DYKWIA - The 2017 thread
Dec 7, 2017, 4:38 am
#1036
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,478
A large number of off-topic posts relating to the mechanics of applying for US Global Entry, rather than its effect on DYKWIA behaviour, have been removed. FT hosts a number of other threads relating to obtaining GE - please feel free to contribute or raise questions in those.
/mod
/mod
Dec 8, 2017, 5:02 am
#1037
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
On a flight yesterday to MUC I inadvertently sit in 4A instead of 3A. I blame that on too many negronis and Chianti at our local Italian the night before. Elderly gentleman with wool cap seems agitated getting on the plane and immediately glares at me and asks me if I am certain that I'm in the correct seat. I look up and indeed I'm one row off.
Me: "Sorry, it's an early morning"
Him: "Well, it's OK. I'm a frequent flyer, you see. That's how I know the row numbers."
Me: "Oh. I usually just look at the handy numbers they put here."
I knew what he really meant...
Me: "Sorry, it's an early morning"
Him: "Well, it's OK. I'm a frequent flyer, you see. That's how I know the row numbers."
Me: "Oh. I usually just look at the handy numbers they put here."
I knew what he really meant...
Dec 8, 2017, 5:24 am
#1038
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA GGLfL
Posts: 1,342
On a recent LHR-ZRH, there was a fairly substantial queue forming for the lane clearly marked Priority Boarding. I'd estimate there must have been around 30 people.
As I was in row 1 and I wanted to make sure I had enough space for hand luggage (row 1 being the worst place for hand luggage due to safety equipment and often crew bags), I joined this already fairly substantial queue. There were further people joining the queue behind me, so I estimate the priority boarding queue must have had about 50+.
It was pretty long but being a ZRH flight, I expected a big-ish CE and a fair few card holders etc.
Shortly before priority boarding was called, a guy tried to barge into the queue in front of me saying "Excuse me" to me. I give him credit for at least saying "Excuse me", rather than just barging in.
Anyway, I politely said to him that there was a queue, to which he responded, "But I'm fast track". I just responded with "I believe this IS the priority boarding queue". He grunted at me and walked away (not sure if he barged in a bit behind me in the queue or joined the back of the queue).
Anyway, as it turns out there were at least 10 rows of CE (I didn't count them properly but it was definitely 10+), and with other status holders I wasn't surprised the priority boarding queue stretched a very long way.
They boarded CE, Gold, Silver and Bronze at once. Boarding groups would be a good thing indeed, but do people really have to assume that the long queue in front of you is NOT a priority boarding queue just because it is rather long*, and feel it's right to barge in front of you unless you have the basis of your privileges on display?
Anyway, the real culprit here was me. I was slighted tempted at this guy's attempt at barging and incorrect assumption to have a "status-off" with "Sir, you are most welcome to join the queue in front of me but only if you are a Premier as that would trump my status!" I didn't, but I still have this tiny bit of thought in the corner of my mind that I should perhaps have... and that renders me a right DYKWIA IMO.
*No idea if everyone in the queue was entitled to priority boarding as there was no enforcement.
As I was in row 1 and I wanted to make sure I had enough space for hand luggage (row 1 being the worst place for hand luggage due to safety equipment and often crew bags), I joined this already fairly substantial queue. There were further people joining the queue behind me, so I estimate the priority boarding queue must have had about 50+.
It was pretty long but being a ZRH flight, I expected a big-ish CE and a fair few card holders etc.
Shortly before priority boarding was called, a guy tried to barge into the queue in front of me saying "Excuse me" to me. I give him credit for at least saying "Excuse me", rather than just barging in.
Anyway, I politely said to him that there was a queue, to which he responded, "But I'm fast track". I just responded with "I believe this IS the priority boarding queue". He grunted at me and walked away (not sure if he barged in a bit behind me in the queue or joined the back of the queue).
Anyway, as it turns out there were at least 10 rows of CE (I didn't count them properly but it was definitely 10+), and with other status holders I wasn't surprised the priority boarding queue stretched a very long way.
They boarded CE, Gold, Silver and Bronze at once. Boarding groups would be a good thing indeed, but do people really have to assume that the long queue in front of you is NOT a priority boarding queue just because it is rather long*, and feel it's right to barge in front of you unless you have the basis of your privileges on display?
Anyway, the real culprit here was me. I was slighted tempted at this guy's attempt at barging and incorrect assumption to have a "status-off" with "Sir, you are most welcome to join the queue in front of me but only if you are a Premier as that would trump my status!" I didn't, but I still have this tiny bit of thought in the corner of my mind that I should perhaps have... and that renders me a right DYKWIA IMO.
*No idea if everyone in the queue was entitled to priority boarding as there was no enforcement.
Dec 8, 2017, 5:56 am
#1039
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Not sure if this counts as a DYKWIA, but perhaps close enough. Couple of weeks ago on an LHR-ATL, upon boarding I was witness to an elderly passenger berating a member of cabin crew, a constant stream along the lines of:
"Young man, I will not accept this seat..."
"I always fly club, why are you making me fly coach..."
"I demand you seat me up front in club..."
The incredibly patient FA was desperately trying to explain to the passenger, but they simply refused to listen. The kicker was that the passenger was in CW (10K, 787-9), and if they had stopped talking and started listening they would have realised the FA was explaining that the aircraft had the CW cabin split into 2 parts. I can only assume that because she had turned right and not left on boarding, she somehow assumed she was in economy?
In the end, the FA gave up trying and re-seated her, and she gave up a window seat with 3 empty seats around her for a middle seat in the (otherwise fully occupied) front cabin.
"Young man, I will not accept this seat..."
"I always fly club, why are you making me fly coach..."
"I demand you seat me up front in club..."
The incredibly patient FA was desperately trying to explain to the passenger, but they simply refused to listen. The kicker was that the passenger was in CW (10K, 787-9), and if they had stopped talking and started listening they would have realised the FA was explaining that the aircraft had the CW cabin split into 2 parts. I can only assume that because she had turned right and not left on boarding, she somehow assumed she was in economy?
In the end, the FA gave up trying and re-seated her, and she gave up a window seat with 3 empty seats around her for a middle seat in the (otherwise fully occupied) front cabin.
Dec 8, 2017, 6:00 am
#1040
Join Date: Nov 2011
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,222
On a flight yesterday to MUC I inadvertently sit in 4A instead of 3A. I blame that on too many negronis and Chianti at our local Italian the night before. Elderly gentleman with wool cap seems agitated getting on the plane and immediately glares at me and asks me if I am certain that I'm in the correct seat. I look up and indeed I'm one row off.
Me: "Sorry, it's an early morning"
Him: "Well, it's OK. I'm a frequent flyer, you see. That's how I know the row numbers."
Me: "Oh. I usually just look at the handy numbers they put here."
I knew what he really meant...
Me: "Sorry, it's an early morning"
Him: "Well, it's OK. I'm a frequent flyer, you see. That's how I know the row numbers."
Me: "Oh. I usually just look at the handy numbers they put here."
I knew what he really meant...
Dec 11, 2017, 1:52 pm
#1041
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold, *A Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 654
This DYKWIA didn't do anything spectacular. They never uttered a word, pushed in, threw a strop because they weren't at the front of the priority queue or anything like that. But they do deserve a special mention for having TWO BA Gold and a rather tatty looking disposable VS Upper Class tag on one small bag.
Dec 11, 2017, 2:35 pm
#1042
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
This DYKWIA didn't do anything spectacular. They never uttered a word, pushed in, threw a strop because they weren't at the front of the priority queue or anything like that. But they do deserve a special mention for having TWO BA Gold and a rather tatty looking disposable VS Upper Class tag on one small bag.
Dec 11, 2017, 3:19 pm
#1043
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 443
In the immigration queue at LHR today....it was a very short queue, literally 3 people queuing for each scanner and a couple confused ladies in front of me talking to a hal agent or maybe dithering, I wasn’t really paying attention, either way I’d noticed nobody was going through the scanners and another hal agent assisting was asking people to retry etc. I was going to give it another few seconds before relocating to the desks where there was minimal queue.
About 15 seconds passes and cue angry lady behind me, “excuse me, can you join the queues? I want to get out of here!” - I ignored firstly then she repeated so I turned around and not really sure what to say I just kinda pointed at the people (one on each yellow pair of feet) and said “ummmmm”.
Anyhow to appease i squeezed past past the dithering ladies in front and angry lady rushed to a far left scanner.
It then became apparent the scanners were broken and the HAL agent directed me to the normal desks where there was no queue.
I can only assume angry lady is still chirping in line somewhere.
But I can kinda forgive as likely she was on a delayed or cancelled flight.
I need to learn how to deal with confrontational people, last time it happened was a queue self-policer who was repeatedly checking everyone in the CE checkin queue was in business. I ignored them because I was extremely tired and unable to explain status. Fortunately other pax stepped in.
About 15 seconds passes and cue angry lady behind me, “excuse me, can you join the queues? I want to get out of here!” - I ignored firstly then she repeated so I turned around and not really sure what to say I just kinda pointed at the people (one on each yellow pair of feet) and said “ummmmm”.
Anyhow to appease i squeezed past past the dithering ladies in front and angry lady rushed to a far left scanner.
It then became apparent the scanners were broken and the HAL agent directed me to the normal desks where there was no queue.
I can only assume angry lady is still chirping in line somewhere.
But I can kinda forgive as likely she was on a delayed or cancelled flight.
I need to learn how to deal with confrontational people, last time it happened was a queue self-policer who was repeatedly checking everyone in the CE checkin queue was in business. I ignored them because I was extremely tired and unable to explain status. Fortunately other pax stepped in.
Dec 13, 2017, 8:22 am
#1044
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
In the immigration queue at LHR today....it was a very short queue, literally 3 people queuing for each scanner and a couple confused ladies in front of me talking to a hal agent or maybe dithering, I wasn’t really paying attention, either way I’d noticed nobody was going through the scanners and another hal agent assisting was asking people to retry etc. I was going to give it another few seconds before relocating to the desks where there was minimal queue.
About 15 seconds passes and cue angry lady behind me, “excuse me, can you join the queues? I want to get out of here!” - I ignored firstly then she repeated so I turned around and not really sure what to say I just kinda pointed at the people (one on each yellow pair of feet) and said “ummmmm”.
Anyhow to appease i squeezed past past the dithering ladies in front and angry lady rushed to a far left scanner.
It then became apparent the scanners were broken and the HAL agent directed me to the normal desks where there was no queue.
I can only assume angry lady is still chirping in line somewhere.
But I can kinda forgive as likely she was on a delayed or cancelled flight.
I need to learn how to deal with confrontational people, last time it happened was a queue self-policer who was repeatedly checking everyone in the CE checkin queue was in business. I ignored them because I was extremely tired and unable to explain status. Fortunately other pax stepped in.
About 15 seconds passes and cue angry lady behind me, “excuse me, can you join the queues? I want to get out of here!” - I ignored firstly then she repeated so I turned around and not really sure what to say I just kinda pointed at the people (one on each yellow pair of feet) and said “ummmmm”.
Anyhow to appease i squeezed past past the dithering ladies in front and angry lady rushed to a far left scanner.
It then became apparent the scanners were broken and the HAL agent directed me to the normal desks where there was no queue.
I can only assume angry lady is still chirping in line somewhere.
But I can kinda forgive as likely she was on a delayed or cancelled flight.
I need to learn how to deal with confrontational people, last time it happened was a queue self-policer who was repeatedly checking everyone in the CE checkin queue was in business. I ignored them because I was extremely tired and unable to explain status. Fortunately other pax stepped in.
Last edited by ahmetdouas; Dec 13, 2017 at 8:55 am Reason: sorry for my 'dailymail' spelling error - deaf not death!
Dec 13, 2017, 8:37 am
#1045
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 561
In WH Smith yesterday morning, before an early flight, when an older gentleman (50s?) walks up to the empty counter.
The sole member of staff asks him if he could please use one of the self-service checkouts
"NO. I WANT TO BE SERVED HERE. I DON'T WANT TO USE A MACHINE"
"It's OK sir, I'll show you how to use it"
"IT'S A POINT OF PRINCIPLE, I WONT USE A MACHINE. I DEMAND TO BE SERVED HERE."
The member of staff takes his items and starts scanning them on the self checkout for him
"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BONUS YOUR BOSS MAKES BECAUSE HE DOESN'T EMPLOY ENOUGH PEOPLE??"
Felt quite sorry for the poor employee.
The sole member of staff asks him if he could please use one of the self-service checkouts
"NO. I WANT TO BE SERVED HERE. I DON'T WANT TO USE A MACHINE"
"It's OK sir, I'll show you how to use it"
"IT'S A POINT OF PRINCIPLE, I WONT USE A MACHINE. I DEMAND TO BE SERVED HERE."
The member of staff takes his items and starts scanning them on the self checkout for him
"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BONUS YOUR BOSS MAKES BECAUSE HE DOESN'T EMPLOY ENOUGH PEOPLE??"
Felt quite sorry for the poor employee.
Dec 13, 2017, 8:40 am
#1047
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,274
Things would die down if you were dead. 
Dec 13, 2017, 8:45 am
#1048
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,588
Dec 13, 2017, 9:36 am
#1049
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,238
In WH Smith yesterday morning, before an early flight, when an older gentleman (50s?) walks up to the empty counter.
The sole member of staff asks him if he could please use one of the self-service checkouts
"NO. I WANT TO BE SERVED HERE. I DON'T WANT TO USE A MACHINE"
"It's OK sir, I'll show you how to use it"
"IT'S A POINT OF PRINCIPLE, I WONT USE A MACHINE. I DEMAND TO BE SERVED HERE."
The member of staff takes his items and starts scanning them on the self checkout for him
"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BONUS YOUR BOSS MAKES BECAUSE HE DOESN'T EMPLOY ENOUGH PEOPLE??"
Felt quite sorry for the poor employee.
The sole member of staff asks him if he could please use one of the self-service checkouts
"NO. I WANT TO BE SERVED HERE. I DON'T WANT TO USE A MACHINE"
"It's OK sir, I'll show you how to use it"
"IT'S A POINT OF PRINCIPLE, I WONT USE A MACHINE. I DEMAND TO BE SERVED HERE."
The member of staff takes his items and starts scanning them on the self checkout for him
"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BONUS YOUR BOSS MAKES BECAUSE HE DOESN'T EMPLOY ENOUGH PEOPLE??"
Felt quite sorry for the poor employee.
Coming to an airport near you...
Dec 13, 2017, 10:33 am
#1050
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067