan National Airport near Washington because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter flying near the Pentagon. The Army suspended all its helicopter flights in the area after this incident. It was a Black Hawk priority air transport from the same unit known as the PAT25 that collided with the passenger jet in midair in January. — In April, on the same day as the fatal New York helicopter crash, a wing tip of an American Airlines plane struck another plane from the same airline on a taxiway of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. There were no reported injuries. Multiple members of Congress were aboard one of the flights. — A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at a busy New Jersey airport in March after a bird strike caused an engine fire that could be seen in the morning sky. The plane landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. There were no reported injuries. — Pilots on a Southwest Airlines flight about to land at Chicago's Midway Airport were forced to climb back into the sky to avoid another aircraft crossing the runway in late February. Video showed the plane approaching the runway before it abruptly pulled up as a business jet taxied onto the runway without authorization, federal officials said. — In early February, a Japan Airlines plane was taxiing on the tarmac of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when it apparently clipped the tail of a parked Delta plane. There were no injuries reported. — In early January, passengers panicked when a man aboard a JetBlue plane taxiing for takeoff from Boston's Logan International Airport opened an exit door over a wing, triggering an emergency slide to inflate. Other passengers quickly restrained the man and the plane didn't take off.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
2 Signs You're Not Being Yourself In A Relationship, By A Psychologist
Flirting is evolutionary. We often flirt to indicate interest in people we're attracted to. However, in the initial phases of dating, there's usually some uncertainty, where neither person is sure if things will move forward. During this time, people often behave in ambiguous ways by sending mixed signals, holding back or keeping things playful instead of making bold, direct moves. Being too blunt too soon can feel awkward, unsafe or even disrespectful. So, we use indirect, playful communication to test the waters and protect ourselves emotionally and socially. This stage plays a huge role in how we connect with others. But sometimes, we get so caught up trying to 'do it right,' we end up following a script and forget to enjoy ourselves. People might say 'Don't be the first person to respond back after a date' or 'Act nonchalant if you want them to like you.' Ironically, this leads us to stop being true to ourselves, as though there's no other way to act around the person you like. You may think this behavior helps you impress your date and secure their interest, but if you're not being authentic, how will you know if they truly like you? Worse, you might end up shaping your identity around theirs, hiding parts of yourself just to fit into a version you think they'll prefer. Here are two ways to tell if your feelings are genuine or if you're stuck performing a role. There are some social norms and expectations that guide how people behave in romantic or flirtatious situations. They act like mental roadmaps or 'scripts' for how one should initiate, progress and maintain romantic relationships. These scripts are shaped by culture, media, gender roles, class, religion and even age, and they often influence how people think dating should happen, whether or not they consciously realize it. Acting out a script isn't inherently negative. In fact, it often helps ensure we behave respectfully and appropriately, especially in intimate situations. Not only do they guide our behavior in intimate settings, but they also help shape how we see ourselves. In a classic 1989 study, sociologist Elijah Anderson studied how lower-income inner-city American youth devised certain 'game plans' to try and appeal to the woman by acting like her ideal partner, when in reality, he may only be feigning to establish a sexual relationship with her. Abiding by these behavioral tactics may be seen as important to those who are still developing their identities and are trying to appeal to their peer groups. On the other hand, a girl's peer group may support her pursuing the relationship if they perceive her partner's intentions as good. 'While many girls pursue the dream, the boy, for the immediate future, is generally not interested in 'playing house,' as his peer-group derisively refers to domestic life,' Anderson says. Even today, people may adjust their behavior to meet a potential partner's expectations, without being honest about their own. This mismatch can lead to inauthentic relationships and mental health challenges. Brian Soller, who conducted a 2014 study on the connection between mental health and adolescent relationships, found that inauthenticity in relationships is associated with poor mental health outcomes, especially for young girls. This inauthenticity is reflected in red flags in dating spheres, which are hard to notice initially, where everyone plays a role that they deem fit for themselves. This may show up in the form of self-imposed rules like 'I should text back now so I don't seem too eager,' or 'I should play hard to get,' even when you'd rather be direct. This could even be in the form of feigning interest in a hobby or activity your partner prefers, just so they like you back. For instance, you might decide to go shopping with them, even though it doesn't interest you and you would much rather watch a new movie instead. This inevitably leads to disappointment when your partner finds out you were not being expressive enough. They might be confused or upset and start thinking that you're losing interest in them or that you don't feel comfortable enough to be honest with them. Even if it feels like a small thing, not being honest about your preferences can still create distance. While it is important to show interest in your partner's life, it should not come at the cost of repressing your actual self and interests. That's why you need to stop 'performing' just to impress someone. When your actions are guided more by the rules of flirting than your true feelings, chances are you're acting out a seduction script rather than building a genuine connection. We tend to act differently around different people. How we behave with our parents may be different than how we act around our friends. Each connection brings out a different dynamic, which means the 'script' you follow in one relationship won't be the same in another. Consequently, your 'relational self' — the version of you that shows up in a relationship — can shift from partner to partner. However, we often fall into the trap of using the same romantic script with everyone we date, not accounting for the uniqueness of each dynamic. In this way, you end up playing the same character over and over, no matter who you're with. There is a misconception that being your real, everyday self in a relationship is what makes you feel authentic. But a 2017 study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found something surprising: you actually feel more authentic when your relational self is closer to your ideal self or the version of you that you strive to be. You cannot be your best self by following a script, but by striving to work on yourself and make yourself better every day. That includes being authentic, taking up space and not letting someone enclose you in a standardized box. That includes your friends, family and your partner. If your crush takes hours to reply or cancels a date, someone might advise you to 'act chill and ignore them.' But if that's not how you truly want to handle things, there's no need to follow that advice. If expressing your feelings, like calling them to let them know you felt hurt, helps you communicate honestly, then it's okay to do that. Just remember, being honest doesn't mean compromising your self-respect. Authentic connection allows room for spontaneity and imperfection. But when you're stuck in a script, deviations can feel threatening, because they disrupt the storyline you've mentally constructed about how seduction and love 'should' unfold. Our environment shapes how we approach romance and love. But when we cling too tightly to these scripts, we risk missing the opportunity for real emotional intimacy. We end up performing roles like 'the pursuer,' 'the prize,' 'the cool one' or 'the unavailable one,' instead of relating authentically to another human being. If showing interest comes off as needy and you have to withhold your eagerness and enthusiasm, then that person may not be right for you. You need to address incompatibilities right away, instead of pretending everything is fine when they don't live up to their word or disrespect you. Try to work on the self you aspire to be by setting specific goals that you can reach in a set timeframe. For instance, you may want to be someone who is emotionally grounded, dependable or assertive. Ask yourself, what is holding you back and once you have the answer, set small achievable goals to reach them. When you work on yourself, you inevitably attract people who add to your life, not those who make you feel small and caged. Tear up the script, albeit mentally, that is holding you back from having a meaningful connection, all because you're too set on whether a person takes the right steps to 'win' you over or vice versa. If someone truly wants to build a relationship with you, they'll accept you for who you are and be authentic about who they are in return — and that's the type of love we all deserve. How true do you stay to yourself when you're in the early stages of love? Take this science-backed test to find out: Authenticity In Relationships Scale
