Airport queues are one of the worst parts of travelling and can make the journey feel tedious and chaotic.

In an exclusive experiment for Express.co.uk, I tried to beat airport queues at security and boarding using a sneaky hack.

Generally airports have multiple queues for security and passport control. While it might seem holidaymakers have little control of which route will be fastest, psychologists have said there could be a way to beat the crowds.

According to several experts, holidaymakers should always veer to the left when they’re offered a choice of queue. As most people are right-handed, they tend to have a natural inclination to turn right.

This means the queue on the left could be quieter. I put this theory to the test on a recent trip to Italy.

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At Palermo Airport, I opted for the left hand queue, forcing my friend to race me from the right hand queue.

As sceptical as I was, I did manage to get through security a whole five minutes before she did. Although it’s not an exact science, the majority of holidaymakers did seem to opt for the right hand queue.

Feeling pleased with myself, we headed for boarding where I again joined the left hand queue. This is where the theory came unstuck.

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Although the queues were moving at the same pace, mine suddenly came to a halt. Two girls further up in the queue had failed to check easyJet’s luggage requirements.

While the rest of us waited they tried to fit their bags inside the tester, before each failed and had to pay a fee. In the meantime, the right hand queue raced by.

I faced a similar issue at passport control re-entering the UK. Although there were fewer people waiting at the left-hand e-gates, as soon as one person’s passport fails to scan, the balance is thrown.

Ultimately, I can’t really recommend this hack. While tourists might be more likely to automatically opt for the right hand queue, it’s no guarantee the left hand queue will move more quickly.

As soon as someone hasn’t got their liquids ready or can’t find their boarding pass, the queue gets longer. It really comes down to luck.

But what’s the correct system for boarding a plane? An etiquette expert has explained when Britons should stand to queue.

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