DYKWIA - The 2014 thread
Jan 25, 2014, 1:43 pm
#61
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Chester le Street
Programs: BA Executive, Virgin FC
Posts: 308
Remember at IAD waiting to board VS and they called forward those who needed assistance first and a pax barged past the frail old lady who was being helped down to board. Me and another pax (who turned out to be someone famous who I've never heard of) exchanged the obligatory rolling eyes at each other.
Jan 25, 2014, 1:45 pm
#62
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LUX
Programs: BA Gold GGL, Hilton Diamond, FB Grey, Amex MR, Trop Plus Gold
Posts: 851
Guy pushing his way down the airbridge at LUX, shouting "I'm a frequent flyer" [waving Bronze card]. Boards just before me. CSM (for we are MF in LUX) points down the aisle and says "22F, right down, on your left, sir.".
Given that I know said CSM personally, and given said DYKWIA has pushed by me and was still in earshot, I make an overly familiar gesture to CSM and say "[CSM], it's been too long [we shake hands]" "Mr Royce, god, it's so nice to welcome one of our most loyal frequent flyers on board, it's not often I get to speak to someone on the Guest List. In fact, I don't think I've seen you since we were playing Roulette last time in Vegas, sit yourself down, let me get you a drink. I take it you're still on the G&T's?"
The level of scorn from the rust card holder was almost edible.
Given that I know said CSM personally, and given said DYKWIA has pushed by me and was still in earshot, I make an overly familiar gesture to CSM and say "[CSM], it's been too long [we shake hands]" "Mr Royce, god, it's so nice to welcome one of our most loyal frequent flyers on board, it's not often I get to speak to someone on the Guest List. In fact, I don't think I've seen you since we were playing Roulette last time in Vegas, sit yourself down, let me get you a drink. I take it you're still on the G&T's?"
The level of scorn from the rust card holder was almost edible.
Jan 25, 2014, 1:50 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Peak District
Programs: BAEC / Hilton Honors / Accor
Posts: 552
The only one I've really had was on a LHR-NCE one Sunday morning.
Having been at a party in central London on the Saturday night I looking like I'd just dragged myself out of bed.
If I remember correctly pre boarding had just started and a queue for normal boarding and a queue for fast track had formed. I just joined the regular boarding queue, when all of a sudden it dawned on me I can use fast track. I was a status passenger flying CE.
Anyway this Charlie Hungerford type who saw me move from regular to fast track firmly points out to me that this queue is for business class passengers only and I should go back to the economy class line. Knowing full well I was entitled to be in fast track based on both status and cabin, I replied " Yeah but have you seen the size of that queue " A few other words got exchanged and I basically told him to pipe down and mind his own business. Once fast track boarding had started I overheard him tell the gate agent that I was an economy class passenger.
Moving on once onboard I saw Charlie Hungerford in 3C. I just smiled at him, dumped my luggage into the overhead and settled into seat 1D.
Having been at a party in central London on the Saturday night I looking like I'd just dragged myself out of bed.
If I remember correctly pre boarding had just started and a queue for normal boarding and a queue for fast track had formed. I just joined the regular boarding queue, when all of a sudden it dawned on me I can use fast track. I was a status passenger flying CE.
Anyway this Charlie Hungerford type who saw me move from regular to fast track firmly points out to me that this queue is for business class passengers only and I should go back to the economy class line. Knowing full well I was entitled to be in fast track based on both status and cabin, I replied " Yeah but have you seen the size of that queue " A few other words got exchanged and I basically told him to pipe down and mind his own business. Once fast track boarding had started I overheard him tell the gate agent that I was an economy class passenger.
Moving on once onboard I saw Charlie Hungerford in 3C. I just smiled at him, dumped my luggage into the overhead and settled into seat 1D.
Jan 25, 2014, 1:52 pm
#64
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LUX
Programs: BA Gold GGL, Hilton Diamond, FB Grey, Amex MR, Trop Plus Gold
Posts: 851
I should also point out that I don't mind the line for fast track being policed, but on the occasions I get to dress down (think T-shirt and jeans), I've been pulled before:
"Sorry sir, this is for Business Class and Gold and Silver Card Holders only" (no "may I check your BP, sir", which is the more polite way to ask)
"Oh right, I must be in the wrong queue, where do Gold Guest List card holders travelling in First board?"
[silence]
I call it the "reverse DYKWIA".
"Sorry sir, this is for Business Class and Gold and Silver Card Holders only" (no "may I check your BP, sir", which is the more polite way to ask)
"Oh right, I must be in the wrong queue, where do Gold Guest List card holders travelling in First board?"
[silence]
I call it the "reverse DYKWIA".
Jan 25, 2014, 2:01 pm
#65
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, CrabAir Blue
Posts: 129
I should also point out that I don't mind the line for fast track being policed, but on the occasions I get to dress down (think T-shirt and jeans), I've been pulled before:
"Sorry sir, this is for Business Class and Gold and Silver Card Holders only" (no "may I check your BP, sir", which is the more polite way to ask)
"Oh right, I must be in the wrong queue, where do Gold Guest List card holders travelling in First board?"
[silence]
I call it the "reverse DYKWIA".
"Sorry sir, this is for Business Class and Gold and Silver Card Holders only" (no "may I check your BP, sir", which is the more polite way to ask)
"Oh right, I must be in the wrong queue, where do Gold Guest List card holders travelling in First board?"
[silence]
I call it the "reverse DYKWIA".
Jan 25, 2014, 2:04 pm
#66
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 536
I managed my own DYKWIA a few months ago. Was scheduled on a BA flight in CE that was cancelled and got rebooked onto a BMI Regional flight instead. The person at the BA ticketing desk told me I was still in J-class, so off I went to the BMI check in.
Arrived there to find a huge queue for the economy desk, no queue at all in a nearby line marked 'Business'. Great! But no staff at the desk, so I asked the guy at the front of the eco queue if I could go in front of him. His English wasn't great (bless him, I think he had no idea what I was on about) but he let me go.
I get to the desk and the agent gives me a puzzled look before angrily asking why I skipped the queue. My response of "I'm flying in business but the desk wasn't open" was met with a hollow laugh and the embarrassing words "we only have economy, sir"
Luckily she was kind enough to still check me in ahead of the others, but it took some time to forget the angry looks of the hundred or so other people in the queue!
Arrived there to find a huge queue for the economy desk, no queue at all in a nearby line marked 'Business'. Great! But no staff at the desk, so I asked the guy at the front of the eco queue if I could go in front of him. His English wasn't great (bless him, I think he had no idea what I was on about) but he let me go.
I get to the desk and the agent gives me a puzzled look before angrily asking why I skipped the queue. My response of "I'm flying in business but the desk wasn't open" was met with a hollow laugh and the embarrassing words "we only have economy, sir"
Luckily she was kind enough to still check me in ahead of the others, but it took some time to forget the angry looks of the hundred or so other people in the queue!
Jan 25, 2014, 2:08 pm
#67
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Peak District
Programs: BAEC / Hilton Honors / Accor
Posts: 552
Doesn't involve me but I was at security in HKG on Tuesday night when I saw a lady get pulled to one side and her reply to the person who pulled her over was " I'm a Cathay Pacific frequent flyer and I haven't got time for this "
Jan 25, 2014, 2:12 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Britain
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 25
I've also been a victim of the 'policing' of the fast track queue. "This is only for busine... Oh, you are business class... Sorry..."
Just because I'm fairly young and casually dressed, doesn't mean I'm not in CE.
In fairness, this has only happened once, most of the time I don't meet this sort of assumption. Staff may check, but they are checking everyone by looking at boarding passes, as they should. And they are usually polite and welcoming - I think this was a one-off.
Sadly, I have no real DYKWIA stories... yet!
Just because I'm fairly young and casually dressed, doesn't mean I'm not in CE.
In fairness, this has only happened once, most of the time I don't meet this sort of assumption. Staff may check, but they are checking everyone by looking at boarding passes, as they should. And they are usually polite and welcoming - I think this was a one-off.
Sadly, I have no real DYKWIA stories... yet!
Jan 25, 2014, 2:12 pm
#69
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 706
'how dare you touch me!'
Was travelling with OH in F couple of years ago (and very excited about the prospect as ever!) sitting in 1K and 2K when Mr1A stormed into the cabin closely pursued by FA who was apologising to him. Mr1A demanded to speak to the CSD and poor FA rushed off to find him.
Basically the version of events relayed by Mr1A (loudly) to CSD boiled down to this (I paraphrase):
1. I arrived to board and there was a big queue on the air bridge as the plebs had started boarding
2. I am very important (not sure what status he was but given poor FA and CSD hand wringing I imagine G/Prem?)
3. I, deservedly, barged past the unimportant folk to get through the door into my seat
4. The FA at the door pushed my shoulder to stop me boarding! How dare they touch me!
The CSD explained that the crew were (rightly) asking for his BP to ensure he was indeed supposed to be on the flight and that they hadn't 'pushed' him - they had put their hand out to stop someone getting on, potentially without a BP, for obvious security/safety reasons. Had he shown his BP when requested they would have happily shown him to his seat... The CSD and FA both apologised profusely - in my view entirely unnecessarily. OH and I both tried to be even more grateful for the excellent service than usual as poor crew seemed stressed after this unpleasant run in with a DYKWIA.
As purely leisure travellers I think OH and I stand out like a sore thumb as we are always very excited to be on a BA plane & thoroughly enjoy the experience - be it in WT(+/-), CW or F - as we are always in 'holiday mode'. Last week we were thanked by crew member on UD for being such lovely passengers - simply because 'you were so nice and made the effort to smile, say thank you and make eye contact with us'. Can't quite believe majority of passengers don't do this?!
Maybe there are more DYKWIA the BA crews come into contact with than we realised
Basically the version of events relayed by Mr1A (loudly) to CSD boiled down to this (I paraphrase):
1. I arrived to board and there was a big queue on the air bridge as the plebs had started boarding
2. I am very important (not sure what status he was but given poor FA and CSD hand wringing I imagine G/Prem?)
3. I, deservedly, barged past the unimportant folk to get through the door into my seat
4. The FA at the door pushed my shoulder to stop me boarding! How dare they touch me!
The CSD explained that the crew were (rightly) asking for his BP to ensure he was indeed supposed to be on the flight and that they hadn't 'pushed' him - they had put their hand out to stop someone getting on, potentially without a BP, for obvious security/safety reasons. Had he shown his BP when requested they would have happily shown him to his seat... The CSD and FA both apologised profusely - in my view entirely unnecessarily. OH and I both tried to be even more grateful for the excellent service than usual as poor crew seemed stressed after this unpleasant run in with a DYKWIA.
As purely leisure travellers I think OH and I stand out like a sore thumb as we are always very excited to be on a BA plane & thoroughly enjoy the experience - be it in WT(+/-), CW or F - as we are always in 'holiday mode'. Last week we were thanked by crew member on UD for being such lovely passengers - simply because 'you were so nice and made the effort to smile, say thank you and make eye contact with us'. Can't quite believe majority of passengers don't do this?!
Maybe there are more DYKWIA the BA crews come into contact with than we realised
Jan 25, 2014, 2:13 pm
#70
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 343
Would love something like this to happen. Of course it didn't actually happen. Just saying
Boarding at doors 1 777-300
Customer: can you take this suit and hang it?
Crewmember: can I see your boarding card please sir?
Customer: but I want it hanging, can you just take it
Crewmember: (on viewing boarding card, for example, a silver card) this is First Class sir, i'm afraid you're all the way back in row 12 which is business class. But i'm sure my colleagues will be happy to hang your suit for you there.
Gosh a little gem like that would make me smile if it ever happened to me.
Kind regards
BA.MF.CSM
Boarding at doors 1 777-300
Customer: can you take this suit and hang it?
Crewmember: can I see your boarding card please sir?
Customer: but I want it hanging, can you just take it
Crewmember: (on viewing boarding card, for example, a silver card) this is First Class sir, i'm afraid you're all the way back in row 12 which is business class. But i'm sure my colleagues will be happy to hang your suit for you there.
Gosh a little gem like that would make me smile if it ever happened to me.
Kind regards
BA.MF.CSM
Jan 25, 2014, 2:23 pm
#71
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol, UK
Programs: HH D, Rad Plat
Posts: 5,352
Bah, no need for bag tags...people know who I am...
I'm the one wearing a disconcerting amount of YELLOW on a frame much too 'jumbo' for such things and organising bubbles and bacon butty sessions
A great light hearted thread ^
I've personally always liked the DYKWIA joke about the actress at a check in desk:
Actress exclaims 'Do you know who I am' several times at various points during conversation with check in staff member;
Said check in member turns on the tannoy and asks the surrounding gate area: 'does anyone know who this lady is? She seems to have some memory trouble?'...
Actress, blushes deeply and moves on...
Priceless...
I'm the one wearing a disconcerting amount of YELLOW on a frame much too 'jumbo' for such things and organising bubbles and bacon butty sessions
A great light hearted thread ^
I've personally always liked the DYKWIA joke about the actress at a check in desk:
Actress exclaims 'Do you know who I am' several times at various points during conversation with check in staff member;
Said check in member turns on the tannoy and asks the surrounding gate area: 'does anyone know who this lady is? She seems to have some memory trouble?'...
Actress, blushes deeply and moves on...
Priceless...
Jan 25, 2014, 2:30 pm
#72
Moderator, Hertz; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: KRK
Programs: UA 1MM, BA GGL, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond and others
Posts: 12,689
I had a DYKWIA moment this year, but they were provoked.
Luggage didn't make it into EZE. Called the following day and nothing. No knowledge of where it could be. I called up the CS again and explained nicely that I was in J and gold. Got much better service and magically my bags were found a few hours later. Got a few phone calls to the hotel for a CS rep apologizing for the delay and a follow-up that my bags made it.
I had a few DYKWIA last year's. LAX-EWR red-eye flight I was in F. Pax boards and has some 5 bags (or more. It was a lot). She sat next to me and began to talk and complain about everything. The seat isn't comfy, the headrest doesn't go high enough. There's no stowage for her bags, etc. I try the maneuver of putting in my headphones and closing my eyes (it is a night flight after all). A few minutes later I feel a nudge assuming it was the FA telling me to turn off my player - nope. It's her wanting to talk! After take-off I try again with the headphones and somehow she doesn't wake me up by nudging me. Instead she spends the whole flight playing on her ipad, watching movies and eating.
The at landing she complains that she didn't get any sleep. (which of course I didn't get much either).
Damn those LA people!
Luggage didn't make it into EZE. Called the following day and nothing. No knowledge of where it could be. I called up the CS again and explained nicely that I was in J and gold. Got much better service and magically my bags were found a few hours later. Got a few phone calls to the hotel for a CS rep apologizing for the delay and a follow-up that my bags made it.
I had a few DYKWIA last year's. LAX-EWR red-eye flight I was in F. Pax boards and has some 5 bags (or more. It was a lot). She sat next to me and began to talk and complain about everything. The seat isn't comfy, the headrest doesn't go high enough. There's no stowage for her bags, etc. I try the maneuver of putting in my headphones and closing my eyes (it is a night flight after all). A few minutes later I feel a nudge assuming it was the FA telling me to turn off my player - nope. It's her wanting to talk! After take-off I try again with the headphones and somehow she doesn't wake me up by nudging me. Instead she spends the whole flight playing on her ipad, watching movies and eating.
The at landing she complains that she didn't get any sleep. (which of course I didn't get much either).
Damn those LA people!
Jan 25, 2014, 2:41 pm
#73
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 108
Not quite a DYKWIA but I was in Y on the short hop between SFO and LAX last week and, to be brutally honest, I was tired and hungover. Not helping things was the extreme heat at SFO that day; I was in the exit row window seat where it was even more sweltering. So I board, priority, and promptly doze off after turning the air duct towards myself.
I awake mid-flight sweating profusely and look up at the air duct, needless to say it had been turned by the rather large woman in the middle seat. I point it towards my direction and she barks "I think I need that a bit more than you do". To which I replied, "Well we both paid for a ticket, it's excruciatingly hot and it's even hotter by the window so why should I not use my air duct?". She then offers "Fine, you could be a bit more considerate though" and then making some kind tsk/hissing noise. I was not in the mood to get into that argument...
I'm a young guy, but I've flown a lot, and I have never, ever encountered anything quite like that level of entitlement.
I awake mid-flight sweating profusely and look up at the air duct, needless to say it had been turned by the rather large woman in the middle seat. I point it towards my direction and she barks "I think I need that a bit more than you do". To which I replied, "Well we both paid for a ticket, it's excruciatingly hot and it's even hotter by the window so why should I not use my air duct?". She then offers "Fine, you could be a bit more considerate though" and then making some kind tsk/hissing noise. I was not in the mood to get into that argument...
I'm a young guy, but I've flown a lot, and I have never, ever encountered anything quite like that level of entitlement.
Jan 25, 2014, 2:51 pm
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,205
As one who is immanently due to fall from grace into the land of bronze due to lack of flying, I can assure you that I will not be trying to call out anybody but will leave that to the staff overseeing the queues. The people mentioned do not behave the way they do because they hold a bronze card, it is because they are the type of people who cannot mind their own business.
Quite a number of times Mrs. stifle and I have been presumed to be unentitled to use various facilities, such as premium check-in (when we ambled up for our first First, the podium dragon guarding entrance to zone J gave us the doubtful "I'm sorry, are you gold card holders" line, and back when premium check-in was in zone A at T1 Mrs. stifle, also a silver, was given short shrift at the top of the queue and told to head to zone B, where she was promptly told "oh, you didn't need to come down here"!) and indeed on boarding that flight in First, the MF crew at door 2A barely glanced at our boarding cards before saying "yes, turn right"; I raised my eyebrows and guided myself around him to 4EF to profuse apologies.
There are of course proper ways for staff to challenge a passenger whom they believe to be trying it on, such as asking to see a boarding card or FF card. And a passenger faced with potential unentitled occupants of the fast track boarding queue might be able to say "are you in the fast track queue" on the pretense of seeking its back.
The one and only time I have presumed people to be in the wrong fast queue is in IRIS (RIP) when I actively managed people out of the queue if they had their passports out and ready
Jan 25, 2014, 3:05 pm
#75
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR- ish
Programs: MUCCI, BA Blue
Posts: 4,295
I think I've told this one before and it was actually on a train but still a good reverse DYWIA.
DadNCFC was something high up on the railways and so had unlimited free first class travel for spouse and children. BroNCFC and I as teenagers took advantage of this to travel all over the country (well anywhere we could get to and from in a day anyway - we made it to Edinburgh which wasn't bad considering we lived in Reading).
So one fine day in the summer holidays BroNCFC and I jump on the train at Reading only to be met by an elderly gent in tweeds (real pillar of society type) who tells us rather nastily that "this is first class".
"Awesome" says I (which word I wouldn't normally be caught dead using)
BroNCFC gives him an offended teenage look
We make ourselves comfy and settle down to read like the civilised people we are. Tweeds bloke glares at us. Refreshment trolley comes along and we accept complimentary drinks. Tweeds bloke visibly steaming. Ticket inspector arrives. Tweeds bloke smirking. Ticket inspector glances at our passes and moves on quickly. Tweeds bloke looks gutted.
DadNCFC was something high up on the railways and so had unlimited free first class travel for spouse and children. BroNCFC and I as teenagers took advantage of this to travel all over the country (well anywhere we could get to and from in a day anyway - we made it to Edinburgh which wasn't bad considering we lived in Reading).
So one fine day in the summer holidays BroNCFC and I jump on the train at Reading only to be met by an elderly gent in tweeds (real pillar of society type) who tells us rather nastily that "this is first class".
"Awesome" says I (which word I wouldn't normally be caught dead using)
BroNCFC gives him an offended teenage look
We make ourselves comfy and settle down to read like the civilised people we are. Tweeds bloke glares at us. Refreshment trolley comes along and we accept complimentary drinks. Tweeds bloke visibly steaming. Ticket inspector arrives. Tweeds bloke smirking. Ticket inspector glances at our passes and moves on quickly. Tweeds bloke looks gutted.