What It Means When Your Flight Attendant Mentions The 'Holding Pen'

Flight attendants use a lot of phrases and terms when they speak, and you may have wondered what some of them mean. They have code names for when you're that annoying passenger and others for when flight attendants think you're attractive. One term you may have heard them use before is the "holding pen." It sounds ominous, but if they refer to it, they're actually talking about the area where everyone hovers as they wait to board the plane. It's probably one of the most stress-producing spots for passengers, barring people with flight anxiety. You're in a holding pattern as you wait to hear when your boarding group is called, and if you're unlucky enough to be in one of the later ones, you may be worrying if there will be a spot for your carry-on luggage in the overhead bin. Maybe they should change it to the "panic room" instead. 

Part of the reason it's such chaos (and thus gets the name) is that everyone is jockeying for a good position in the line before they're called and likely getting in the way of passengers boarding before them. While you may be frustrated by those with priority status for boarding, remember that some early boarding groups are children flying alone, families with kids, military personnel, and those who have mobility issues and need more time. By the way, the flight attendant term for people getting in everyone's way in the holding pen is "gate lice." Some companies, like American Airlines, are publicly calling travelers out for it. 

In a perfect world, we'd all board in order of seat number after pre-boarding the aforementioned groups. There would be enough space for everyone in the overhead bins, and no one would shove their puffy coat and shopping bags in your space. However, the holding pen is usually pretty chaotic, but there are a few things you can do to deal with it. First, you have the option to gate-check your bag in some cases. It's worth asking at the gate to see if it's possible. That way, you don't have to worry about when you get in line; thus, you don't act like "gate lice." You can also try to get to the airport early enough to find a seat close to where everyone lines up. That way, you can stay seated and step in when they call your group. Another option is to try to fit your carry-on belongings into a bag you can store under your seat. If there is still room, you can use the overhead bin, but if there isn't, you're not out of luck. 

It's also worth sticking around the gate because if you wander, you could risk missing the announcements, making you rush into the chaos to figure out who is being called. If you're traveling as a family, it's not a bad idea to have one adult take the kids to the airport's play area or on a walk while you stay there to listen; you can text them when it's time to board. That way, they're safely out of the path of people rushing around them.