I entered the correct gate and the walkway apparently split into different sections (A,B,C,D,etc...). You had to exit the correct exit and walk on the tarmac to the plane.

Once I scanned my boarding pass, I never thought to check where to go. I just got out the first exit and walked towards the plane.

I found my seat and after a while a lady asked me if I was sitting in the right seat. I said I was, and checked my ticket again.

The flight attendant then came and checked, and said that the flight on my ticket was going to Calgary, and that this flight was going to Winnipeg.

I rushed off the plane in a hurry, and a lady on the tarmac intercepted me. I told her that I was on the wrong plane, and she told me that I was supposed to get off at "G". She then said something that was extremely offensive to me. I am Asian, and she said, "Do you read English?" I was taken aback, but didn't have the time to tell her off. I just ran to the plane.

Luckily, I was able to board the correct plane just in time.

One time I came close to boarding the wrong plane. The flight had the same destination, same carrier, similar departure time (off by one hour, so I thought it was delayed. The gate number was very similar as well (B42 vs B44), and the flight number was almost the same 1440 vs 1420 or something like that).

Has anyone else gotten on the wrong plane before? Also, do you think what the lady at the tarmac said was offensive? I spoke to her in proper English, so there really was no reason for her to ask me if I could read English.

Yes.

IAD (Washington Dulles) has these gates. You scan your boarding pass inside the terminal, as with any normal airport gate, but when you walk toward the tarmac, an employee checks your boarding pass a second time, and directs you to your A-B-C-D section.

One I tried to walk directly to my section, because the employee was chitchatting with her coworker. The employee grabbed me by my arm, with rather strong force, and demanded to see my boarding pass. I thought that was extremely inappropriate.

The comments you heard were inappropriate. They would be, regardless of race -- I'm also Asian, for what that's worth -- just saying that "Can you read?" is a rather common schoolyard insult.

Thanks, I'm glad that you guys agree with me. It really bothered me. I can understand if I was speaking very broken English, but I was born in Canada and speak English with no foreign accent. I am pretty sure she did that to insult me for not exiting the correct exit.

Wow, that is crazy. One could argue that is physical assault. However, if you made a big deal of it, I'm sure they would have prevented you from boarding the plane, and it could have lead to big problems. That's why, no matter what happens in the airport, you always have to grin and bear it.

Sorry that happened to you.

That woman is an idiot.

I find it offensive that she asked if you could read English.

Of course, she may of thought you couldn't read English and was going to help you. However, if you couldn't read English at all you probably would of had difficulties with spoken English which you didn't. 99.9% offensive... 0.1% doubt.

Lucky you realised!

No kidding, otherwise you're in Winnipeg...

I had a connection at IAD once and would've found it confusing had there not been somebody on the tarmac directing us tot he correct plane.

But there is a difference between "can you read" and "can you read English".

I think the lady was very rude. Also they always scan your boarding pass upon entering the plane.

Undoubtedly, what the agent said was offensive. I would just like to point out that, depending on her position, she may have less customer service training. If she was an agent, there is little excuse for the comment. If she was a ramp person, then she might have less or no customer service training. Again, I'm not excusing the remark but providing some context.

With respect, I find this context irrelevant. Basic courtesy in dealing with people is not something that requires training.

These days I'm not so sure about that!

No, they don't.

Maybe some places that's the norm, but in traveling in the U.S, Canada, Mexico and western Europe, I've never had my boarding pass scanned at the plane. It's been done as the pax enter the jetway or go out the door to the tarmac, depending on the airport configuration.