Airports are amazing!

March 31st, 2014, 3pm

It was 33°C with few clouds. There was moderate breeze.

Airports are amazing because they are filled to capacity with stories everywhere you look. Stories that are shared via a persons facial expressions or body language. I like to play a game called “Guess The Nationality” while waiting to catch a flight. You realise how much information we share with others without realising. Hairstyles, fashions, different ways we walk, the way we queue for things.

Oh the queuing at an airport is like nowhere else. Next time you are in the queue for airport security, look around and notice the cultural differences demonstrated in the way people wait in line. The English are clearly the best at this, we wait patiently never trying to get ahead of others but doing our utmost to ensure that all are playing by the same rules, calling out any who swap lanes or try and sneak ahead. Those who are not quite as patient sometimes stand right behind you as if the closer you are the quicker the queue will go. This never does anything more than antagonise the person they are next to.

I would like to present you with my ‘Englishmans guide to proper queue etiquette’ (to be taken with a big pinch of salt) :

1) Pick a lane and stick with it, even if another lane speeds up. Better to take a few extra mins than admit defeat!

2) Never rush. Once you are in a queue that’s it just relax and enjoy the view.

3) Keep a neat queue. Far be it from you to be the one who makes the queue zigzag, always straight lines…always!

4) If anyone tries to overtake you, it is your duty as a member of the British empire to utter an unapologetic - ‘ahem’ in their direction. I know this can seem overly harsh but just tell yourself “it’s what her majesty would do”.

Good luck, and happy queuing all! :)


Pete, So-Shan, Amal, Paul and 1 more said thanks.

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Paul B

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