A FLIGHT attendant has revealed the types of passenger he hates the most – and it happens before travellers even get on board.

“Gate lice” is the derogatory term give to those passengers who lurk around the airport gate well before it’s time to actually start boarding.

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It seems the phrase originated in a 2005 FlyerTalk discussion forum where one user coined the phrase to denote those who wait close to the gate so they can board as early as possible and ensure they get plenty of overhead bin space.

Brian Hart Hoffman, who was a flight attendant for eight years with US Airways and Alaska Airlines, told the Thrillist: “I absolutely hate gate lice.

“There is no need for it and it absolutely hinders the flow of boarding.”

He added those people who engage in this behaviour were making themselves “appear like [they] are more important than anyone else flying.”

Brian said that not only can gate lice delay take-off by stopping people from boarding but they can also prevent people from getting off the incoming flight.

He said: “Some of the dedicated ‘lice’ are in place and blocking things while the airplane is being deplaned from the inbound flight.”

Other experts agree with Brian’s point of view, saying that gate lice can cause delays to both people getting on or off a flight.

Flight attendant Rich Henderson, who is also the creator of Two Guys on a Plane said that gate lice sometimes also prevent the crew or cleaners from getting on a plane, also causing delays.

Samantha Facteau, a spokesperson for Delta Air Lines, said crowding the gate can make it difficult for those who need assistance to reach the gate and for those with mobility devices to get by.

Uncover Mental Health Counselling psychologist Kristie Tse said that “crowding the gate often stems from a mix of anxiety and a desire for control.”

She added: “Individuals may feel an overwhelming urge to secure their position, fearing they might miss out or face consequences if they don’t act quickly.

“This behaviour can indicate underlying insecurities or a lack of trust in the process.”

Frequent traveller Pip Davidson said that for him, anxiety is definitely a motivator as he gets stressed and is “hypersensitive” to crowds.

He said: “The actions and behaviour of a crowd [at the airport] can be overwhelming and trigger heightened anxiety that causes me to feel more alert and more worried.”

As a way to cope with this, he lingers by the gate before boarding.

Pip also noticed that his “gate anxiety” was triggered by other gate lice.

He said there was a “ripple effect” where numerous people start to head towards the gate.

Pip said that once one person started to head towards the gate, “that triggers another person to worry that they’re being cut in line, and that causes another person to have the same worry.”

SECRET CABIN CREW WORDS

Flight attendants have a special language they use to talk about passengers, including the ones they find attractive.

There are a number of other secret phrases used by pilots and cabin crew too, some serious and others less so.

• Cropdusting: If a passenger is being very rude and difficult, then it’s not unheard of for a flight attendant to break wind and ‘cropdust’ past the offender.
• Code Adam: This is used by airport staff to alert other staff of a missing child, in honour of Adam Walsh, a child who was abducted in a department store in 1981.
• 7500: If a pilot “squawks 7500” it means the plane has been hijacked, or a hijacking is a threat.
• Crosscheck: If you hear this phrase, usually made by senior cabin crew, it means that the emergency slides attached to each door have been deactivated.

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MOROCCO has become more popular as a holiday destination in recent years, especially as a winter sun destination.

But those looking to beat the crowds and for an even cheaper alternative to Marrakesh, might want to consider visiting Taroudant.

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The city, which is sometimes called ‘Little Marrakesh’, is known for its impressive red-mud walls and views of the High Atlas Mountains.

As its nickname suggests, it’s much smaller in size than Marrakesh, and also considered calmer and less crowded.

Many visitors say it offers one of the most authentic experiences of every day Moroccan life.

Taroudant and Marrakesh bear many similarities – both cities have rich cultures that are influenced by Berber tradition and Islamic civilisations, and they have medinas (old towns) and souks (open air marketplaces).

But Taroudant also has its own unique features, including its walls, landmarks and location.

For a short time in the 16th century, Taroudant was the capital of Morocco. Its location between two mountain ranges was why it was chosen.

To defend it, a huge wall was built around the city, which today are among the best preserved in Morocco.

Made of honeyed stone, the walls are seven kilometres long and encircle the entire medina.

The best time to visit the walls is at sunset to see the low light make the stone glow.

And the best way to see the walls is to walk, bike or take a horse-drawn carriage, known as a calèche.

Taroudant’s landmarks include Palais Caludio Bravo, famous for being the former home of Chilean painter Claudio Bravo.

The palace houses a large collection of his works, as well as other artists, including Francis Bacon and Pablo Picasso.

Its architecture is noteworthy as it’s made up of several wings and structures connected by courtyards and covered passages.

The palace’s beautiful garden is a mini-replica of the famous Menara garden in Marrakesh, with trails, sculptures and exotic plants dotted around.

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Taroudant has a good location because it’s close to many other attractions, making it a good base for exploring the surrounding area.

Marrakesh is about a three and a half our drive away, and Skoura, an oasis town on the way to the desert, is about a five hour journey east.

The coastal resort of Agadir, with an international airport, is about an hour’s drive west, and Essaouira, with a pretty beach and coastal medina, is about a four hour journey northwest.

Tarroudant is also located at the foot of the Atlas mountains, making it a good base for hiking

When it comes to places to stay, there are lots of luxurious 4* hotels for cheap prices.

Domaine Villa Talaa is a 4* hotel with an outdoor pool, spa and wellness centre, gardens with mountain views, and lots of activities, such as ping-pong, walking tours, bike tours and cooking classes.

Prices for two adults for one night start from £75.

Dar Zitoune is another 4* hotel built in the Berber style using local materials.

It’s set in four acres of landscaped grounds with olive, papaya, and citrus trees, has a large heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a spa, and a gourmet restaurant that serves a mix of Moroccan and Western specialities.

Prices for two adults for one night start from £99.

Flights from London Gatwick to Agadir, the nearest airport, are also good value.

At the beginning of November, a one way flight with easyJet starts from £22.99.

Marrakesh was recently named the best city for a budget friendly Autumn break.

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WITH its sun-drenched beaches, world-class wine-ries and majestic Table Mountain as a backdrop, Cape Town has long been a dream destination.

Now there’s even more reason to visit South Africa’s Mother City as it has been named the best value long-haul holiday destination in Post Office Travel Money’s latest Long Haul Holiday Report.

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The city has reclaimed the top spot after a six-year hiatus thanks to a perfect storm of favourable conditions.

Local price drops combined with a weaker South African rand have led to a 12 per cent decrease in costs for British visitors since last autumn.

At £55.59 for a basket of ten tourist staples — including meals and drinks — it offers unbeatable value.

To put into perspective just how cheap holidays here have become, they are over 14 per cent cheaper than last year’s best value destination, Hoi An in Vietnam.

While Cape Town takes the spotlight, the report reveals interesting trends across other long-haul destinations.

The Far East continues to be a wallet-friendly option, with three destinations in the top five.

Tokyo, Japan, has jumped into second place, with its basket of staples price falling by 13.5 per cent to £64.07.

Despite a 21 per cent increase, Hoi An still manages to secure third place at £64.80.

Bali, Indonesia, comes in fourth with a basket cost of £67.70, down eight per cent from last year.

For those eyeing the Caribbean, there’s a mix of good and bad news.

While most Caribbean destinations did not make it into the top ten, Montego Bay, Jamaica, sneaked in at tenth place with a total of £93.74, down 9.4 per cent from last year.

However, Barbados saw the biggest price drop of all destinations surveyed, with costs in St James falling by 18.5 per cent to £141.29.

The report is great news for British travellers in general.

Thanks to the strength of sterling against most long-haul currencies, prices have fallen in over half of the destinations surveyed compared to last year.

This means your pounds will stretch further in many popular winter sun spots.

However, not all destinations offer equal value.

Priciest place to dine

The report reveals significant price variations across the 32 surveyed locations.

Australia, for instance, features four cities in the bottom ten, with Sydney emerging as the most expensive destination overall.­

A three-course meal with a bottle of wine in Sydney will set you back nearly £117, making it the priciest place to dine out.

Other expensive destinations include Costa Rica and New York, both coming in at over £160 for the basket of goods. Orlando, Florida, offers far better value than New York, with prices 57 per cent lower for the same items.

For budget-conscious travellers, it’s worth noting that prices have increased in some traditionally affordable destinations.

Hoi An saw the biggest price hike, while Mombasa, Kenya, experienced a near 14 per cent increase.

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The report also covers the way many of us instinctively measure our holiday exchange rates — the cost of a beer.

If you’re looking to enjoy a lager without breaking the bank, head to St George’s, Grenada, where a bottle of local beer will cost you £1.50.

Other cheap beer destinations include Hoi An (£1.53), Cape Town (£1.81) and Scarborough, Tobago (£1.83).

On the flip side, if you are not watching your wallet, Downtown Dubai tops the list of most expensive beer destinations at £7.55 per bottle, followed by Darwin, Australia, at £6.40.

THEY are cute at any time of year but French mountain towns peak the two weeks before Christmas when streets are lined with decorated trees, covered in real snow.

In the third week of December last year, my family and I squeezed in some skiing at La Rosiere, a child-friendly resort 1,850m up in the Savoie region of the French Alps.

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Skiing in December can be a gamble weatherwise, but La Rosiere is very high up and better for snow than most, so the white stuff was at least a foot deep everywhere.

La Rosiere is particularly great for festive feels, as it’s a traditional town with plenty of old chalets and little cafes.

There is also very little traffic and scores of festive activities, including a Christmas market and a visit from Santa.

We were staying with package holiday company Ski Beat in one of its shared chalets right in the middle of the action — a blessing given that we were travelling with my five-year-old son.

The resort’s learner slopes were perfect for a first week.

On the first day with the Evolution 2 ski school, he learnt on a tiny hill of snow and by the second day, he was ready for the simplest of slopes.

Buoyed by his success we celebrated with tea and cake back at the chalet.

By the fourth day, he was taking the drag lifts halfway up the mountain and riding the kid-friendly green slopes, lined with little tunnels to whizz through and bells to ding on the way down.

On the fifth day, he was fine to try out one of the easiest blue runs.

There was plenty of ground for my boyfriend and I to cover while our son was in lessons, too.

La Rosiere is relatively small, but with 83 runs of varying difficulty, it kept us very happy for a whole week.

And on one afternoon, my partner skied into Italy to try out their slopes . . .  and pasta.

That’s not to say there wasn’t delicious grub back at our chalet.

Ski Beat is very reasonably priced for the quality of the catering and chalet staff.

The young couple who ran our property were lovely and doted on our son, even when he fired questions at them pre-7am as they made everyone’s hot breakfast.

We had some of our favourite evening meals there, including an excellent tartiflette washed down by far too much red wine.

Delicious grub

The chalet was very comfortable and cosy with a modern look.

Our triple room had plenty of storage and a spacious en-suite bathroom, with a pared-back, natural palette.

Thanks to our location, it was easy to venture out for meals, too.

The Hotel Relais Du Petit Saint Bernard at the bottom of the main ski lifts was the perfect pit stop for a long lunch after the morning’s lessons.

After our dishes of steak hache and raclette, my partner and I sipped beer in the afternoon sunshine while our son dug holes in the snow with a gang of French children.

Meanwhile, the Caffe Latte tea room along the high street was a great place for a midafternoon hot chocolate and cookies, when my son and I bunked off skiing one afternoon to browse the souvenir shops for alpine-themed Christmas presents.

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But the absolute highlight of our meals-out was at L’Ancolie.

The log cabin-style restaurant, tucked away at the bottom of a ski slope, was weighed down under a foot of snow, with rustic wooden walls, open fires and red checked curtains.

We ordered fondue, of course, the delicious house special featuring wild mushrooms the chef-owner picked locally before the snow fell.

As a lifelong fondue fan, I thought that would be the highlight of the meal, but a pudding with meringue, chocolate sauce and ice cream was so delicious it still makes its way into family discussions.

Possibly the best part of the evening was the journey, though.

The restaurant is reached from the town by a 1km path through the forest, which was lined with multicoloured lights.

Away from the roads, it was the perfect festive evening walk as well as an opportunity for a drawn-out snowball fight.

When it was time to head home on December 23, it felt like we were preparing for Christmas round two, such was the extent of the eating, drinking and general fun-having we’d already enjoyed.