An irritating new trend in airports called “gate lice“, causes some passengers to crowd the boarding gate even before the plane is ready to board. The phenomenon causes frustration and confusion among those who prefer to wait quietly until their turn.
After you’ve gone through security and maybe grabbed a snack, it’s just waiting until boarding and getting your carry-on onto the plane. But for some passengers, the queue never ends.
The Daily Mail writes that the so-called “gate lice“, a slang term referring to airline passengers crowding the boarding gate, appear as soon as airport staff announce boarding. These passengers are “glued” to the boarding gate like lice (lice), hoping to get on the plane faster, even though it’s not yet their turn according to the boarding party. The phenomenon is visible in almost every airport and exasperates other travelers, who prefer to wait calmly until their turn.
Many filmed these situations and posted them on TikTok, amazed by the excessive enthusiasm of other passengers. A tourist, who uses the account @ellamejones, posted a clip of passengers queuing before the flight and commented: “People queuing for the plane before it arrives and then sitting in their assigned seats has to be one of the greatest universal mysteries“.
Video source: TikTok/ @ellamejones
Another user, @elizamartinx, shared the same frustration: “I will never understand why people stand in long lines to board. Your seat on the plane will not be taken by anyone.” She added that she prefers to relax until the tail goes down.
Video source: TikTok/ @elizamartinx
Who is right
Lee Thompson, co-founder of solo travel company Flash Pack, explained to the Daily Mail: “I completely understand why people do this. What’s really happening is something I call “carry-on FOMO”“.
He details the reasons why passengers are eager to board the plane early: “People are tired, anxious, often traveling with children and want their vacation to start perfectly.” Some fear that they won’t find room for hand luggage in the overhead compartments and choose to line up early to secure their spot.
“They are concerned about the space in the compartment, if they will stay together, if something will go wrong”Lee explains. Queuing can give people a “sense of calm and control”. Even he used to jostle in line: “The moment boarding is announced, anxiety turns into a flurry of action. Everyone gets up at once – even if the plane isn’t here yet“.
Now, however, Lee prefers to take a bag that can fit under the seat and avoid wheeled luggage, to board at the end. “If your luggage fits under the seat, you can sit back, catch up on emails and board the plane in peace. I find this time relaxing and useful for solving personal matters”.
However, this trick does not always work on low-cost companies, where space is limited. “If you board late, most likelyl your luggage will be taken to the hold of the plane, and this can add an hour, sometimes an hour and a half, to the waiting time for your bags.” In such situations, Lee emphasizes that it’s not about impoliteness, but about self-defense: “It’s to each his own.”
American Airlines introduced a technology in 2024 that prevents passengers from boarding before their group. The software alerts airport staff when a ticket is scanned prematurely, and employees can prompt the traveler to rejoin the queue at the appropriate time.
Travel writer Meaghan Kenny compares “aisle lice” to those who jump to their feet as soon as the plane reaches the gate, a phenomenon sometimes called “aisle lice.” In her Conde Nast Traveler article, she writes: “I would put them in the same category as people who, as soon as you land, jump to get their bags and try to get ahead of everyone. It creates chaos and no one sees or hears what is happening. It’s not like there are any seats on the plane – just relax, you’ll get to your seat“.
