DYKWIA | 2019 edition
Mar 25, 2019, 5:50 pm
#211
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,293
Edit: Sorry, I found the thread, the moaner, and a nice review: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30928191-post713.html
Hope to be part of the "riff raff" next time ;-)
Last edited by alex67500; Mar 25, 2019 at 6:09 pm
Apr 20, 2019, 9:02 am
#212
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Frozen north
Programs: BAEC Silver, HiltonH
Posts: 49
Don't you just love being patronised?
I inadvertently became a DYKWIA this week, mainly because of my hearing disability. Our delayed flight from Athens was eventually shown on the screen in the lounge so got to the gate to find the priority boarding queue was already about 20+ passengers long. Another 10 or more joined behind us. One chap did come up and ask if this was actually the priority boarding queue and seemed horrified when we said yes. The sign said Groups 1, 2 and 3. We were in Group 1 so just joined the end of the queue.
Eventually the gate agent made a muffled announcement which I was unable to hear, even though I was wearing my hearing aids. His colleague then loudly called out Group 1 only please. Most of the people in front of us merely looked around and shuffled a little so I, wrongly, assumed they must have been in Groups 2 and 3. I said to my OH, I think that's us - he just called Group 1, and I started to move towards the front of the queue. The couple in front of me gave me a filthy look and said we are all Group 1. I of course was quite embarassed by my faux pas and started to explain that I had not been able to hear clearly and thought that as nobody was moving they must have been in Group 2 or 3. She just looked at me and said in a rather condescending way, "We shall all get there shan't we?"
Well yes, thanks very much for pointing that out and I hope that you never develop a disability that frequently leaves you feeling isolated and stressed by the simple fact that you cannot always fully understand what is going on around you.
Eventually the gate agent made a muffled announcement which I was unable to hear, even though I was wearing my hearing aids. His colleague then loudly called out Group 1 only please. Most of the people in front of us merely looked around and shuffled a little so I, wrongly, assumed they must have been in Groups 2 and 3. I said to my OH, I think that's us - he just called Group 1, and I started to move towards the front of the queue. The couple in front of me gave me a filthy look and said we are all Group 1. I of course was quite embarassed by my faux pas and started to explain that I had not been able to hear clearly and thought that as nobody was moving they must have been in Group 2 or 3. She just looked at me and said in a rather condescending way, "We shall all get there shan't we?"
Well yes, thanks very much for pointing that out and I hope that you never develop a disability that frequently leaves you feeling isolated and stressed by the simple fact that you cannot always fully understand what is going on around you.
Apr 20, 2019, 9:30 am
#213
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 109
I inadvertently became a DYKWIA this week, mainly because of my hearing disability. Our delayed flight from Athens was eventually shown on the screen in the lounge so got to the gate to find the priority boarding queue was already about 20+ passengers long. Another 10 or more joined behind us. One chap did come up and ask if this was actually the priority boarding queue and seemed horrified when we said yes. The sign said Groups 1, 2 and 3. We were in Group 1 so just joined the end of the queue.
Eventually the gate agent made a muffled announcement which I was unable to hear, even though I was wearing my hearing aids. His colleague then loudly called out Group 1 only please. Most of the people in front of us merely looked around and shuffled a little so I, wrongly, assumed they must have been in Groups 2 and 3. I said to my OH, I think that's us - he just called Group 1, and I started to move towards the front of the queue. The couple in front of me gave me a filthy look and said we are all Group 1. I of course was quite embarassed by my faux pas and started to explain that I had not been able to hear clearly and thought that as nobody was moving they must have been in Group 2 or 3. She just looked at me and said in a rather condescending way, "We shall all get there shan't we?"
Well yes, thanks very much for pointing that out and I hope that you never develop a disability that frequently leaves you feeling isolated and stressed by the simple fact that you cannot always fully understand what is going on around you.
Eventually the gate agent made a muffled announcement which I was unable to hear, even though I was wearing my hearing aids. His colleague then loudly called out Group 1 only please. Most of the people in front of us merely looked around and shuffled a little so I, wrongly, assumed they must have been in Groups 2 and 3. I said to my OH, I think that's us - he just called Group 1, and I started to move towards the front of the queue. The couple in front of me gave me a filthy look and said we are all Group 1. I of course was quite embarassed by my faux pas and started to explain that I had not been able to hear clearly and thought that as nobody was moving they must have been in Group 2 or 3. She just looked at me and said in a rather condescending way, "We shall all get there shan't we?"
Well yes, thanks very much for pointing that out and I hope that you never develop a disability that frequently leaves you feeling isolated and stressed by the simple fact that you cannot always fully understand what is going on around you.
Apr 20, 2019, 9:48 am
#214
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
@ Wifie and xnetco ... you and me both, although I always travel with my “Hearing Wife” who is very patient when I ask, yet again, “what did he/she say?”
Apr 20, 2019, 1:17 pm
#215
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold / Oneworld Emerald
Posts: 69
I think I witnessed my first DYKWIA moment at Stockholm last week while boarding BA781 ARN-LHR. I'll put my hands up here to say I was too far back to see the whole exchange, but I did hear a magic DYKWIA phrase.
A steady stream of people had started arriving at the gate with a few people starting to fill the group 1 queue. When boarding started everybody surged forward to block the entrance for the Group 1 line, and then stopped short until their groups were called and the Group 1 queue started to flow quickly and then stopped. A couple had a lot of questions and there was a long discussion with the gate agent over something, holding up the queue initially until people started to be beckoned to the other agents. As the couple reluctantly made their way to the airbridge, the woman turned back to the gate agents and stated something that sounded like "He shouldn't be treated like this, he has a Gold Card".
A steady stream of people had started arriving at the gate with a few people starting to fill the group 1 queue. When boarding started everybody surged forward to block the entrance for the Group 1 line, and then stopped short until their groups were called and the Group 1 queue started to flow quickly and then stopped. A couple had a lot of questions and there was a long discussion with the gate agent over something, holding up the queue initially until people started to be beckoned to the other agents. As the couple reluctantly made their way to the airbridge, the woman turned back to the gate agents and stated something that sounded like "He shouldn't be treated like this, he has a Gold Card".
Apr 20, 2019, 1:44 pm
#216
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,668
hopefully you asked yourself Y and used the exit before arrival
Apr 20, 2019, 1:48 pm
#217
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,668
The BA boarding is just maddening, everybody has status and they all queue together, I much prefer the AA system.
I think once or twice I started my own parallel queue at LHR as I could not take this bs, lol...
I think once or twice I started my own parallel queue at LHR as I could not take this bs, lol...
Apr 21, 2019, 6:27 am
#218
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,556
In addition of course, AA has the 'Military' which board as group 1 - the US giving priority to the military - even at arrivals. Having arriving at BWI the other evening I suspect there were a few DYKWIAs (or DYKWWA) as we were held in the passage ways for an Atlas Air military flight to discharges its military pax. Fun then ensued when their bags arrived - a thousand or so near-identical green bags.
Apr 21, 2019, 7:00 am
#219
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,076
In addition of course, AA has the 'Military' which board as group 1 - the US giving priority to the military - even at arrivals. Having arriving at BWI the other evening I suspect there were a few DYKWIAs (or DYKWWA) as we were held in the passage ways for an Atlas Air military flight to discharges its military pax. Fun then ensued when their bags arrived - a thousand or so near-identical green bags.
Furthermore, those travelling HBO on a fully (-ish) booked flight that are offered to check their bags in for free are, very different from BA, still having their original boarding group to adhere to, wheras by BA, theses pax are promoted to sit behind the boarding gate to pre-board, considerably prior to any group boarding, and nobody to check how many other items like rucksacks, duffel bags, second roller bag etc, that normally would have a yellow tag, now is put in the overhead bins. And in many 'cases', these cases are dumped in the CE cabin overhead bins.
Last edited by onobond; Apr 21, 2019 at 7:06 am
Apr 21, 2019, 7:05 am
#220
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,076
<snip>
In addition of course, AA has the 'Military' which board as group 1 - the US giving priority to the military - even at arrivals. Having arriving at BWI the other evening I suspect there were a few DYKWIAs (or DYKWWA) as we were held in the passage ways for an Atlas Air military flight to discharges its military pax. Fun then ensued when their bags arrived - a thousand or so near-identical green bags.
All green bags are equal, but some green bags are more equal than others.
Apr 21, 2019, 7:28 am
#221
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,668
Begging to differ, AA does this far more better than BA, besides from letting 'Military' on first (and CKs, just like BA Prems), they have a strict order of boarding by group numbers, none of this silly business of "We're now boarding Groups 1, 2 and 3", where anyone feeling entitled to Priority Boarding with Group 5 or higher on their BP isn't sent back to queue for their group, but passed for boarding as they wished !
Furthermore, those travelling HBO on a fully (-ish) booked flight that are offered to check their bags in for free are, very different from BA, still having their original boarding group to adhere to, wheras by BA, theses pax are promoted to sit behind the boarding gate to pre-board, considerably prior to any group boarding, and nobody to check how many other items like rucksacks, duffel bags, second roller bag etc, that normally would have a yellow tag, now is put in the overhead bins. And in many 'cases', these cases are dumped in the CE cabin overhead bins.
Furthermore, those travelling HBO on a fully (-ish) booked flight that are offered to check their bags in for free are, very different from BA, still having their original boarding group to adhere to, wheras by BA, theses pax are promoted to sit behind the boarding gate to pre-board, considerably prior to any group boarding, and nobody to check how many other items like rucksacks, duffel bags, second roller bag etc, that normally would have a yellow tag, now is put in the overhead bins. And in many 'cases', these cases are dumped in the CE cabin overhead bins.
Apr 21, 2019, 7:55 am
#222
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Last night’s BA887 OTP-LHR a man with his wife and children (who certainly weren’t infants or push-chair users) in the preboarding queue held on the air ridge whilst cleaning finish forced a guy to the side to allow a parent with a 10 month old through, when the individual forced to the side informed the gentlemen that he had a hidden disability, he started saying ‘well I’m a doctor so the infant needs to go in front of you’, he didn’t force the guy on crutches in front to move one side. Clearly he needs to do some CPD on hidden disabilities and empathy.
Apr 21, 2019, 8:53 am
#223
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Two rather minor issues to do with boarding.
The first was in MIA where we were processed first. A number of reasons for this including that I was travelling with a two year old and my mother who was down as requiring special assistance. In addition my older daughter is autistic and this is noted on the booking. This is before looking at status or that they were very much expecting us at the gate.
Anyway, we headed down the air bridge and were stood waiting when a family barge past with the mother shouting about priority boarding and having an infant. Clearly not a lot younger than my own child, and ignoring some in wheelchairs who we had let get ahead. No surprises once on board when they were loud and generally unpleasant. They also insisted on standing when seat belts were on, including when we were held waiting for a gate at LHR.
The next instance came a few hours later on our connecting flight to NCL. As we approached the gate they were getting ready to start processing and had already let a few passengers through to check in bags. I was about to hand our boarding passes to the agent when an elderly gentleman pushes through and thrusts his BP at the agent. I indicate that there is a queue but he seems nonplussed and the agent was no better in tackling what was a clear breach of process. She simple took his BP and let him through. No wonder people think they can get away with it, because they can.
The first was in MIA where we were processed first. A number of reasons for this including that I was travelling with a two year old and my mother who was down as requiring special assistance. In addition my older daughter is autistic and this is noted on the booking. This is before looking at status or that they were very much expecting us at the gate.
Anyway, we headed down the air bridge and were stood waiting when a family barge past with the mother shouting about priority boarding and having an infant. Clearly not a lot younger than my own child, and ignoring some in wheelchairs who we had let get ahead. No surprises once on board when they were loud and generally unpleasant. They also insisted on standing when seat belts were on, including when we were held waiting for a gate at LHR.
The next instance came a few hours later on our connecting flight to NCL. As we approached the gate they were getting ready to start processing and had already let a few passengers through to check in bags. I was about to hand our boarding passes to the agent when an elderly gentleman pushes through and thrusts his BP at the agent. I indicate that there is a queue but he seems nonplussed and the agent was no better in tackling what was a clear breach of process. She simple took his BP and let him through. No wonder people think they can get away with it, because they can.
Apr 21, 2019, 1:29 pm
#224
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,257
@ Wifie, T8181 and xnetco
I too am rather audibly challenged, in my 30’s having been such since birth. Hearing aids do help but as you all know a bit of awkwardness is very hard to avoid sometimes...!
Apr 23, 2019, 8:02 am
#225
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Effectively grounded
Programs: BA GGL for a little while longer
Posts: 844
I am spending some time in SE Asia at the moment. Which has certainly helped me to appreciate the fluidity of the terms "queue", "turn" and "personal space" 😮
I hope to put this insight to good use next time I board a BA aircraft (next Monday, in fact...)
I hope to put this insight to good use next time I board a BA aircraft (next Monday, in fact...)