[Scoundreller]

Especially when they can get to the front of the check-in line, exit control line and security.

I never understood the skip-security and skip exit-control line: those are public services.

[Miraste]

They're not public services, they're security theater with no real effectiveness. The skip programs are effectively official acknowledgement of that.

[Scoundreller]

I agree they’re theatre, but letting 1st class queue-jump isn’t acknowledgement of that: they’re not skipping the checks themselves, just making the queue longer for everyone else.

[hocuspocus]

Nothing stops a publicly or semi-publicly owned service to have premium tiers.

They don't offer the service for free.

[Scoundreller]

Then they should sell it directly to the public.

The only issue with queue-jumping public disservice is that it discourages fixing the problem in the first place.

[hocuspocus]

I think it's a little more complex than that:

* Some low-cost airlines (like EasyJet) are pretty much doing just that, their premium membership give you access to priority lanes without any other significant benefit (since they don't really offer any).

* I don't think anyone wants ticketing to get even more complicated. It's obviously a lot easier and more rewarding for airlines to treat their frequent/business flyers well and make everyone else take the slow lines.

* First and business classes don't fill up the planes, airlines are directly impacted by shitty airports that can't embark/disembark/transfer 80% of their passengers (and luggage) quickly enough. You can't say there's zero incentive to fix the problem.