Comparison:
The rabble holding cheap tickets who board last are most affected, but even jet-setters with elite status seem to worry about bag space; they hover in front of gates hoping to board as soon as possible—'gate lice,’ they’re sometimes called.
Ian Bogost borrows a term from airline industry front-line workers who have to deal with folks who want to press a boarding advantage. What nit-pickers!
Context:
Among the many things to hate about air travel, the processing of cabin luggage is ascendant. Planes are packed, and everyone seems to have more and bigger stuff than the aircraft can accommodate. The rabble holding cheap tickets who board last are most affected, but even jet-setters with elite status seem to worry about bag space; they hover in front of gates hoping to board as soon as possible—'gate lice,’ they’re sometimes called. Travelers are rightly infuriated by the situation: a crisis of carry-ons that someone must be responsible for, and for which someone must pay.
Citation:
Bogost, Ian. “The Carry-On-Baggage Bubble Is About to Pop.” Atlantic, 14 Feb 2024. Web