DYKWIA - The 2014 thread
Sep 30, 2014, 5:50 am
#721
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 4,029
Except it never said to go to gate, it just went straight to boarding. As we got on the transport we heard the final call, and as we got off the other end we heard the gate closing announcement and had to run! Most undignified entrance to Mrs Lem's first F
Last edited by darthlemsip; Sep 30, 2014 at 6:38 am
Sep 30, 2014, 6:14 am
#722
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,237
Most irritatingly, even this does not mean that the gate is closing soon, in particular if a free bus trip is part of the package.
I recently walked slowly towards A4 at around 30 min to departure while seeing many other passengers running by who apparently believed what the announcement was telling them. The gate closed about 20 min later...
I recently walked slowly towards A4 at around 30 min to departure while seeing many other passengers running by who apparently believed what the announcement was telling them. The gate closed about 20 min later...
Sep 30, 2014, 6:37 am
#723
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 4,029
True, have had that too - but in this instance we were the last two on the plane. At least we were turning left so didn't have to deal with the glares...
Sep 30, 2014, 10:05 am
#724
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: London
Programs: VS, BA, AA, IHG, HH, SPG
Posts: 186
Being retired my OH thinks I spend too long on here, ok I do, and as I was reading this thread there were a few mentions of F pj's, now I will never earn these in F so if any person has a stash I would be grateful to take a pair off your hands. I have a yearning to do DYKWIA. I will be in either GC or CX lounge in T3 on 31/10/14 between 9am -11am, flight to WAW at 11.30am. We are going to try CX as had read GC to be manic, but could try both.
Sep 30, 2014, 10:06 am
#725
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
Really irritates me when that happens - notably, when flying to ORD last year and sat in the CCR with Mrs Lem, saw the notice that our flight was departing from a C gate so said we wouldn't bother heading over until it told us to go to gate.
Except it never said to go to gate, it just went straight to boarding. As we got on the transport we heard the final call, and as we got off the other end we heard the gate closing announcement and had to run! Most undignified entrance to Mrs Lem's first F
Except it never said to go to gate, it just went straight to boarding. As we got on the transport we heard the final call, and as we got off the other end we heard the gate closing announcement and had to run! Most undignified entrance to Mrs Lem's first F
We made it (to cries of "run! run!" from gate staff as they saw us approaching) and the literally shut the gate behind us.
Never again will I make that mistake. Didn't even have time to get my free "C gate compensation mug" from Starbucks.
Sep 30, 2014, 10:26 am
#726
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,829
Whether you're going to Newcastle or Nairobi, boarding will be open until at least 21 minutes before stated departure time, this is their well advertised work instruction. All A gates are within 7 minutes of any lounge in 5A, South or North. You can make that 10 or 15 minutes to get to anywhere in B or C, particularly if you're happy to use the passageway rather than the transit. Therefore you need to leave CCR 36 minutes before departure time unless a specific "delayed" message has come up on FIDS. If you are using the transit, add 5 minutes for the transits' service frequency.
Sep 30, 2014, 10:28 am
#727
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,676
For a long haul from LHR - I simply work under the assumption that boarding starts 30 minutes before departure. It seems to hold for most of the long haul I do. If there's a delay - that knocks that time back appropriately.
So regardless of the screen - that's what I aim for.
But counter to my rule of thumb .... I had one recently from a B gate where I turned up early as I wanted to stretch my legs ... said 'boarding in about 20 minutes right?' to the lady at the gate to be told 'no - in 5' (e.g. 45 minutes before the flight time) ... turned out to be a bus gate.
So regardless of the screen - that's what I aim for.
But counter to my rule of thumb .... I had one recently from a B gate where I turned up early as I wanted to stretch my legs ... said 'boarding in about 20 minutes right?' to the lady at the gate to be told 'no - in 5' (e.g. 45 minutes before the flight time) ... turned out to be a bus gate.
Sep 30, 2014, 11:37 am
#728
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Hampshire/Phoenix
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 346
Sep 30, 2014, 12:05 pm
#729
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,833
Sep 30, 2014, 1:33 pm
#730
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
It's different in other airports but at T5 it really isn't complicated.
Whether you're going to Newcastle or Nairobi, boarding will be open until at least 21 minutes before stated departure time, this is their well advertised work instruction. All A gates are within 7 minutes of any lounge in 5A, South or North. You can make that 10 or 15 minutes to get to anywhere in B or C, particularly if you're happy to use the passageway rather than the transit. Therefore you need to leave CCR 36 minutes before departure time unless a specific "delayed" message has come up on FIDS. If you are using the transit, add 5 minutes for the transits' service frequency.
Whether you're going to Newcastle or Nairobi, boarding will be open until at least 21 minutes before stated departure time, this is their well advertised work instruction. All A gates are within 7 minutes of any lounge in 5A, South or North. You can make that 10 or 15 minutes to get to anywhere in B or C, particularly if you're happy to use the passageway rather than the transit. Therefore you need to leave CCR 36 minutes before departure time unless a specific "delayed" message has come up on FIDS. If you are using the transit, add 5 minutes for the transits' service frequency.
Sep 30, 2014, 2:05 pm
#732
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,912
Kind of a different twist on this…
Recently, at a outstation GC lounge I was warmly 'welcomed back' to the lounge. It was a really nice welcome. Thing is, I'd never been to this particular lounge before, and had only transited the airport twice, while flying Y with another airline. I mentioned to the lounge employee that she's mistaken me for someone else. We were still taken care of very well by the lounge staff, who made sure our water and champagne glasses were properly attended to.
Recently, at a outstation GC lounge I was warmly 'welcomed back' to the lounge. It was a really nice welcome. Thing is, I'd never been to this particular lounge before, and had only transited the airport twice, while flying Y with another airline. I mentioned to the lounge employee that she's mistaken me for someone else. We were still taken care of very well by the lounge staff, who made sure our water and champagne glasses were properly attended to.
Sep 30, 2014, 3:06 pm
#733
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wassenaar, NL
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 709
I also work on the assumption that they (nearly always) have a checked bag of mine in the hold and they won't want to faff around looking for it in order to off load me immediately...but this is probably a bit of a gamble on my part. I confess I got to the gate a bit earlier yesterday as I'm trying to manage with HBO for the week.
Sep 30, 2014, 7:24 pm
#734
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
Oct 1, 2014, 1:45 am
#735
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 316
Arguably somewhat more tackier as the enquirer wants free