DYKWIA Tales for 2018 on AA
May 24, 2018, 6:51 pm
#61
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
My concern with this tactic is that on aircraft, possession of a seat seems to be 7/10 of the law. In an effort to get the plane door closed and pushed off the gate, GAs and some FAs will try to avoid any conflict and will tell a person whose seat is taken (either by a poacher or by a seat assignment foul up) to go find any open seat as "we need to get the door closed." They want to avoid conflict and it becomes almost a "you snooze, you lose" scenario.
May 25, 2018, 5:59 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,760
I told this story in another thread back when it happened; but it seems appropriate, so I'll tell it again here. Several years ago, I had just arrived in HKG with my then girlfriend, who was native-born American but also fluent in Cantonese (because her grandmother didn't speak any English). We were standing in the long snake queue to get to Immigration, when I noticed a middle-aged Asian woman very slowly walking up the queue, bypassing everyone else. She was trying to be very unobtrusive. When she got to us, she walked by me, but then had to face my g/f who barked something at her in Cantonese. The woman slunk back to the end of the line. G/f would never tell me what she said.
May 25, 2018, 9:27 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Malibu, CA
Programs: AA CK / Marriott Worthless Ambassador
Posts: 1,158
Opposite
This is maybe the opposite, but as an EXP former CK I got last minute upgrade pulled from my exit row seat to a window F seat by the FA. When I got to the window seat I politely tossed my stuff across the aisle woman’s lap. She said: are you sitting here? And I said, yup. She then goes on about: “you have to pay for these seats you can’t just switch to them.” I said, oh really? She asked if I paid for it and I said go ask the FA but in a not so polite way.
May 27, 2018, 7:00 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
Had a flight cancelled from SFO to JFK quite a few years ago. We deplane and this middle aged lady rushes to the front of the rebooking desk yelling how she is Platinum and needs to be on the first flight out. The agent booked her on a SFO-DFW connecting to ORD and on to LGA leaving in 20 minutes...
I was next and he said to me "She said she wanted to be on the first flight out, not the one getting there first"
I was next and he said to me "She said she wanted to be on the first flight out, not the one getting there first"
May 27, 2018, 7:06 am
#65
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Redwood City, CA
Programs: AA Plat- 2MM
Posts: 116
As an older woman who doesn't look "rich" or a business type, I have experienced many of the FC boarding line problems. My experience happened years ago on an SFO-BOS flight. I was boarding with other FC passengers and the Gate Agent took my FC boarding pass, and without looking at it told me that this was boarding for FC passengers. I glared at him and told his I was a FC passenger. No apology from the GA.
May 27, 2018, 9:14 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
I have fond memories of the mid-later nineties like that. I was fortunate enough to be in high tech and we had essentially unlimited travel budgets - I was in my early twenties - usually jeans and backpack - I was also usually in paid J or higher; was EXP at AA and Senator with LH. At least half the time someone tried to shoo me away from the F check-in lanes. It usually went something like that: "This is First Class" - "Yes, I know, I was lucky enough to go to school where they taught me to read" or similar smart ... responses. - I did get a lot of attitude changes though once status and fare class popped up
May 27, 2018, 10:34 am
#67
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
I have fond memories of the mid-later nineties like that. I was fortunate enough to be in high tech and we had essentially unlimited travel budgets - I was in my early twenties - usually jeans and backpack - I was also usually in paid J or higher; was EXP at AA and Senator with LH. At least half the time someone tried to shoo me away from the F check-in lanes. It usually went something like that: "This is First Class" - "Yes, I know, I was lucky enough to go to school where they taught me to read" or similar smart ... responses. - I did get a lot of attitude changes though once status and fare class popped up
May 27, 2018, 3:23 pm
#68
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I have fond memories of the mid-later nineties like that. I was fortunate enough to be in high tech and we had essentially unlimited travel budgets - I was in my early twenties - usually jeans and backpack - I was also usually in paid J or higher; was EXP at AA and Senator with LH. At least half the time someone tried to shoo me away from the F check-in lanes. It usually went something like that: "This is First Class" - "Yes, I know, I was lucky enough to go to school where they taught me to read" or similar smart ... responses. - I did get a lot of attitude changes though once status and fare class popped up
May 27, 2018, 4:55 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
May 27, 2018, 6:18 pm
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I suspect this would have gone better had the GA not told this lie. The tower has no control over boarding order.
May 27, 2018, 7:10 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: DCA in the winter, SJC in the summer
Posts: 81
May 30, 2018, 5:16 am
#72
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 69
Hi All, I thought I would share a DYKWIA (Do you know who I am) story from a MIA to LHR flight a few months ago.
I am at the boarding gate and in group 2 waiting for the call to board when a young-ish lady (mid-30's guessing) hobbles up to the desk in a walking cast/brace and cane and asks for pre-boarding and a new seat due to the cast (her words were 'a seat where i can keep my leg elevated and straight', hint, hint business class). the gate agent was very obliging and changed her seat to a bulk head and said she could pre-board.
She was NOT happy with the seat, she insisted on a better seat again due to her leg, GA said it was the best non-exit row seat, bulkhead, main cabin extra and window so no one would bump her. Again she insisted and by now the GA was getting frustrated and insisted she accept the seat and if her leg was as bad as she was claiming then maybe she shouldn't fly and she asked her if she would like to be transferred to another flight a few days later. This was met with silence, the lady walked (hobbled) away with her boarding pass to the gate to wait for pre-boarding with a scowl on her face.
Boarding was then called and off I went to my seat 12D. After the meal service when the cabin lights were dimmed I was getting settled when the lady comes forward and makes herself comfortable in the empty 12G. The cabin attendant happened to pass a few minutes later to see that a previously unoccupied seat has a sleeping beauty. The lady is promptly ejected and told to go back to her assigned seat, she hobbles away muttering about uncaring crew and don't they realize that she is injured etc.
About 2 hours later I go to get a drink from the galley and on my return who should be in 12G again, you guessed it, the sleeping beauty. I approach the CA and the lady is again asked to go back to her seat, at this stage she kicks up a fuss, she has a medical need and they should let her stay etc. This doesn't sway them and she is walked back to her seat. For the rest of the journey she stays put.
you think this is the end, well its not, I am in the immigration line when I see the lady, she is no longer hobbling, her brace is gone and her cane is now just for show. She tried to scam a business class seat.
Does anyone else have a DYKWIA story that they would like to share?
I am at the boarding gate and in group 2 waiting for the call to board when a young-ish lady (mid-30's guessing) hobbles up to the desk in a walking cast/brace and cane and asks for pre-boarding and a new seat due to the cast (her words were 'a seat where i can keep my leg elevated and straight', hint, hint business class). the gate agent was very obliging and changed her seat to a bulk head and said she could pre-board.
She was NOT happy with the seat, she insisted on a better seat again due to her leg, GA said it was the best non-exit row seat, bulkhead, main cabin extra and window so no one would bump her. Again she insisted and by now the GA was getting frustrated and insisted she accept the seat and if her leg was as bad as she was claiming then maybe she shouldn't fly and she asked her if she would like to be transferred to another flight a few days later. This was met with silence, the lady walked (hobbled) away with her boarding pass to the gate to wait for pre-boarding with a scowl on her face.
Boarding was then called and off I went to my seat 12D. After the meal service when the cabin lights were dimmed I was getting settled when the lady comes forward and makes herself comfortable in the empty 12G. The cabin attendant happened to pass a few minutes later to see that a previously unoccupied seat has a sleeping beauty. The lady is promptly ejected and told to go back to her assigned seat, she hobbles away muttering about uncaring crew and don't they realize that she is injured etc.
About 2 hours later I go to get a drink from the galley and on my return who should be in 12G again, you guessed it, the sleeping beauty. I approach the CA and the lady is again asked to go back to her seat, at this stage she kicks up a fuss, she has a medical need and they should let her stay etc. This doesn't sway them and she is walked back to her seat. For the rest of the journey she stays put.
you think this is the end, well its not, I am in the immigration line when I see the lady, she is no longer hobbling, her brace is gone and her cane is now just for show. She tried to scam a business class seat.
Does anyone else have a DYKWIA story that they would like to share?
May 30, 2018, 5:32 am
#73
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: United 1K, AA Exec P, Lifetime Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Avis Pres. Club, Hertz Gold
Posts: 94
EWR to PTY in Y. For whatever reason there’s always an issue with people sitting in the wrong seats. I take this flight four to five times a year and on at least 3-4 of them there’s always someone sitting in my seat. As a 1K, I generally board with group 1. For whatever reason there’s always someone in my economy plus aisle seat. And it’s always someone who pre boarded. It’s always an older Hispanic and female who is the culprit. After the first few times of feeling bad and just sitting in the middle I had enough. They’ve tried the cannot speak English so I’ll let them know in Spanish. FAs at times look at me like “why can’t you let her have the seat”.
May 30, 2018, 5:34 am
#74
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
EWR to PTY in Y. For whatever reason there’s always an issue with people sitting in the wrong seats. I take this flight four to five times a year and on at least 3-4 of them there’s always someone sitting in my seat. As a 1K, I generally board with group 1. For whatever reason there’s always someone in my economy plus aisle seat. And it’s always someone who pre boarded. It’s always an older Hispanic and female who is the culprit. After the first few times of feeling bad and just sitting in the middle I had enough. They’ve tried the cannot speak English so I’ll let them know in Spanish. FAs at times look at me like “why can’t you let her have the seat”.
May 30, 2018, 5:52 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP / 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Gold
Posts: 198
I have fond memories of the mid-later nineties like that. I was fortunate enough to be in high tech and we had essentially unlimited travel budgets - I was in my early twenties - usually jeans and backpack - I was also usually in paid J or higher; was EXP at AA and Senator with LH. At least half the time someone tried to shoo me away from the F check-in lanes. It usually went something like that: "This is First Class" - "Yes, I know, I was lucky enough to go to school where they taught me to read" or similar smart ... responses. - I did get a lot of attitude changes though once status and fare class popped up
The “excuse me, hun, we’re only boarding first class now” followed by the embarrassed “wow, you might be the youngest chairman I’ve ever seen” while i stood there a beat, said nothing, and produced my BP with my best s**t eating grin (I was 22, ha) that I received in PHL one day (in my premerger US days) sticks out the most in my mind.