DYKWIA - The 2014 thread
Sep 6, 2014, 5:11 pm
#616
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: LAX/SYD
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, AA EXP, QFF WP, HH D, SPG G, Hertz PC
Posts: 245
Right DYKWIA today, claimed he was gold too. At 0855, just after doors close, I was sat in the ast row in WTP on a 777 (25J), when someone darts from behind and settles into 25G. I suspected a self-upgrader, but being charitable it could have been someone who had been talking to friends further back. Being uncharitable I wondered if the crew had allowed him to be upgraded, and later I was delighted to eat my thoughts.
The BO smell wafted across the aisle.
A lengthly taxi meant that wheels up wasn't until 0917. After takeoff, the cabin crew set around closing the curtains and doing other pre-seatbelt-off stuff. At 0930 one of the cabin crew, CB, arrived to talk to Mr X (who it turns out had self upgraded), and spent 3 minutes gently telling him that it wasn't possible for him to sit there, and BA had policies that it couldn't upgrade people on board. Mr X was very instant that "he was a gold card holder", and he had asked at both checkin and the gate, to be told that WTP was full. As it clearly wasn't, and he didn't want any food, he was entitled to just sit down and rest, and he had his own policy, so they were both right, and he would just stay there!
Making no progress CB went to get T, the CSM. He then arrives with the same story. Apparently this lowly gold card holder has a "right" to be upgraded. T wasn't having it, and pointed out there were many gold card holders in economy. I was biting my tongue when Mr X was saying how much business BA would be losing if he wasn't allowed to stay there. At 0937 Mr X returned back to WT, and my nostrils breathed a sigh of relief.
I do hope BA charge him for the 40 minutes he was occupying WTP.
The BO smell wafted across the aisle.
A lengthly taxi meant that wheels up wasn't until 0917. After takeoff, the cabin crew set around closing the curtains and doing other pre-seatbelt-off stuff. At 0930 one of the cabin crew, CB, arrived to talk to Mr X (who it turns out had self upgraded), and spent 3 minutes gently telling him that it wasn't possible for him to sit there, and BA had policies that it couldn't upgrade people on board. Mr X was very instant that "he was a gold card holder", and he had asked at both checkin and the gate, to be told that WTP was full. As it clearly wasn't, and he didn't want any food, he was entitled to just sit down and rest, and he had his own policy, so they were both right, and he would just stay there!
Making no progress CB went to get T, the CSM. He then arrives with the same story. Apparently this lowly gold card holder has a "right" to be upgraded. T wasn't having it, and pointed out there were many gold card holders in economy. I was biting my tongue when Mr X was saying how much business BA would be losing if he wasn't allowed to stay there. At 0937 Mr X returned back to WT, and my nostrils breathed a sigh of relief.
I do hope BA charge him for the 40 minutes he was occupying WTP.
Good on you paulwuk for allowing this to be BA's issue and not taking it upon yourself to police it, potentially further inflaming the situation, too.
Sep 6, 2014, 5:39 pm
#617
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: UK
Programs: Marriott Platinum and BAEC blue again :'(
Posts: 376
I was on board an LHR bound flight from LAX. A man was arguing with the CSD about not being able to have his first choice meal in a full First cabin. The men tried to claim he was lifelong gold, a friend of Willie Walsh, a Oscar nominated actor, a golfing friend of the President, a pilots neighbor and a BA board director. After 15 minutes of loud arguing with the CSD he still didn't get his meal choice. Upon disembarkation he opened his wallet only for a bronze card to fall out. It also turned out he was an upgrade. The whole cabin erupted into hysterics. I applaud the crew for knowing all along the truth but not embarrassing him.
Sep 7, 2014, 2:04 am
#618
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
I had a mini-DYKWIA episode on Thursday on my normal MUC-LHR evening flight. For some reason at MUC everyone queues up in the fast track queue a good 10-15 minutes before boarding. By everyone, I mean everyone, fast track or not. Cue this chap who decides that he's too important to queue so he starts to try and come in from the side, loudly moaning that 'we can't all be fast track'. He then starts interrogating people, "are you fast track?". Any way, after asking a few people including myself who all give him the same answer that yes we are and that he needs to go to the end of the queue he sulks back, moaning all the way. When we arrived at T5 we were unfortunately bussed. I was amused to see this chap sprint back to the bus after we arrived into the terminal building as apparently he'd managed to leave his roller case on the bus! Idiot.
Last edited by matthandy; Sep 7, 2014 at 2:10 am
Sep 7, 2014, 2:09 am
#619
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,970
I think the thing about it is that he does feel very justified in what he's doing - particularly the way he sees it, he was being lied to by the check in staff and the gate, as he had been denied an upgrade there (he said they claimed it was full). As it wasn't full (as evidenced by there being a free 25G), he then feels justified in moving up to take it himself.
Good on you paulwuk for allowing this to be BA's issue and not taking it upon yourself to police it, potentially further inflaming the situation, too.
Good on you paulwuk for allowing this to be BA's issue and not taking it upon yourself to police it, potentially further inflaming the situation, too.
Sep 7, 2014, 2:16 am
#620
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,330
Not that I sit in WTP to see this particular example, of course. As I Gold I just take a seat in CW regardless of cabin booked.
Sep 7, 2014, 2:42 am
#621
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SXE
Programs: QF LTG, VA Gold, BA Gold, HH, SFSC
Posts: 502
Thanks for the entertaining stories. I will make sure I post here when next I see a DYKWIA example.
Sep 7, 2014, 3:36 am
#622
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Sep 7, 2014, 3:41 am
#623
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,330
Sep 7, 2014, 4:09 am
#624
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Skywards, Hilton Honors and lots of other under-utilised Hotel Schemes
Posts: 321
I had a mini-DYKWIA episode on Thursday on my normal MUC-LHR evening flight. For some reason at MUC everyone queues up in the fast track queue a good 10-15 minutes before boarding. By everyone, I mean everyone, fast track or not. Cue this chap who decides that he's too important to queue so he starts to try and come in from the side, loudly moaning that 'we can't all be fast track'. He then starts interrogating people, "are you fast track?". Any way, after asking a few people including myself who all give him the same answer that yes we are and that he needs to go to the end of the queue he sulks back, moaning all the way. When we arrived at T5 we were unfortunately bussed. I was amused to see this chap sprint back to the bus after we arrived into the terminal building as apparently he'd managed to leave his roller case on the bus! Idiot.
Sep 7, 2014, 5:03 am
#625
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,512
He wasn't a plumpish man in a red shirt and semi-shaved was he as it sounds exacly like my flight from Lisbon last Saturday. Plane was full and tbh the fast track process had slightly broken down but he was there forcing his way to the front quite literally demanding evidence of appropriate status obliging me to dig into my wallet to produce my gold card. Delightfully I was last on the first bus and he was next in line and obliged to wait. He got the skunk eye from me as he grumpily eased his bulk on board.
The sheer brass neck involved in behaving like this, or believing that you're somehow freely entitled to sit in a higher cabin as you see fit, is something I just can't get my head around.
Sep 8, 2014, 5:58 am
#626
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London & Surrey
Programs: BA Blue, Virgin Flying Club, Hertz #1 Gold, Avis Preferred, National Emerald, Dr. Oetker Speciale
Posts: 455
I was on board an LHR bound flight from LAX. A man was arguing with the CSD about not being able to have his first choice meal in a full First cabin. The men tried to claim he was lifelong gold, a friend of Willie Walsh, a Oscar nominated actor, a golfing friend of the President, a pilots neighbor and a BA board director. After 15 minutes of loud arguing with the CSD he still didn't get his meal choice. Upon disembarkation he opened his wallet only for a bronze card to fall out. It also turned out he was an upgrade. The whole cabin erupted into hysterics. I applaud the crew for knowing all along the truth but not embarrassing him.
Last edited by tony flynn; Sep 8, 2014 at 6:12 am Reason: Grammar
Sep 8, 2014, 6:21 am
#627
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: CBG
Posts: 307
These people are like ham-fisted Frank Abagnale wannabes. When it works smoothly it can be begrudgingly rather admirable, but with these types it's just a crass and embarrassing failure.
I was in First on East Coast trains once and a guy sits across from me, gets served the complimentary tea and biscuits, then as the ticket inspector comes along he gets up, casually asks the server for a piece of cake and then says "cheers love" and goes and sits in Second Class. Smoothly done and no one batted an eyelid.
I was in First on East Coast trains once and a guy sits across from me, gets served the complimentary tea and biscuits, then as the ticket inspector comes along he gets up, casually asks the server for a piece of cake and then says "cheers love" and goes and sits in Second Class. Smoothly done and no one batted an eyelid.
Sep 8, 2014, 6:40 am
#628
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: LAX/SYD
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, AA EXP, QFF WP, HH D, SPG G, Hertz PC
Posts: 245
Even if there's no objective way that this can be justified.
Sep 8, 2014, 6:42 am
#629
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Staffordshire UK
Programs: FB LT Plat, BA LTG, LH HON
Posts: 273
He wasn't a plumpish man in a red shirt and semi-shaved was he as it sounds exacly like my flight from Lisbon last Saturday. Plane was full and tbh the fast track process had slightly broken down but he was there forcing his way to the front quite literally demanding evidence of appropriate status obliging me to dig into my wallet to produce my gold card. Delightfully I was last on the first bus and he was next in line and obliged to wait. He got the skunk eye from me as he grumpily eased his bulk on board.
I certainly didn't feel either obliged or inclined to confirm my eligibility.
Sep 8, 2014, 6:43 am
#630
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: UK
Programs: Marriott Platinum and BAEC blue again :'(
Posts: 376
Sorry if it wasn't clear initially
