Priority queues: Where social justice and equity collide

Multilevel queues have become a common feature in service sector contexts, examples include 'guest lists' at night clubs and 'priority boarding' in air travel. This paper explores multilevel queueing systems within the context of theme parks, specifically their effects on consumers. Previous studies have focussed on single line systems and multilevel queues remain under-researched. By applying social justice and equity theory, the paper uses a mixed methods approach with site visits to theme parks followed up by two factorial experiments. The analytical contribution of the paper is its application of theoretically underpinned queueing research. The empirical gap addressed is multilevel queueing systems. The overall contribution of the paper offers new theory identifying tensions that exist between consumers in different queueing levels. If social justice is achieved for one group then it will create inequity for another; if equity is achieved then it will create injustice. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.