R. Lee Ermey is the man!

I'm not suggesting its ok in a public situation to threough around the F word, as tough as I can be I never do it, that is indeed vulgar. You can be firm and agressive without cursing at people. As for Bernie, I knew him. He clearly was a heartless crook, but in many respects he was a great guy. I never invested with him, and he never asked, because he didn't want any wall street people in the fund. He prayed on the naive rich, and he had many cohorts who helped him carry out his plans. NYC crews are the best out there, because they know that customers demand their best.

Views of this poster do not represent all New Yorkers. I try to be as civilized as I can be, especially in a tough neighborhood. I'm sure that I, as a 6'7" tall skinny caucasian, will live a bit longer in the worst of NYC neighborhoods by NOT using the F word during an altercation. I'd get shivved if I pulled a DYKWIA attitude.

Just carry a shank. It works when fighting for OH space as well.

So spoke with some guys that work at the TSA, they were hanging out at a Dallas BBQ.

Apprently the TSA as a curtosey he said monitors bag sizes and escorts people to check bags if they think they have too many bags or the bags too big. He said as soon as it clears the scanner grab it and go. But he also said that I should never let them take control of my bag once I take it off the belt. Thats why they have an opening just after the x-ray machine to grab bags they need to check and we don't.

He said my friend and I were probably targeted because we are puerto rican and at the airport he works at LGA its usually minorities that try to get around the baggage fees.

As for using the F word don't really remember using it but if I did I don't care I was being treated badly by the TSA and then Delta and speaking in a respectful manner got me no where.

But I think a lot of you missed the point of my post. The fact that in a situation where the TSA is wrong and Delta sides with them without verifying facts is wrong. No one should have to advertise they are any level of medallion member to have delta side with them in a situation like this.

After the conversation I had last night with the TSA guys at Dallas BBQ I have concluded that:

1: TSA assumed I was trying to carry on more than I was allowed (which I wasn't) I had 2 carry ons one of them was my laptop bag, my friend just had 1 bag as the rest of her stuff was in my carry on.

2: Delta assumed the same thing. Not the first time at JFK where I have faced profiling by a Delta Employee, and not the first time I saw a shocked look on a red coats face at JFK when they found out I had status.

OMG, you're Puerto Rican?! Now that changes EVERYTHING! I'm married to a Boricua too so I totally get it. :rolleyes: Well thanks for the epilogue.

This is turning into the "Diversity day" episode of the office (it was on last night).

:confused:
The story gets even odder.

It's increasingly becoming our fellow passengers - not TSA, airline policy, food, lack of amenities or crews - that are making travel an unpleasant experience.

Ah - this post makes it all OK and acceptable. Poor you

^

I have to admit, this made me laugh...I envisioned my wife doing the same thing.

Sadly, I have nothing to contribute to this thread; as far as Delta's concerned, I've never been Worth Knowing.

OP,

How old are you if you don't mind me asking? I pulled the same card a couple of times in my younger days. I thought, like you, I showed 'em because I was big man on campus with the platinum card/boarding pass.

Looking back on those incidents through the eyes of someone 12-15 years older I realize what an a**hole I was.

I've also realize now that that flying 45 weeks a year and getting status on airlines and at hotel chains, didn't make me special. Just made me someone who traveled a lot because my job required it. Turns out I wasn't a special snowflake after all, just a working stiff that spent a lot of time in the air.

remember, there are those of us who will take items out of our carry-on before boarding that make it look like we are bringing on 3,4 or 5 bags. I have two carry-ons, but I avoid standing in the aisle while I take out what I want at my seat. I may remove my small purse, a bag of food, and small bag of headphones/ipod all before boarding and still have my rollaboard and backpack. I have had the GA tell me I had too many carry ons, I explain everything fits into two and my rationale for removing items now, and they will still tell me to pack everything back into two just to prove it. To which I want to retort, don't complain about me standing in the aisle then.

Let's see if I get this right. You take out the things you need in flight before boarding so that you don't need to do this standing in the aisle on the plane? The rolller and backup are ending up where?

@koko I am 30 and while you may have been an a-hole back when you were younger not I. I may come off as an a-hole in this thread but I wouldn't be the person I am now if I were. I've learned in life early on that the first impressions are the most crucial and its not who you know but who knows you, people tend not to remember a-holes as much as they do nice people. As for carring my skymiles card, I don't carry the Skymiles card and the only piece of luggage that has my sky miles luggage tag on it is my checked luggage and even that is my gold luggage tag. In fact I don't even use my Plat Amex I use the original Green Card I have because in NYC people comment when you pull out the Plat card. Had people ask me when I'm going for the black card and even offer me their numbers when using it. It draws unwanted attention a lot of times.

I know how to talk and I know when to bite my tongue, but at the same time I know when to speak up and demand what is mine. Delta is in contract with me to get me from point A to point B. When they allow a 3rd party to enact bogus policy change I will speak up. If I did say the F word like my friend claims I did, then you know what I must of felt that diplomacy wasn't working because it was after a lengthy conversation with the TSA and Red Coat that I finally did claim my status and only after did the attitude of the Red Coat change. Infact the TSA agent was asking the redcoat why is he giving into my demands that he should make me pay the checked luggage fee. He seemed upset that the redcoat started to side with me. By the way not all TSA agents are bad the one that was doing the ID check was nice but she did comment that she lived near me which was scary lol.

Because of this situation myself and my companions were nearly the last people to board the flight in fact we boarded within the last 10 minutes. The only reason we weren't last to board was because someone was waiting for my upgrade seat incase I didn't make it I know he was waiting for my seat because when I arrived at the gate the GA mentioned to the him that FC had fully boarded and he should board, also there were about 4 people who needed their passports validated. In fact the two GA's and I were joking about why they made such a fuss about my bag since it was smaller than her purse.

I am also a good judge of character, I can easily tell how far I can push someones limits after only speaking to them briefly. After all I am the guy who asked a NYC Police Officer in Times Square where my friend from London could buy weed. Not only did he tell us he broke my 20 so that we didn't have to get change from the seller. By the way I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. My friend did.

This just gets weirder and weirder. HWGeeks, why don't you stop posting to this thread. You're not helping your cause.

when you only quote portions of what someone has said you can make them look any way you want, reminds me of Michael Moore.

HW:

You may be 30 but I'd say your maturity level is more 23ish. You'll figure it out eventually.

My maturity level is where it should be. But you can disagree you have the right to do that

Then stop providing evidence to the contrary.

I absolutely agree...

I haven't 99% of you attacked me for fighting for my rights simply because I used 1 bad word I don't recall using.

What about the TSA agent who had no right to try to take my bag out of the secure area claiming it was big or the red coat who gave attitude until my status was known. Goes both ways and I am pretty sure 100% of you would of done the same.

Someone said its passengers have made flying unfriendly or something along those lines. Well its the airlines and their bad CS across the board more so than eliminated ameneties that have created todays passenger, and its not just Delta its all Airlines and even though I have had my Bad CS experiences I have had my good ones too. The return flight was great.


When you're at an airport like ATL for example where you expect the bad CS you prepare yourself for it and probably even practice what your going to say while you wait in line, and when that fails you grasp at other options and might say things you regret. Do I regret using the F word? No had I been thinking about what I was saying when I said it would I have still used it? Probably not.

Since this bothers me I actually had my friend come over to help me recreate what happened. So this is how she and I recall the coversation with the red coat and TSA Agent.
Skipping to when he took the bag and when I spotted the red coat.

The TSA agent is right next to me with the bag he threatened to call the police and I remember offering him my phone, my friend is still standing confused as to whats going on shes still confused, the Red Coat is about 8 - 10 feet away.

Me: Excuse me can you help me TSA says my bags to big. I flown a lot on Delta with this bag with no prior issues.
RC: If the TSA says it is it is (Where he is standing he can not see the bag)
Me: It's not I've flown with it before and its already through security let me gate check if its too big.
TSA guy continues to drag my bag toward the counter I protest him moving my bag. My friend says as I turned around to talk to the RC again the TSA agent waved for someone to come over but I don't remember this nor do I recall anyone coming over. She said someone from belt just focused his attention onto me but said it was a TSA person not a cop. The TSA agent and I are already in the exit lane if you are familiar with T3 you know that the entrance to Security is kind of thin (entrance close to air train elevators) and on the side theres a tiny walkway with an exit that leads to the front of the security line where you can hook a left back to the check in counters or a right to a door that exits the terminal. He and I are about 3 feet away from the little door that seperates the secure area form the non secure area where a security guard is standing not TSA or Delta but I assume Delta pays for them. The Red Coat is behind the belt near the metal detectors. Left side lane was closed only right side lane was in use.
Ok back to the conversation, so the RC just told me I can't gate check.
Me: Why can't I gate check it, I see people gate check all the time. In fact I shouldn't have to gate check I know the bag fits. if it was too big wouldn't the woman at the skypriority lane had stopped me? (I clearly remember mentioning the SkyPriority Lane because I figured that would alert him of status with out having to actually claim my status)
RC: What flight are you on
Me: 10:30 flight to SFO
RC: You mean the 10:15 you won't make that you're going to miss your flight and have to pay change fee. It's already 9:30 at this point
I start to say I never pay fees, but he cuts me off to talk to the TSA.
I then look at my friend and tell her to head to the gate and doesn't want too plus we had no idea where our gate was because there was no gate on the ticket she had and in my panic I couldn't find my boarding pass. I don't even hear what they are talking about I do remember they talked but I just remember trying to figure out what to do if indeed I missed the flight. I had limo service picking us up at SFO to drive us up to my meetings in Cupertino. I am running all the scenarious through my head. I had a lunch at 3 with someone tried to remember if I had her number on my phone etc.

My friend says she didn't understand what the TSA and RC were talking about and doesn't really remember what they were saying. She just remembers I was starting to sweat.

I remember butting into thier conversation and saying: Look Let me gate check it why make me miss the flight when I can gate check it. I never had this problem before. She says I said I never had this problem before 4 times.
RC: You should have known the rules
At this point I admit I was already upset and I am pretty sure it showed on my face.
Me: Whatever what do we do now I don't understand why I can't gate check, you want to check the bag onto the next flight? I don't mind returning to the Airport to Pick it up.
RC: No you must remain with your bag, you should of known the rules had you been here on time we wouldn't be going through this.

This is when I supposedly put my hands up shrugged my shoulders cocked my head and let the F bomb drop. The reason I got really upset when he said this was, even though I was running late I arrived before the 60 minute mark. My car rental for hertz says car was turned in at 8:27 am It didn't take us 33 minutes to get to T3 from Federal Circle. We were ontime pushing it close but ontime. It took us a bit to get through security because all of my companions were novice flyers they have flown before but they didn't know the entire procedure and one had an expired ID who the TSA agent checking IDs told him he needed to get fixed and she looked at it and him for a minute. So afte rthe RC said what he said, all the suggestions from people who have said on this very forum to use the DYKWIA line came rushing into my head so I used it with a twist I followed it with "I am a F word plat".

I then remember the redcoat going from a serious face and start to smile, he asked for my boarding pass and began to address me by my name and started to apologize and thanked me for flying Delta. I am pretty sure if the F word had been omitted he would of reacted the same.

He tells the TSA agent to let me gate check, the TSA agent actually protested saying I should pay the fee etc. The Red Coat walked around to get to where I was because there is a belt there and its where the TSA agents stand. He comes down toward the exit takes the bag from the TSA agent and starts to escort me and my friend to the gate. Now its 9:53.

TSA agent then said they needed to scan the bag again, I started to ask why but I was now getitng my way and bit my tongue. I do remember them scanning it again and he opened it and removed a perfume. Said we couldn't take it onboard because it was bigger than 3 ounces. It was 3.4 ounces and half used. I asked for it looked at it said its half used and he said oh and put it back in the bag.

RC radioed to the gate told them we were on our way met my other 2 compansions in the walkway between t2 and t3 in the middle where the where the walkways end and restart. and we made it to the gate and boarded nearly last. I was actually the last FC passenger to board. Cranapple never tasted sweeter.

Are you sure you didn't write the last post drunk? You usually use grammar, proper punctuation, proper spelling, etc. This last post is barely comprehensible.

This has been a fascinating thread, but it did indeed go a little weird at the:

"I am good judge of character ... evidence of this ... I could tell it was ok to ask an NYPD officer where my friend could buy weed" point. :confused:

Tickets to AMS for everyone who posted in this thread, and everyone can partake of the coffee shop and be friends again, no NYPD or TSA involvement required ?!?! :)

Not sure how much more off-topic this can go so: There is a much cheaper and quicker option: LA. "Weed" is essentially legal in Ca. There are 300+ "Coffee shops" in the greater Los Angeles area that have a better selection than AMS. Possession of under an once is now (as of Jan 1) a violation like a traffic ticket and it does not go on your police record.
Many people in the US do not know that Los Angeles and SFO are now "weed" destinations. Whether you believe in the use of pot or not it is now just as legal as Amsterdam (where by the way it is not legal at all...just "tolerated" in certain areas). I wish CA would do something similar. You can get high just walking down the beach as it is literally everywhere.

Wow! I had no idea. I had heard about the "medical" permission in CO(?) a few years ago and it spreading to other states, but really didn't know that it was getting so relaxed elsewhere, thank you.

It is fascinating for a Brit here, to see this kind of thing when the booze age is 21.

Anyway, will leave it to get back on the F-bomb topic now.

Yes you need a "Medical card" but it cost $60 for a year and you can have one in about 30 seconds at any one of 500 "doctors offices". Colorado has joined CA in this approach. The funny part is CA had a proposition on the ballot to just full-out legalize it this past October but at the last minute the current "Dispensaries" and "Medical Doctors" lobby poured tons of money into a campaign to keep the situation as-is. Lots of money to be made this way where as if it was totally legal the state would make the lions share of the $$. I think it is funny that so many people spend so much time fighting this when I live in a place in the US where it is pretty much legal. Even Burbank Airport has a sign as you approach security that reads: Medical Marijuana is not allowed in the airport. Possession will result in CONFISCATION...LOL. The TSA need to relax at break time.:)

:D

I don't know what the big fuss is re:the OP. Sometimes people need to be told to get ....ed. Period.

Now get back in the kitchen and bake me a pot pie!

And Chessy Poofs :)

Drunk DYKWIA at SFO this morning
 

This morning at SFO the 12:35 SFO-MSP had a very entertaining set of events. Any other FT's there?

The gate agent announced in a very inaudible fashion that we were delayed for late arriving crew. Most people couldn't hear or understand what he said. This initial announcement was made around 12:00am. There were no more announcements regarding the delay at all. During this entire situation, the display was never updated, and still showed an on time departure.

I wasn't really too concerned as I had booked a 3 hr connection since it was the cheapest option. Many of the kettles were getting pretty irritable. At about 1:15, someone asked the gate agent where the crew was. He responded (not on the intercom) that they were on the way. Even at 1:15, the display still showed, on time departure at 12:35. the Drunk DYKWIA yelled are they riding Camels to the airport? He then starts yelling why won't you update us as to what the problem is here you haven't made a single announcement regarding what the status of the delay is. I had to agree with his point, however yelling at the GA was not the right way. At this point, someone on the opposite end of the gate decided they needed to defend the GA. They started returning shouts, that the GA is just doing his job, not his fault, leave him alone, etc. They were going back and forth, meantime I am thinking, this will only lead to more delays. We finally board a few minutes later and with my luck... I am sitting next to the drunky!!:mad: He was talking to the FA about the situation. The FA tells him to email Delta. He tells me, don't email Delta. "They have a system that tracks how many times you email in complaints. If you have too many complaints, you won't get help when you call in needing the rules bent or a favor." He also told me he had seen this system. At this point, I was not looking forward to 3 hrs next to a DYKWIA. To the rescue comes some random lady asking to switch seats as she knew him...

After I landed in MSP, I saw a redcoat and told him the story. He told me I should definatley email Delta. I did, and a few hours later got a $75 ECV. Quite the early morning excitement.

Sorry, I'm confused! I'm not exactly sure what you eMailed DL for - - the flight delay that didn't affect your arrival time at your destination because you had a long layover and still got $75 - - or did I miss something? Sorry!

Emailed them to explain the situation with unruly passengers and an unattentive GA.

What makes you think he was drunk? I've seen plenty of sober folks do the same thing.

Wow! For that, you get $75???

After I sat down next to him, I could smell the Alcohol... I obviously don't know his level of intoxication.. but based on the smell I assumed he had been drinking.

Drinking != Drunk all the time.

If I got $75 for everytime I dealt with rude and unruly pax, I would never pay for airfare on DL again!!!