Certain look required for first class?
 

Just now I checked into my flight well 20 minutes ago. Normally I have no checked bags so no need to deal with anyone at the counter but today I am bringing with me a suit so I had to check the garment bag

anyway I am standing in the first class line waiting to be called on there was someone already at the counter. The agent yells to me that the regular line Is on the other side and then said regular passengers have to check in on the other side.

Confused I asked what? And he repeated that regular passengers like me use the other side.

I told him I was in first and he mumbled I didn't look like it. I ignored him because I know of I had said something it woulnt have ended nicely.

Am I supposed to look old and white to fly first?

For those curious I an dressed business casual not sloppy or bummy

Which airport?

Some seem to think so, it seems. I rarely have problems, but have encountered the occassional agent that chooses to make assumptions - never anything as rude as what you describe. The closest I came was when checking in for a WBC flight last year or the year before at BOS, when the person working the velvet rope was definitely a little snippy after I told her I was in the correct line.

I always wear jeans or shorts, so I certainly don't look the part.

I only tend to get this if I am in the larger airport. My little RDU, the agents know me already, but ATL and SEA I have had them look at me weird.

sounds like FLL

TW used to enclose "dress code requirements" with all Travel Agent award and discount tickets they issued.

For gentlemen in First or Business a coat and tie were mandatory. If a travel agent with a confirmed or space available agency discount fare ticket was not dressed in accordance with the guidelines, the gate agent could downgrade or even deny boarding. But I don't know of any cases where that occured.

But, like TW itself, I figured a dress codes for paying passengers is a thing of the past. And business casual should not attract any attention. The agent must have been having a bad day.:(

I get upgraded frequently and I'm ALWAYS ALWAYS in jeans and some type of nice t-shirt or pullover jersey and ALWAYS ALWAYS a baseball cap. I don't even OWN a suit!! That just amazes me what happened to you, but doesn't totally surprise me. These days, especially the way upgrades are doled out, they just shoudn't be doing that.

Quick story . . .

A number of years ago, I was flying CO MDW/EWR and I heard 2 people whispeing/mumbling about something at the gate. Once I was on board, I realized that the man snuck into 1st class with a Y seat assignment! When the seat count didn't match with the FA's manifest, the FA came to ME FIRST to ask to see my boarding pass!!! MAN, I was PO'd!! Needless to say that I was in the right seat! :)

I'm not sure what I would've done in your situation, but it sounds like you & I are of like mind as I have a feeling that a little bit of the inner davetravels' dragon may have come out at the GA!! :)

Answer to your question, wear WHATEVER you want!!

I'm at jfk flight 1511 to atl seat 4d

the dude twoseats in front of me in in a wife beater.

I always dress business casual when I'm flying because I feel regardless if your in first or not you should dress nicely.

If he didn't mumble what he did I probably wouldn't be as upset as I am right now

W@Dave I've done the ball cap jeans Mets nerdy few months ago when I followed the mets to san Fran flew first then too and didn't get treated like today maybe I should wear ball caps more often should of wore my Yankee gear

I just write down their name and the time/place of the incident if they seem condescending and fire it off on the website.

A simple "the regular line is over there" 1 time just seems like they are trying to protect the F line and I respect that. Repeating that after I state I'm in the right line or saying I don't look like I belong there gets a letter from me.

Dude,

There is no excuse for a sloppy appearance...I am sure your tee-shirt is full of holes and mustard stains from last week. if the DL TA assesses you to be "not fit for first class" then he/she must be right.

JUST KIDDING....You have the same attire as me and just about every REAL business traveler out there. The folks in Suits typically have to get to a meeting as soon as they are off the Jetway or they too would be in nice Jeans, nice Tee shirt, etc.

Don't let that DL "Fashionista" get to you. I am sure he/she looked quite sporty in the Red vest thing ;)

This is very funny!! But, could have a ring of truth to it to some old-time employees with a VERY old mindset! First let me say that I AM white! Not old, but aging gently!! :)

Two things come to mind:

1) With so many high powered jobs today that people do from the comfort of their own homes - and don't even have to go into the office, not to mention business owners, like myself, this idea to have to "look the part of a 1st class passenger" is just nuts!

2) The look, feel and amenities of F have been downgraded sooooo much over the years that the name "1st class" hardly even fits the quality any more. I hear that some airlines actually still do provide first class service with a "true" first class feel. It's a very outdated term!! :)

I think that many non-frequent fliers probably don't listen to the GA announcements thereby cluttering up "OUR" line with all of "THEM"!! :) But, if they could simply say something like - "Are you a FC or Medallion passenger?" - it would be MUCH better than saying - "The regular line is over there." I have been asked if I'm in 1st class on a number of occasions while boarding - - and I don't even use mustard!! :)

I bet herein lies the problem, assuming you originated there. JFK is awful for this sort of thing, I suppose stemming from the image conscious atmosphere of New York in general?

In any case, I've had nothing but bad experiences with Delta there - rude Sky Club agents (no, we won't help you... what do you mean, the CVG sky club could do that?), rude ticket agents, and my personal favorite, the inevitable SEAT REQUEST cards that I never seem to encounter anywhere else.

If I was Delta, I'd fire some of the locals - starting with the ticket agent who was direspectful to HWGeeks - and import some rockstars from other stations in the system to raise the overall level of quality at the station. As it stands now, not even BusinessElite could tempt me into moving my transcons to JFK from ATL or DTW.

Im a Gold Medallion at age 19. You should see the dirty looks I get from people when standing in the first/medallion line. I just recently got upgraded to BE LAX-JFK and the people doing the walk back to coach were looking at me like I should die.

I've been asked "Are you flying first class with us today?" when checking in at the F counter. I answer yes, and that's it.

This is actually odd to me - SEA is full of dot com folks who fly first class in t-shirts and shorts, so I'm surprised you got a look from the agents. Other passengers, maybe, but full business suits are actually the minority out here. (In fact, "Seattle Tux" is local slang for a flannel shirt and jeans :) http://www.callihan.com/seattle/misc.htm)

+1. I generally don't complain unless it's a pretty serious issue, but this one definitely falls into that category. I might even have had a return comment for the guy at that point.

About a decade ago, when I looked very young (but was wearing a business suit), a GA pointedly looked me up and down and then announced loudly "YOU couldn't POSSIBLY be in FC" when I tried to board with my row. (I'm white.) I said something like "hey, you idiot, before you insult me, please bother to look at my boarding pass and especially look at the price of my ticket" (paper ticket days and I'm not sure how clearly status showed on boarding passes then). I then filed a complaint with the purser by demanding a complaint form upon boarding. My reaction could get one kicked off the plane in today's climate.

I can't remember if I've ever worn anything above dockers/button down in F, and that's maybe once or twice. Every time I've flown WBC, it was in shorts/polo (hey, might as well be comfortable!). 99% of the time, it's about how you act, not how you dress. It's the other 1% that gets irritating.

On average I dress business casual with at least sport coat while going through airport and on-board. However, often, particularly for any longer flight I trade my sport coat for a hooded sweatshirt or flece with baseball cap to stay warm.

Im trying to think of if/when an agent at ticket/check-in counter ever gave me attitude like that, Im sure along the way it has happened however does not ring a bell.

OTOH, I have encountered people in 1st class/biz class/elite lines who have given me attitude, likewise an occasinal GA with attitude until I present boarding pass, FF card etc. Have also run into some attitude from FAs or pursors in WBC/F.

Had one pursor who gave me some real attitude about being upgraded into WBC on an AMS-MSP flight that I should be back with the other tourists (I had been confirmed upgraded on miles, no opup, then due to double booking, had to give up seat for what turned out to be a no show).

Later in the flight I mentioned to the pursor that it was not an issue for me that I was that last one to be asked what I wanted for dinner after others were taken care of as I knew they were busy and that on other WBC flights I had my share of being asked first for selection.

He asked what I meant and I explained my other travels and then he asked about my status and I shared with him, he disappeared, saw him looking at spil, then came back and was my new friend. Saw him on a different flight and he remembered me, needless to say I was not the last to be served ;).

However more often than not, if not in all situations once they look at spill/manifest or I show/tell them my status, travel habits their attitude changes 180 degrees. Especialy if Im polite too them while they are terse or unfriendly with me, at some point they thaw out which is probally a good case for having status info including MM on the manifests.

-H

I'm new to Delta. What is a "Seat Request Card"? First time I have ever seen this term used.
Dave

Sounds like you are passing the same kinds of judgment on appearance that you think the airlines shouldn't.

You obviously don't have the look of "entitlement" appropriate for 1st. :D

I am 29 and I fly F in shorts, hooded sweatshirt and ballcap every other week and have never had a problem with NW. Apparently I missed the merger memo on dress code changes.

Attitude definitely does it--

I showed up at SEA in fleece and the elite check in staff went so far as to check me in as another passenger with the same last name and no status...This was even with my ID present.

Dress any way you want.

I personally believe that your concerns about what others think of how you dress tells me more about you than those looking at you.

I dress for the occasion of what I'm flying to - I'm not trying to dress to impress on a plane. I have some basic personal standards (ie I'm not going to be wearing a torn, tattered t-shirt; however, that's more because I just wouldn't wear it in public), but 95% of the time I'm wearing jeans (don't wear shorts on planes just because I find planes can get pretty cold) and a t-shirt. I've only had a couple of problems with agents raising their eyebrows, but it's not my problem that I'm 24, a Plat and in F.

I disagree. In my opinion, saying "folks should dress nicely when they fly" doesn't ipso facto make you a judgmental fashionista. For example, I saw a guy on a flight yesterday wearing jorts and a dirty t-shirt in FC SEA-JFK. Did I look twice? Sure. Does that make me a fashionista? Gosh I hope not; I don't look the part.

I'm glad the problem purser finally started to treat you well. There's one (and only one) problem guy that I've encountered several times on MSP-AMS-MSP who seems to think that he should unilaterally decide who can ride in WBC. (How about non-revs?) He's crabby, grumpy, and doesn't want to bother to do his job beyond the bare minimum, all while exhibiting attitude toward some paying passengers like me. You'd think he would at least pay attention to status (I don't think the manifest shows who is traveling on an ungraded or free--not me--ticket) before deciding to insult me and treat me badly based on whatever he decides to assume. The last few times I encountered him, I knew before getting to my seat that it would be a bad flight, and I'm beginning to re-think my favorite seat because it's usually served by the purser. I think he must have enough seniority to always fly as the purser and not sometimes as a regular FA in WBC like most of the purser-qualified crew doing international out of MSP. I suspect we're talking about the same guy, so maybe your most recent experiences should give me some hope.

Once upon a time, flying was a treat. I would always wear a jacket and a good shoes. I usually got a hot meal - even in coach.

Now, in 2009, flying is no longer a pleasure and being Platinum on a few airlines, and usually being upgraded, merely makes it tolerable. Gone is the jacket and nice shoes - since I have to take shoes off anyway, sneakers or casual shoes are the order of the day.

Life is too short for rude agents. Get their name and post it and the route here. If the jerk gets mentioned a few times, perhaps Delta will notice.

I didn't get his name as I was biting my tongue and trying to behave but I am sure delta can figure out what agent checked my bag.

Someone said I may be passing judgement by thinking people should dress nicely when they fly. I don't think I am you can be in shorts and a wife beater and still be dressed nicely. I think getting on a plane is like going to the mall or work on a Friday and it also depends on where your going or what you plan to when you arrive.

Sorry for any errors on my iPhone waiting for my next flight

I suppose on this front, there's probably a minimum that should be managed, but that really goes for any flier, not just F.

Example, a couple years back I was on a MEM-SFO flight in F. Guy sitting across the aisle from me was wearing sweat pants and a pretty grubby shirt. The look, I didn't care about, but the smell was another story. Not sure if it was laundry day or something, but it pretty much smelled like the guy had either just come from the gym, or had not washed those clothes in a few weeks. I ended up spending most of the flight standing the back galley talking with the crew and the guy sitting next to the "offender". The lead FA was debating on how/what to say to the guy. She made several extra trips through the cabin with coffee to try and cover the smell a bit.

Moral of the story, if you look dirty that's one thing. If you smell the part too.... try to have some consideration for your fellow passengers. After all, we're all confined to the same small space for however long it may be.

Speaking of smells I thought my feet smelled funny on my flight but then I realized it was the dog sitting with the passengers in front of me.

There are very few perks remaining in flying first class. One perk that hasn't disappeared is the hanging of the suitcoat. For this reason I ALWAYS wear suit and tie when travelling.;)

Your N E X T flight????? How dare you take another Delta flight looking like "THAT!!!" :) You might get by in ATL. Since NYC is the fashion headquarters of the USA, I don't think ATL has "fashionista police" like NYC does!! :)

In reference to the post above, I was on a KL flight to AMS once, on the upper deck of a 747 (upgraded, not that it matters), and I really wasn't paying attention til landing. The guy next to me was wearing grey sweat pants as he slept the whole flight, like pajamas. Just before landing, he took the sweats off - YES, IN THE SEAT, displaying his underwear, and changed into business attire!! He must be European, They're soooo much more open and liberal there! It doesn't bother me any. I've seen more skin than that in Europe!! ;)

Sorry to hear about the rude service. Your ticket should determine your line and seat not your attire. Though I do believe in dressing for success and that clothes make the man (woman), assumptions should never be made like that.

Although I will say you are lucky. I take the red-eye to LAX-JFK a lot in a suit as I have to hit the ground running as soon as I get off the plane. A few years back, they were building out the new AA terminal at JFK and I got a lot of guff from the union laborers working at the site. Talk about rude, you would have thought I was Madoff. I caught a lot of smack talk and rude behavior just for being in a suit and walking past these guys working or “on break” or getting a coffee.

At least you have an airline to complain to, I cannot imagine a letter or phone call to the Teamsters local would have done much good.

I wear a biz suit to work on a regular basis, but fly a lot for a different gig - and always travel in jeans, t-shirt, fleece (in winter). One time I was in FC, got up to use the restroom, and got accosted by the FA hanging by the galley, as I was entering...
"You really should use the restroom assigned to your cabin of service, sir"
"Um, excuse me?"
"This restroom is for FC passengers only"
"Um, I'm in 2D"
"May I see your boarding pass?"
"Are you kidding? You served me a Coke Zero before takeoff - but here it is...."
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" 5 minute apology....another one halfway across the US, and then one as I departed the plane. I forgave her after the first apology, but it was nice to (1) have her protecting the FC restroom and (2) showing some remorse after a blunder. I wonder if my Platinum on my boarding pass had anything to do with that? ;)

I fly into LAX and SD ALOT - and there is absolutley no such thing as a FC dress code! Bling, wife beaters, mohawks, sandals, distasteful t-shirts, heck, I've seen it all up there. No worries, though. I figure everyone up there is there for a reason (the cash to purchase or enough travel to upgrade) and they are some sort of network opportunity. Who knows if that guy in the wife beater will sign up for something I want to sell him, or get me tickets to the Super Bowl. I judged no one....