Definition
In air traffic control, the orderly arrangement of aircraft into a sequence for departure, arrival, or movement on the airport surface, so that each aircraft is handled in turn without conflict.
Plain English
Lining aircraft up in order so they can be handled one after another in a smooth, predictable sequence.
Context Anchor
You may see or hear this term during busy airport operations, taxi delays, departure flow control, or any situation where air traffic control is managing the order of aircraft.
Derivation
From the word 'queue,' originally French for 'tail,' which came to mean a line of people or things waiting their turn. In aviation, it carries the same idea: aircraft taking their place in line.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding queuing helps pilots anticipate delays, comply with hold-short or release instructions, and maintain safe spacing during busy operations.
Intuition Check
Queuing does not always mean aircraft are physically lined up nose-to-tail. It can also mean they have been assigned an order or waiting position by air traffic control.
Example Sentence 1
Ground control began queuing departures on taxiway Alpha to maintain a steady flow to the active runway.
Example Sentence 2
Pilots should expect longer queuing times for IFR releases when the airport is operating under flow restrictions.