Can a gate agent deny boarding?

Ugh, can a gate agent actually deny you boarding? Seriously?! Yes, unfortunately, they can. I remember this one time – it wasn't me, thank goodness, but this poor guy – he was arguing with the gate agent about… I think it was his carry-on bag. It was HUGE. Like, comically oversized. And the agent kept telling him it wouldn't fit, and he just wouldn't listen. Kept saying things like, "I've taken it on before!" Yeah, buddy, maybe on a different airline with different rules? Anyway, he ended up missing his flight. They wouldn't let him on. It was kind of brutal to watch, actually.

So, yeah, ignoring instructions is a big one. And just generally being difficult. Don't be that person. Also, violating airline rules, obviously. Like, I'm pretty sure you can't just light up a cigarette on the plane anymore. Or, you know, bring a weapon. Common sense stuff, right? But you'd be surprised. I heard a story once – I don't know if it's true – about someone trying to bring a peacock on board as an emotional support animal. A peacock! Can you even imagine?

Anyway, the bottom line is, if you don't follow boarding procedures, or you're just being a jerk to the staff, they can totally put you at the back of the line or even, yikes, deny you boarding altogether. So just… be nice. Follow the rules. It's really not that hard. Is it really worth missing your flight over an oversized bag or, you know, a peacock? Just sayin'.