DYKWIA | 2018 edition

Old Oct 4, 2018, 4:57 am
  #661  
 
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Originally Posted by Frequent flyer 101
Often there is some trickery with the boarding times / screen announcements. They say boarding to get people to go to the gate. If you aren't familiar with this and follow instructions then it's very likely you'll find yourself at the gate early in most airports.

In most cases when I've been last to board, there is a long line in the jetbridge as people take their time to get on. I think it would be difficult to time it so that this didn't happen, but you didn't miss your flight. If you have any tips, do share.
No tips other than it is a fun game to play. In an ideal world you walk down the jetbridge un-impeded and sit in your seat just seconds after the second last person to board has sat down. That is what I call the "optimum" boarding process as at no point have you been stationary and you have cause zero delay to proceedings.
Often while playing the game you will fall early and be halted on the jet bridge. However, while annoying, this isn't a disaster.
Alas while playing the game you must NEVER be so late that you A: Cause an announcement B: Cause other pax to look and scowl/tut when you board C: Cause a delay to departure.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 4:58 am
  #662  
 
Join Date: May 2013
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
Isn't the answer to this one usually to accidentally place a significant number of extra items in the trolley?
Even something small - I find a packet of condoms or similar usually goes down a treat. Remains undetected until the checkout.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 5:12 am
  #663  
 
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Originally Posted by Frequent flyer 101
Often there is some trickery with the boarding times / screen announcements. They say boarding to get people to go to the gate. If you aren't familiar with this and follow instructions then it's very likely you'll find yourself at the gate early in most airports.

In most cases when I've been last to board, there is a long line in the jetbridge as people take their time to get on. I think it would be difficult to time it so that this didn't happen, but you didn't miss your flight. If you have any tips, do share.
I know a few people who work on airlines such as Ryanair and this is one major reason why so many miss their flights. "Gate closing" means they can still waltz up a minute before the departure time (there's no way the plane would possibly leave without them), spend 5 mins looking for their passport and trying to get the phone app to open when the captain has had his final figures 10 mins before that and they've already before offloaded. 100pp change fee because they had that last beer or visited duty free.

I personally want to be there early and get settled in even if it does mean sitting around for 20 minutes or so.
I've been last twice and only just made it (drinking in the lounge + toilet trip and forgetting a bag) and wouldn't want to risk a hefty bill for new flights because of something trivial.

JFK T7 is somewhere where you're better waiting. Last time I was in the CCR, they announced boarding, so we all got up and got to the gate where half the plane were already boarding and you were barely on the airbridge in a queue.
Had a Virgin flight at LGW before where they announced "gate closing now" nearly an hour and a half before boarding started and loads of people made a run for it.

I've waltzed past people on AA a few times, Virgin UC before etc.
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Last edited by xenole; Oct 4, 2018 at 5:18 am
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 5:18 am
  #664  
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"Be where we need to be" is our mantra. We are not addicted to spending more time in the waiting room [sorry, FLounge] or prepared to risk being offloaded.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 5:41 am
  #665  
 
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Originally Posted by simons1
Even something small - I find a packet of condoms or similar usually goes down a treat. Remains undetected until the checkout.
If the person was doing scan as you shop they might not discover the item until they got home so they will have unwittingly stolen it.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 5:49 am
  #666  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
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I tend to aim to get to the gate about 25 mins before departure on BA. I'm not a fan of sitting around at the gate so given the choice I'd rather arrive once boarding had already started.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 5:53 am
  #667  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
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I don't know about anyone else but I am always too excited to get on the actual plane that as soon as I see our gate number announced I'm basically running to the gate.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 6:11 am
  #668  
 
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Originally Posted by eugegall
I don't know about anyone else but I am always too excited to get on the actual plane that as soon as I see our gate number announced I'm basically running to the gate.
You are a proper FTer!

(I am a board last unless luggage space could be an issue person...)
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 6:18 am
  #669  
 
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Originally Posted by seaskybound
You are a proper FTer!

(I am a board last unless luggage space could be an issue person...)
My husband used to be one of those boarding last till we took our seats at 1A and 1B - (on an easyjet flight!) and our hand luggage was off-loaded to the hold! Since then he's keen to get on board asap to get the hand luggage above us!
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 6:22 am
  #670  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Originally Posted by SkyTeem
Wouldn't this lead to another DYKWIA moment? "I know I was the last to board, and I know all the overhead space is full, BUT I'M GOLD GUEST LIST!!"
Funny you should say that! I waltzed down from the CCR for a Glasgow flight a few weeks back and was last to board through A1. Seems they were waiting for me! I was greeted by my first name (no idea how they knew as it’s slightly different from the one on my account!) and told with a chuckle, ‘don’t worry, we’ve kept some space for your bag up front. Just expect some grumpy looks when you board as we’ve taken about 30 bags off people’.

it was the start of a good run as I was picked up in the Jag by Special Services the next day for a transfer between T5 and T3 for a Miami flight. If only every BA experience could be that good!
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Last edited by Filthy Monkey; Oct 4, 2018 at 9:21 am
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 6:41 am
  #671  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
You seem to very often confuse personal opinion / speculation and declaration of fact/s.
I clearly stated "I would be amazed". Ergo, I am of the opinion that BA would do their best to avoid offloading GCH's bags.
It is clearly in no way a "positive assertion". So need to try and prove that I am "wrong".

So lets re-cap.

I *think that BA would avoid offloading GCH's carry-on bags.

To be clear.
  • I have no evidence of this being fact or true.
  • This is an assumption based on my own "best guess"
  • I will not be held responsible for someone searching through 10 years of FT posts to try to disprove my guess/assumption/opinion/thoughts.
My last flight out of LHR...

They cleared Group 1 and 2 queues and then announced any further second items would need to be gate checked. If you weren't in those queues when the gate opened it didn't matter what your status was.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 7:26 am
  #672  
 
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Originally Posted by 1010101
My last flight out of LHR...

They cleared Group 1 and 2 queues and then announced any further second items would need to be gate checked. If you weren't in those queues when the gate opened it didn't matter what your status was.
I do believe you but I am amazed that Group 1 and 2 managed to fill all the overhead bins by themselves!
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 7:40 am
  #673  
 
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
I do believe you but I am amazed that Group 1 and 2 managed to fill all the overhead bins by themselves!
I think the important bit is every *second* item. Not a bad tactic from BA...
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 2:10 pm
  #674  
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Originally Posted by Lefly
I'm no Brit and I'm not older generation (more middle), but if there is a queue everyone should respect it.

Still have to happen on BA or OW, but I had a DYKWIA moment encounter while waiting in line at the Business Desk Check-in for SN. There was a bit of a queue that was turning around a corner, and there was a SN ground agent policing it. A middle age man tried to move beside the line (aka skipping it) and was stopped and directed to the queue's end by the agent. My husband, that was closer, then heard this classic, half-outraged half-dumbfounded, reply: "Mais je suis Snateur!"

It didn't work
If this was at BRU, it must be something about the airport that attracts them. My last BD redemption was BRU-FRA on LH followed by FRA-SIN-SYD in SQ Business (then TG F home). Brussels had been hit by snow the night before and LH cancelled everything out of the airport. Like all good FTers, we went to the airport early in the morning to sort it out knowing there was little chance of getting any support from LH or BA as the now ticketing agent on the phone.

There was utter chaos when we arrived with just two overwhelmed booking agents trying to take care of hundreds and hundreds of displaced passengers, many doubtless with complicated itineraries. The Star Gold priority line had understandably been abandoned in favour of getting as many people through as possible in the shortest possible time. We joined the end of what was already a very long queue, eventually reaching the desk about 90 minutes later.

We began to discuss our options, knowing we now had no chance of making the original SQ flight from FRA with the only option a four hour train journey. The agent typed, and typed, and typed, desperately trying to find two J seats to SYD.

In the middle of this a LH Senator strode up to the desk and loudly proclaimed his status meant he should jump the queue and be seen immediately. The agent ignored him and continued dealing with us, so he tried again. And again. And again. Id had enough and pointedly told him we were also Star Gold, travelling in Business, had been queuing for 90 minutes as had everyone else and instructed him as to where hed find the end of the queue.

He stopped complaining but still stood there. The agent eventually persisted and found us a BA coded, QF flight from FRA-SIN in J (see, theres some BA relevance here!), we thanked her profusely and turned away - at which point Mr Senator tried to jump in. The people next in the queue, plus the agent, were having none of this though and refused to let him be served - and he finally got the message and scuttled off to the back of a queue that was by now far longer than it was at his arrival time.

We lost our day in Singapore, but in recompense got an upper deck seat on the 747, coupled with a fabulous QF crew whod worked out our situation from the PNR notes and treated us wonderfully - and of course we were now in a revenue bucket so double dipped for Avios and TPs.

I like to think, in my mind, that Mr Senator slept on the airport floor for two days and ended up on Uzbekistan Airways ...
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 2:15 pm
  #675  
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Originally Posted by NWIFlyer

I like to think, in my mind, that Mr Senator slept on the airport floor for two days and ended up on Uzbekistan Airways ...
Who is the DYKWIA in ur post?
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