lol, I didn't know they had any mercs at all... I was suggesting it as an addition, similar to what LH and AF do for F pax. As we discovered in that thread a month or two ago, offering tarmac transfer for all F pax is empirically impossible for EK

They have s class mercs to pick up I/o from the Tarmac. Not sure they get it in Dxb when transferring but likely.

Of course - pick up and drop off at remote stand in S550 (if wanted ofc)!

Some outstations also arrange tarmac transfer as well but it's generally not a S550...!

I was going through security at MAN on Sunday afternoon, and there was a family being escorted through security by a uniformed EK staff member. She also had to do the full security check, and I assume she took them straight to the plane.

Would this have been an IO perk?

Any evidence that they might have been (low-ranking) UAE royals ........?? ie accorded VVIP treatment on commercial flights - but not 'senior' enough to have access to the royal fleet of private jets.

Yes, they get fully escorted from check in to the lounge/plane and taken off met taken to luggage etc.

Only seen a couple of I/o ever to be honest.

It's not consistent at every station. The one big unwritten perk at some of the larger stations where it is consistent is the extra pc of carry on the agent can take thru for you :):D. Won't say what stations as I don't want this to end but DXB is not one of them

On the route I most often fly (IAH) I'm almost always the only iO. I think there was one flight I can remember that there was another one!
But on JFK/LHR/SYD, I've sometimes been one of the 3, or even 4 iO's.

@Houstonflyer2139

As there are just around 330 IO members in total compared with over 10million Skyward members, it's very rare to find another one in the same flight.
I'm usually flying DXB-DUS and I never had an IO companion on board.

Yes that is what I thought as well, until I was on that LHR flight! 4 iO's including me, it was quite interesting. I think DUS is like IAH, it isn't one of the more elite heavy routes like LHR or JFK.

Many thanks to the kind iO who very graciously helped me out in a tricky situation recently:

I was flying J and had to be out of the SYD terminal on the other end very quickly. It can still take a long time for J luggage to turn up at the carousel since SYD is handling 5+ A380s early morning. I asked for an F baggage tag, which the check-in attendant was happy to give as they know me at the airport (I'm a gold, but not far off plat!). The iO checking in at the desk beside me then intervened and asked for an iO tag to be put on my cases, and the staff obliged. A gentleman indeed.

Bag was first out in SYD.

So lovely to hear a great story like this. Kudos to you for sharing and also to the chivalrous gentleman.

good thing too. The F tag Priority ‘benefit’ is decidedly hit and miss. And miss.

Mostly hit in my experience

Agreed - I can literally recall only one time where it didn’t work, which was at CHC a couple of years ago. Have done dozens of flights in all classes since then.

The tag isn’t that relevant anyway, it’s what’s on the computer when they scan your bag barcode - and then hope it gets put into the right container.