Airline staff have a secret name for people who line up early to board the plane

One of the worst things about the airport is all the waiting in lines.

First you queue for check-in, then for passport control and security, then for your Boots meal deal and then again for the toilet.

With that in mind, the last thing we want to do while traveling is spend more time in line than necessary.

Others seem to think differently and choose to join the queue as soon as the gate opens.

But airline workers have a funny name for these types: gate lice.

Urban Dictionary may have the best definition for gate lice:

‘Passengers, often inexperienced pilots [economy] Class, people crowding or queuing at a gate at an airport, completely blocking the boarding area and preventing First Class and Business Class passengers from boarding the aircraft when they are allowed to.

‘They can also cause delays and confusion if a passenger in a wheelchair needs to board, as the wheelchair has to navigate its way through the mass of lice floating around the gate.’

“When it comes time to board, they have to be herded from the front of the boarding line to the back of the line, delaying the flight for everyone.”

Why do people queue unnecessarily?

For many, it’s a mystery why “gate lice” are the way they are. We all have assigned seats, and getting on the plane faster doesn’t mean you’ll leave faster.

In fact, I’d even argue that sitting on a plane longer than necessary is just as uncomfortable as standing in line longer than necessary.

Psychologist Dr. Audrey Tang thinks it’s about the feeling of control. “Line up to board as soon as we can can help us feel in control, which in turn makes us feel less stressed,” she tells Metro.co .uk.

‘This is more likely to apply to people who have experience with being late.

Knowing you have a lot of time, especially with luggage or children, can also play a role.

“Maybe some people just like to be first, but it’s mostly about keeping ourselves calm.”

That makes sense. If you’re an anxious traveler, knowing you’re where you need to be and you don’t have to do anything else probably helps you relax.

In addition, there is rarely enough room in the overhead bins for everyone’s luggage. By boarding early, you can be sure of a spot.

But beyond the practical side, there are also psychologists who believe that many people line up to board because everyone else does too.

“People use other people as sources of information, both about what the right thing to do is and about what everyone else is doing,” Shira Gabriel, a professor of psychology at the University at Buffalo, told the Washington Post.

People do strange things when they think this is the way to behave.

“When you see people lining up to get ready, you get the feeling that there is an advantage to that.”

Well, there you have it.

The next time you consider queuing for your flight even though your boarding number hasn’t been called yet, you might think about lice again – oops, twice.

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