Flight Attendants & Airport Staff Have A Code For Annoying Travelers – Here's How To Avoid It

You've traversed the long TSA lines, found your gate, and even made time for a final stop in the restroom before boarding. But just because you've reached your gate early doesn't mean you'll be the first to board your flight. Boarding passes come with a zone marker emblazoned on them for a reason, and those who fail to stick with the plan and line up way too early have come to be collectively known as "gate lice" by flight attendants and airport staff.

Flight attendants often have a language all their own, and code words are used to share information without alarming or alerting passengers. For example, if a flight attendant directs the playful-sounding term "mermaid" your way, it's certainly not a compliment. Anyone dropped into the category of "gate lice" is not only an annoyance to cabin crews, but they can make it difficult for those who need assistance to board first. The act of lining up early and blocking the gate can even delay a flight.

Fortunately, avoiding this classification is easy — airlines have boarding rules and strategies in place for a reason. Simply find a comfortable seat in the terminal, pay attention to the announcements on the speakers and on the displays, and line up to board when your zone is called. It's a simple solution that not only makes boarding go smoother, but also keeps you on the cabin crew's good side.

Often, passengers referred to as "gate lice" are inexperienced and nervous fliers who are likely in economy class, according to Urban Dictionary. And, it turns out, they can cause confusion for other passengers who are trying to board, too. That's because humans tend to conform to what is happening around them, as psychology professor Shira Gabriel told The Washington Post. When one person lines up early, others soon join, which just adds to the chaos.

Of course, conformity isn't the lone factor. Competition is another major reason for "gate lice" behavior. Passengers assume that overhead storage space in the cabin decreases significantly with each passenger boarding ahead of them. And that's a valid fear, according to Gabriel. Especially in busier travel seasons, flights are often full, or even overbooked. When overhead bins are at capacity, flight attendants will force fliers to check their bags, even when carry-ons meet the latest size requirements.

That can lead to more anxiety as passengers worry about what happens to their checked bag and if it will actually reappear at their destination airport's baggage claim. Unfortunately, travel can sometimes be uncomfortable, and anxiety is typically just a part of the experience. But to avoid annoying airport staff, airline workers, and fellow passengers, one user on a Reddit thread has a simple solution. "I stand back far enough to hear and stretch my legs before the flight," they wrote. That's good advice, especially before a long flight. It's okay to stand — just not right in front of the gate.