“Do You Know Who I Am?”: The Definitive Thread of DYKWIA Stories
Jul 12, 2017, 9:17 am
#8326
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
Jul 12, 2017, 9:23 am
#8327
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
That's my experience as well. I departed from a gate the other day in ATL where the PREM lane was by itself with the SP and Zone gates facing it, and it made for a very orderly boarding process.
Jul 12, 2017, 11:29 am
#8328
Join Date: May 2014
Location: PWM
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 822
I think this qualifies to be in this thread. I almost forgot about it until I read David’s story above (great first post btw& welcome!)
We recently did a two week Australia vacation. Upon landing in Sydney we had to catch a Virgin AU flight to Brisbane. Even though it was completely excessive, I used miles to book business class even for the short intra AU hops. So we get to the gate and VA has a separate Business Class line away from everything else (which I thought was pretty nice). They make the announcement that boarding will commence shortly, beginning with business class, so my wife & make our way up to the line when a woman completely cuts us off to be first in line. No big deal, we weren’t in a rush and were pretty hazy from all our previous flights (BOS-LAX, LAX-SYD). Anyway she gives the GA her BP, the GA lets her know this is the business class line and she’s not in business class. The woman starts huffing and puffing, in an extremely loud manner, turns around, points at me, and says “Is HE in business class?” My wife and I burst out laughing. I know we didn’t look the best due to the long travel but I just couldn’t figure out how or why that mattered to her. In any event I said “As a matter of fact, yes we are in business class. We might not look like it because we’ve been traveling for 30 hours but we are, not that it’s any of your business.” At this point she stormed off and we never did see her board the plane. We still are LOL’ing and scratching our heads about that one.
We recently did a two week Australia vacation. Upon landing in Sydney we had to catch a Virgin AU flight to Brisbane. Even though it was completely excessive, I used miles to book business class even for the short intra AU hops. So we get to the gate and VA has a separate Business Class line away from everything else (which I thought was pretty nice). They make the announcement that boarding will commence shortly, beginning with business class, so my wife & make our way up to the line when a woman completely cuts us off to be first in line. No big deal, we weren’t in a rush and were pretty hazy from all our previous flights (BOS-LAX, LAX-SYD). Anyway she gives the GA her BP, the GA lets her know this is the business class line and she’s not in business class. The woman starts huffing and puffing, in an extremely loud manner, turns around, points at me, and says “Is HE in business class?” My wife and I burst out laughing. I know we didn’t look the best due to the long travel but I just couldn’t figure out how or why that mattered to her. In any event I said “As a matter of fact, yes we are in business class. We might not look like it because we’ve been traveling for 30 hours but we are, not that it’s any of your business.” At this point she stormed off and we never did see her board the plane. We still are LOL’ing and scratching our heads about that one.
Jul 12, 2017, 5:13 pm
#8330
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,834
I narrowly avoided a DYKWIA moment recently at BRS (Bristol, England) during check-in (ok, I was on KLM, but the guy in front of me was feeding onto a flight to JFK, potentially on DL). There was a big crowd of people who obviously knew each other, looked like a tour of some kind, taking up both the regular and Sky Priority lines. I thought about asking the guy in front of me if he was in the right line, but decided against it as I had plenty of time before my flight, and the lounge at BRS isn't that great anyway.
As I slowly began to wake up, I noticed that all the guys in the economy line had lanyards and tags with the name of a Grammy-winning artist on their bags. They were his band. Then I noticed all the gold jewellery on the guy in front. It was the artist that the band in economy supported, flying back to the US after having played Glastonbury festival the day before. That could have been very embarrassing for me!
I never saw him in the lounge, I'm not sure if he was hanging with his band, or went to the other one.
As I slowly began to wake up, I noticed that all the guys in the economy line had lanyards and tags with the name of a Grammy-winning artist on their bags. They were his band. Then I noticed all the gold jewellery on the guy in front. It was the artist that the band in economy supported, flying back to the US after having played Glastonbury festival the day before. That could have been very embarrassing for me!
I never saw him in the lounge, I'm not sure if he was hanging with his band, or went to the other one.
Jul 12, 2017, 6:14 pm
#8332
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: DL DM PM
Posts: 2,034
I narrowly avoided a DYKWIA moment recently at BRS (Bristol, England) during check-in (ok, I was on KLM, but the guy in front of me was feeding onto a flight to JFK, potentially on DL). There was a big crowd of people who obviously knew each other, looked like a tour of some kind, taking up both the regular and Sky Priority lines. I thought about asking the guy in front of me if he was in the right line, but decided against it as I had plenty of time before my flight, and the lounge at BRS isn't that great anyway.
As I slowly began to wake up, I noticed that all the guys in the economy line had lanyards and tags with the name of a Grammy-winning artist on their bags. They were his band. Then I noticed all the gold jewellery on the guy in front. It was the artist that the band in economy supported, flying back to the US after having played Glastonbury festival the day before. That could have been very embarrassing for me!
I never saw him in the lounge, I'm not sure if he was hanging with his band, or went to the other one.
As I slowly began to wake up, I noticed that all the guys in the economy line had lanyards and tags with the name of a Grammy-winning artist on their bags. They were his band. Then I noticed all the gold jewellery on the guy in front. It was the artist that the band in economy supported, flying back to the US after having played Glastonbury festival the day before. That could have been very embarrassing for me!
I never saw him in the lounge, I'm not sure if he was hanging with his band, or went to the other one.
Wait what? they have a lounge in Bristol? Lived there in the 80s and the airport was a shed on a runway!
Jul 12, 2017, 9:14 pm
#8333
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
As an FO I was upgraded ATL-CDG, which I consider a true miracle as while I was on Delta metal I was flying on an Air France ticket. Obviously, this was an ops up, but to this day I find it hard to believe that there wasn't a higher ranking elite -- either Delta or AF -- on the flight.
Jul 12, 2017, 9:24 pm
#8334
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,930
Jul 12, 2017, 9:28 pm
#8335
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Jul 12, 2017, 9:29 pm
#8336
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
. AF is now his favorite airline .
Jul 12, 2017, 9:41 pm
#8337
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
I mostly fly AA, but when I fly DL I buy the (heavily) discounted F fares that are often cheaper than AA coach fares.
Until DL installed the stanchions for queued group boarding, F boarding at Atlanta was atrocious. There would often be a scrum of pax that blocked the boarding line. Many, many times in ATL, I would have to navigate this group -- usually angry, older men who seemed to want to prevent F pax from boarding in the correct group.
I was grabbed by the arm, shouted at, cursed, etc. Every single time, the offending party would be in coach. I don't know what it is about ATL -- this very rarely happened to me anywhere else. Flying DL from ATL, however, this was a persistent problem.
I am thankful that DL finally addressed this issue with the boarding signs and stanchions. In the last several weeks, the queues have been orderly and the situation much improved.
Until DL installed the stanchions for queued group boarding, F boarding at Atlanta was atrocious. There would often be a scrum of pax that blocked the boarding line. Many, many times in ATL, I would have to navigate this group -- usually angry, older men who seemed to want to prevent F pax from boarding in the correct group.
I was grabbed by the arm, shouted at, cursed, etc. Every single time, the offending party would be in coach. I don't know what it is about ATL -- this very rarely happened to me anywhere else. Flying DL from ATL, however, this was a persistent problem.
I am thankful that DL finally addressed this issue with the boarding signs and stanchions. In the last several weeks, the queues have been orderly and the situation much improved.
Jul 12, 2017, 11:09 pm
#8338
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: LON, PDX
Programs: DL PM, AS MVP 75K, HH/SPG/MR Gold, Amex Plat, PRG, CSR
Posts: 2,064
I don't understand, excepting the 757, all D1 window seats are also aisle seats.
Jul 12, 2017, 11:18 pm
#8339
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,360
I don't understand, excepting the 757, all D1 window seats are also aisle seats.
Jul 13, 2017, 12:03 am
#8340
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,930