When you’re late for your flight (or desperate for that airport pint), the sight of a travelator should be a happy one. You hop on, and as you walk at your normal pace, the miracle of modern engineering means you can get from A to B twice as fast.
But not when there’s a belt grinder in your path.
Avid traveller, Sophie, 27, tells that nothing frustrates her more than ‘inconsiderate’ people who stand still on moving walkways, while she’s rushing to her gate.
‘It honestly makes me feel violent,’ she explains. ‘The travelators are literally there to speed you up.’
Coined by, belt grinding refers to the act of standing (typically in the middle) on these treadmill-like paths, often with a heap of luggage in tow.
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Of course, those who struggle with mobility issues are exempt from the ‘belt grinder’ label. But rather, we’re talking about those who stop to chat, film a TikTok, start rearranging their carry-on or even have a little snack — allowing a traffic jam to form behind them — before skipping off said travelator, and going on their merry way.
Sometimes referred to as ‘speedwalks’, travelators have been utilised in airports since the 1960s. Their purpose is to allow passengers to cover longer distances with less effort and more speed than walking.
For anyone who has landed or transited through airports in Dubai, Amsterdam or Dallas — which has gate-to-gate walks that exceed a few kilometres — they can seriously save your legs.
And while there’s no official rule for using moving walkways, travellers online have been quick to point out that standing still basically defeats their whole point…
POLL
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What is your opinion on belt grinding at airports?
It annoys me and shouldn’t be allowed
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It doesn’t bother me as long as people stand to the side
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I’ve never really thought about it before
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‘If you stand, I will judge you!’
On TikTok, some users have shared some pretty vicious opinions. One user, @therealsydniallyse, told her followers: ‘If you stand on the moving walkway I will judge you. It’s for walking faster, not standing faster…’ Another travel influencer, @amandastraveldiary, went as far as to say that belt grinding will ‘ruin someone’s day’, adding that this was one of her biggest pet peeves.
However, there are others out there who don’t consider this to be a prison worthy offence. ‘What’s the point of walking on a moving walkway that moves you for you?’ asked one person on TikTok. Some have also compared the walkways to escalators, arguing that no-one tends to get angry at people who chose to stand in that particular scenario.
‘It’s a give and take kind of thing’
Etiquette expert Laura Windsor tells that while belt grinding may be annoying for some passengers, it absolutely shouldn’t be considered ‘bad etiquette.’ ‘Maybe they are very tired, have lots of time without doing the legwork, or they’re not feeling 100%.’ However, Laura says it becomes difficult when those who are stationary don’t take note of who might need to get past them.
She urges people to abide by the same rules they’d follow in a department store or on the tube – stand to the right and let others move by you on the left. ‘Make sure that you are using as little space as possible. Don’t stand in the middle and don’t let bag stick out more than is necessary so you are impeding other people getting around. Let people choose what they want to do just like on an escalator but be vigilant!’
Hate belt grinders? You might also have beef with another kind of passenger. Belt bumping refers to a frustratingly common habit where people refuse to properly put away their tray once they’ve collected their belongings from the conveyor belt. This could mean leaving said tray on one of the designated unloading tables or even abandoning it altogether in the middle of the belt — but either way, bumping the responsibility to do the right thing and return their receptacle.
While common sense – and numerous signs dotted around the security area – should dictate against this, it seems many people are either unaware or ignorant of the pre-departures protocol.
Fleurine Tideman, 29, has seen her fair share of belt bumpers over the years, telling: ‘It’s the equivalent to people who don’t put away their shopping trolley. It’s one of the societal rules that aren’t about legality, so it shows you who people are.’
Blaise Kelly, 26, adds: ‘It’s horrible etiquette and disrespectful to the queue and people working at the airport. It’s also a request from the staff, so you’re basically choosing to ignore them.’
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