A queue can look democratic while concealing who had the freedom to arrive early.

First come, first served looks like the fairest possible arrangement. It also quietly rewards whoever could get there, which depends on transport, childcare, a flexible shift, a body that can stand, and information about when to arrive. The queue records the order of arrival and nothing about what arriving cost. Equal treatment of unequal starting positions has a name, and it is not fairness.

When a process seems obviously fair, ask what it requires in order to enter it. If you organise anything on this basis, consider whether a booked slot or a staggered window would change who ends up in the room. Small scheduling changes often do more than large statements of intent.