DYKWIA - The 2017 thread
May 18, 2017, 6:59 am
#406
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA LTG/GFL, Honors Diamond, Accor Platinum, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 718
I deliberately haven't quoted the actual language the passenger used - even I (a normal 30 something UK person, used to most stuff) thought it was a bit ripe.
May 18, 2017, 7:20 am
#407
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
May 18, 2017, 7:26 am
#408
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Silver, Mucci
Posts: 5,289
A rather loud and very rude American was making a scene in MAD on Sunday evening, I missed the start of his tantrum but assume he'd tried to blag his way in using some excuse and was told no.
As I passed through the lounge reception area he was turning tail ranting very loudly about what a s**t airline and a f*****g third world country this was.
Hope it made him feel better, as opposed to the 30 odd people that saw and heard him who thought he was a complete tool, plus had been alerted to the fact that he wasn't a status card holder able to access the lounge
As I passed through the lounge reception area he was turning tail ranting very loudly about what a s**t airline and a f*****g third world country this was.
Hope it made him feel better, as opposed to the 30 odd people that saw and heard him who thought he was a complete tool, plus had been alerted to the fact that he wasn't a status card holder able to access the lounge
May 18, 2017, 7:44 am
#409
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
How about this guy:
AUH Anno 2004. KL cancelled the flight to AMS. 250 PAX queuing in front of the two check-in desks. It's late, ~11pm. People are tired and upset but there was this one guy standing out of the crowd. Screaming at the top of his lungs that he had a "SCHINGA visa" (no typo he did say SCHINGA) and that this was unacceptable. The AUH ground staff looked more and more annoyed at him and at some point he was sent to the end of the queue. His tantrum ended with a last "F****** KLM".
So for all the folks without FFS: How about bragging about the visas you have
AUH Anno 2004. KL cancelled the flight to AMS. 250 PAX queuing in front of the two check-in desks. It's late, ~11pm. People are tired and upset but there was this one guy standing out of the crowd. Screaming at the top of his lungs that he had a "SCHINGA visa" (no typo he did say SCHINGA) and that this was unacceptable. The AUH ground staff looked more and more annoyed at him and at some point he was sent to the end of the queue. His tantrum ended with a last "F****** KLM".
So for all the folks without FFS: How about bragging about the visas you have
May 18, 2017, 8:02 am
#411
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold, Royal Orchid Silver, HH Silver, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 25
Some of these are hilarious, can't believe I've only just found this thread after lurking for ages.
I had one last year travelling to Tokyo in first.
Got to the gate a little late and boarding was already in full swing. After getting my boarding pass scanned walked through the door to find the queue was the whole length of the jetway.
Wasn't too fussed as not in a rush to get on seeing as it was going to be a long flight.
Then there was a commotion behind me as some large guy was pushing people out the way barking that he was in club and he didn't have to wait like everyone else.
When he got to me, he was trying to move me out of the way saying "i'm in club let me through."
I responded with "oh sorry, I'm in first - am I in the wrong lane?"
His mouth popped open, and then dropped completely when a staff member approached, took my boarding pass, told the man to wait like everyone else, and escorted me past the line to the front.
I did go for a wander while they were making my bed and the man gave me the biggest scowl as I went past his seat.
(on reflection, I hope this doesn't make me sound like a non-self inflicted DYKWIA by being escorted)
I had one last year travelling to Tokyo in first.
Got to the gate a little late and boarding was already in full swing. After getting my boarding pass scanned walked through the door to find the queue was the whole length of the jetway.
Wasn't too fussed as not in a rush to get on seeing as it was going to be a long flight.
Then there was a commotion behind me as some large guy was pushing people out the way barking that he was in club and he didn't have to wait like everyone else.
When he got to me, he was trying to move me out of the way saying "i'm in club let me through."
I responded with "oh sorry, I'm in first - am I in the wrong lane?"
His mouth popped open, and then dropped completely when a staff member approached, took my boarding pass, told the man to wait like everyone else, and escorted me past the line to the front.
I did go for a wander while they were making my bed and the man gave me the biggest scowl as I went past his seat.
(on reflection, I hope this doesn't make me sound like a non-self inflicted DYKWIA by being escorted)
May 18, 2017, 8:09 am
#412
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,430
May 18, 2017, 8:12 am
#413
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,928
thereandhere, welcome to FlyerTalk and I'm glad to see your DYKWIA experience has caused your escape from lurkerdom. Now that you've broken your duck perhaps you will stay and join in the fun.
May 18, 2017, 8:16 am
#414
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Do please continue to contribute; I suspect you may have much to offer on this and other Threads
(Tobias types faster than I do!)
May 18, 2017, 9:42 am
#416
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Peterborough, UK
Programs: BA Silver; IHG Spire; Avis P+; Global Entry
Posts: 1,505
May 22, 2017, 6:20 am
#417
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,267
A great commotion from the entry desks disturbed my breakfast in the arrivals lounge Sunday morning.
My attention perked up when I heard the words "I have O-level English you know". This apparently means he can read the BA website, but not understand the hidden meaning of the word "arrivals".
It appears, Mr "very loud person" (VLP) had arrived in CE from somewhere that morning and was travelling to CAI, in CW, 10 hours later. He was being denied entry to the arrivals lounge as he had not arrived from a LH flight. At great length (and volume) he explained that he had read the website and because of the aforementioned language skills could read it out to them. He pulled out his laptop and found the page and did indeed read out so well he could have been nominated for a prize in my school speech day.
He went on, clearly thinking that if he talks long enough and loud enough they will eventually lose the will to live and allow entry. I kept watching for the impending walk of shame.
They explained that he could access the lounges air side, but he said he didn't want to go air side just yet and wanted a shower instead. He continued to prove his language skills (and to be fair to VLP the website does say "travelling on..." not "arriving on..." to say the same thing over and over again is slightly more agitated tones. He explained loudly that he would have travelled CW that morning, but BA only offer CE on short haul and he then proceeded to work out the distance that differentiates long haul (CW you know) and short haul (CE if you weren't aware). It seems it is not his fault that short haul only offers CE.
Eventually, a supervisor was called to arbitrate and I thought his time had come and that the show would soon be over. Imagine my surprise when the supervisor acceded, and allowed entry that the two desk agents had been denying.
As soon as he was in the lounge, he set off finding somebody... anybody... who would engage him in conversation. I took my leave thinking life is not long enough.
But it proves that supervisors do not always back up the staff and that if you persist long enough and loud enough you can sometimes have your way. Even if that way is wrong. I wonder how long until the website updates?
My attention perked up when I heard the words "I have O-level English you know". This apparently means he can read the BA website, but not understand the hidden meaning of the word "arrivals".
It appears, Mr "very loud person" (VLP) had arrived in CE from somewhere that morning and was travelling to CAI, in CW, 10 hours later. He was being denied entry to the arrivals lounge as he had not arrived from a LH flight. At great length (and volume) he explained that he had read the website and because of the aforementioned language skills could read it out to them. He pulled out his laptop and found the page and did indeed read out so well he could have been nominated for a prize in my school speech day.
He went on, clearly thinking that if he talks long enough and loud enough they will eventually lose the will to live and allow entry. I kept watching for the impending walk of shame.
They explained that he could access the lounges air side, but he said he didn't want to go air side just yet and wanted a shower instead. He continued to prove his language skills (and to be fair to VLP the website does say "travelling on..." not "arriving on..." to say the same thing over and over again is slightly more agitated tones. He explained loudly that he would have travelled CW that morning, but BA only offer CE on short haul and he then proceeded to work out the distance that differentiates long haul (CW you know) and short haul (CE if you weren't aware). It seems it is not his fault that short haul only offers CE.
Eventually, a supervisor was called to arbitrate and I thought his time had come and that the show would soon be over. Imagine my surprise when the supervisor acceded, and allowed entry that the two desk agents had been denying.
As soon as he was in the lounge, he set off finding somebody... anybody... who would engage him in conversation. I took my leave thinking life is not long enough.
But it proves that supervisors do not always back up the staff and that if you persist long enough and loud enough you can sometimes have your way. Even if that way is wrong. I wonder how long until the website updates?
May 22, 2017, 6:24 am
#418
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,166
that arrivals lounge story is just ridiculous - I guess he was (eventually) allowed in just to shut him up, but it's downright obvious he was not entitled to access...the fact he would have been able to have 10 hours of access to Galleries Club is more than enough, surely...
May 22, 2017, 8:02 am
#419
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
This one piqued my curiosity, so I had a quick look at the BA website. It states:
The Galleries Arrivals Lounge in London Heathrow Terminal 5 is available for passengers who are:
The chap was "flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First or Club World" so by the wording on the airline's own website could quite reasonably assume he was eligible...
Not everyone has a copy of the lounge access rules in memory
The Galleries Arrivals Lounge in London Heathrow Terminal 5 is available for passengers who are:
- flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First or Club World
The chap was "flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First or Club World" so by the wording on the airline's own website could quite reasonably assume he was eligible...
Not everyone has a copy of the lounge access rules in memory
May 22, 2017, 8:04 am
#420
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,971
This one piqued my curiosity, so I had a quick look at the BA website. It states:
The Galleries Arrivals Lounge in London Heathrow Terminal 5 is available for passengers who are:
The chap was "flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First or Club World" so by the wording on the airline's own website could quite reasonably assume he was eligible...
Not everyone has a copy of the lounge access rules in memory
The Galleries Arrivals Lounge in London Heathrow Terminal 5 is available for passengers who are:
- flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First or Club World
The chap was "flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First or Club World" so by the wording on the airline's own website could quite reasonably assume he was eligible...
Not everyone has a copy of the lounge access rules in memory