RANT: "Are you priority?"
 

Moderator: feel free to move this to a pet peeve thread.

Yesterday, in DFW, I was traveling home from a speaking engagement on a P ticket, confirmed in F (not IDG), mobile BP, and of all the people boarding with F, a GA condescendingly asks *me* if I'm priority. It's annoying. I don't pay for F to be asked if I a) can read; b) understand the concept of boarding by group; c) know the difference between F and Y.

Do I need to wear a sign around my neck that says, "Yes, I am boarding appropriately. I am assigned seat xx"? Is it too much to ask that for my extra $500 that I be treated the same as all the other people boarding with F?

Maybe I am being too sensitive and should expect to be asked every 4 or 5 boardings. How often does this happen to you?

Yes its totally rude for a GA to assume someone is not ticketed in F without seeing a BP and making assumptions on personal appearance. I would have ripped the GA by saying "my BP reads F so why are you asking."?

Or "Are you unable to read a boarding pass?"

I might have said something like "well, I boarded at the end of first boarding since P fares comes after A and F in the alphabet ..."

I must admit this is quite strange. I've certainly never encountered this, from a GA, that is. Now other pax, that's a different story - as someone who is young and often casually dressed, I'd say that nearly every time I fly F a few suit-wearing types cut right in front of me in the boarding line as if I don't exist.

Our family was flying last weekend and at Miami were were queued up for boarding near the front of the line but not at the very front. A man stepped in front of us. I said "Excuse me, we are in line" he said "I am in First Class" in a very nasty tone. I said "So are we" and he kind of mumbled under his breath and stepped to the side, when boarding was called he crowded in right behind us.

So yes- other passengers do it all the time, Gate Agents should not. I never see them police the line at all until they actually scan the boarding passes.

OK, I'll say what everyone else is thinking... If you played a real instrument, maybe she wouldn't have asked.
...
Just kidding, please forgive me, I just couldn't resist! :):D I happen to love the bass. I promise.

Best I can offer is empathy, that's pretty crap. Who knows though, she may have had a rough morning... I try to give people a wide berth when they make mistakes liek this.

I would think a paid speaker should be assertive and think for himself, on his feet with an intelligent comment.

Can you read what the ticket says I am Blind...

GA could care less, many abuse th system, it is the other people standing in line that will question you,

You should have ray International sometime.

It happens to me a lot, I think I'm naturally scruffy.

In this situation, I think the best retort is "oh, go ahead. I fly first all the time and I can tell it's a special experience for you."

This happened to me recently in DFW. I do not have to dress up for my job but I don't look like a slob either, but I just reply "Yep" and keep walking. Some of the DFW agents seem to think you need to be in a suit to be in First Class. :rolleyes:

I don't think it helps us being DC-based, either. The concentration of DYKWIAs around here is off the charts.

While I do think it's a bit annoying to get inappropriately singled out in these situations, I'd much rather have the GAs actually enforcing boarding order than not.

Happens all the time with the 50-60 year old male WASPs in suits. They seem to always push ahead to get to the front of the line, almost always past me. I always love their reaction to me sitting down next to them. I am almost always in jeans or shorts and a tshirt. I like to travel comfy. I'll change when I get to where I am going.

I have more than once made the comment that one doesnt have to be a monkey in a suit to be important. That usually gets them to shut up.

While the agent shouldn't have been rude about it I do understand a little bit. By D-45 all the everyone is hovering around the gate, and as soon as the boarding door is open people rush to get to the front of the line.

While of course you *do* know how to read a boarding pass, I'm personally surprised by how many people seemingly *don't* know how to read a boarding pass and insist on boarding out of boarding group. ;)

I think Jetblue sums it up quite nicely in this video:

Who is in a suit on a 6:00 am flight out of Miami on Saturday morning? I think he assumed we were not in first because we were a family of 4. (Actually we were in first, the 2 teens were slumming it in business but I didn't feel the need to explain all that to him)

She sounds cranky and used poor communication skills. A lot of people disregard boarding order and the airline should make sure those who paid the money to sit up front are afforded the benefits of their ticket like getting on quickly and comfortably. This could be done in a way much more professionally than what happened to you. Shoot AA a message if it's still ticking you off, I've found them pretty receptive if you're being reasonable.

Extra comment: I am a scruffy 20-something who changes into very casual street clothes before I fly (comfort and it prevents other consultants from talking to me about "what I do" when I finish a long week and want to be a human again). I am almost always in first and probably fly more than all the three-piece suit folks in line with me combined. I am cut in line ALL of the time by people who assume I'm sitting in the back. Everyone makes assumptions at the airport.