Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is DYKWIA stories (Traveling on United Airlines)
DYKWIA stories (Travelling on United Airlines) (Archive)
#2131
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: UA GS ,QF Plat
Posts: 686
I have both showed up to the wrong airport as well as on the wrong day (or conversely having booked the wrong day without noticing it) and I found that a healthy dose of self-deprecation in those moments is the only path to a positive resolution. Same goes for the handful of times in my life I have woken up in a hotel room several hours past my ETD.
#2132
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,089
That being said, I have also mixed up DCA and IAD
#2133
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
What about booking a round trip flights but the wrong direction?
#2134
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
I have both showed up to the wrong airport as well as on the wrong day (or conversely having booked the wrong day without noticing it) and I found that a healthy dose of self-deprecation in those moments is the only path to a positive resolution. Same goes for the handful of times in my life I have woken up in a hotel room several hours past my ETD.
This is right up there with "HUACA" on the list of best FT advice ever.
I'm thinking of the time I left my rollaboard in the overhead on HKG-SFO, didn't realize until I was already at baggage claim. Pleaded mercy, they called the gate, and one of the FAs brought it through immigration for me.
#2135
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,344
At EWR Enterprise rental car booth a few weeks ago:
Enterprise agent: "Hello. Do you have a reservation?"
Me: ....pause.....eventually: "I don't know. I can't remember."
Enterprise agent: "Hello. Do you have a reservation?"
Me: ....pause.....eventually: "I don't know. I can't remember."
#2136
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: EAU
Programs: UA 1K, CO Plat, NW Plat, Marriott Premiere Plat, SPG Plat, Priority Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,712
This is going back several years, but I've never forgotten the incident.
Checking bag at DCA for an international itin. Guy saunters up to the premiere lane, wife and kid in stroller hanging back. The guy says, "We are checking in for the flight to Denver." The Agent looks at him, a bit puzzled, and says, "We don't have any flights to Denver, sir. Perhaps you have a connection?"
Guy immediately gets huffy, saying he knows where he's going, etc. So the agent asks for his itin, looks at it, and then says, "Sir, you're at the wrong airport. Your flight leaves from Dulles."
Guy proceeds to go ballistic, starts yelling at the agent, telling her that he's elite, their best customer, gives them hundreds of thousands in business every year, and by God she better get him to Denver." His wife looked like she wanted to get swallowed up by a giant crack in the earth, but this DYKWIA was not going to be deterred and continued his ranting and demands. I left before I could see the resolution.
I felt awful for the agent and was thisclose to saying, "Sir, you're the one who showed up at the wrong airport. Perhaps you should be a bit nicer." But was reminded of the incident a colleague had recently told me about. She was checking in in the Elite lane and a similarly entitled DYKWIA showed up super-late for an international itin, yelling for everyone to get out of their way and for the agents at the check-in desk to hold the plane for them. When my little old lady colleague (truly a little old lady, about 5 ft tall and so kind and mild mannered) looked at him and said "Perhaps you should have strived to arrive to the airport on time for your flight," this DYKWIA made a fist, cocked his hand, and barely refrained from belting her.
I truly feel for UA staff who not only have to deal with entitled DYKWIAs, but those who become enraged enough to be dangerous.
Checking bag at DCA for an international itin. Guy saunters up to the premiere lane, wife and kid in stroller hanging back. The guy says, "We are checking in for the flight to Denver." The Agent looks at him, a bit puzzled, and says, "We don't have any flights to Denver, sir. Perhaps you have a connection?"
Guy immediately gets huffy, saying he knows where he's going, etc. So the agent asks for his itin, looks at it, and then says, "Sir, you're at the wrong airport. Your flight leaves from Dulles."
Guy proceeds to go ballistic, starts yelling at the agent, telling her that he's elite, their best customer, gives them hundreds of thousands in business every year, and by God she better get him to Denver." His wife looked like she wanted to get swallowed up by a giant crack in the earth, but this DYKWIA was not going to be deterred and continued his ranting and demands. I left before I could see the resolution.
I felt awful for the agent and was thisclose to saying, "Sir, you're the one who showed up at the wrong airport. Perhaps you should be a bit nicer." But was reminded of the incident a colleague had recently told me about. She was checking in in the Elite lane and a similarly entitled DYKWIA showed up super-late for an international itin, yelling for everyone to get out of their way and for the agents at the check-in desk to hold the plane for them. When my little old lady colleague (truly a little old lady, about 5 ft tall and so kind and mild mannered) looked at him and said "Perhaps you should have strived to arrive to the airport on time for your flight," this DYKWIA made a fist, cocked his hand, and barely refrained from belting her.
I truly feel for UA staff who not only have to deal with entitled DYKWIAs, but those who become enraged enough to be dangerous.
United sells tickets with hidden airport transfers...
#2137
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Rowley, MA / Edgartown, MA / Christiansted, St. Croix (USVI)
Programs: UA LT GS/4.96MM, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓, Korea SeS, APEC
Posts: 579
In fairness, did United tell him the right airport to be at?
United sells tickets with hidden airport transfers...
United sells tickets with hidden airport transfers...
#2138
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Effectively grounded
Programs: BA GGL for a little while longer
Posts: 844
Cheerful Hertz check-in guy: "So where you flying today ?"
Me: Umm, not sure - let me check
That was a bit of a crazy time in my life
#2140
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Effectively grounded
Programs: BA GGL for a little while longer
Posts: 844
#2141
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,692
Boarded IAH-SYD, my favourite seat 6D on 787-9. Lady in 6E wants me to swap with her husband, I quickly refuse, suggesting that she could swap with her husband’s seatmate instead. Immediate tantrum calling me rude. Not a millennial, at least in 50s. Her husband manages to switch up to 6B, and sits there & calls me a ‘tool’ many times. I then hear that they have children back in coach+ who have trouble with the AVOD & need personal attention. She made sure to tell me she was GS. I fear for the future.
#2142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,004
Boarded IAH-SYD, my favourite seat 6D on 787-9. Lady in 6E wants me to swap with her husband, I quickly refuse, suggesting that she could swap with her husband’s seatmate instead. Immediate tantrum calling me rude. Not a millennial, at least in 50s. Her husband manages to switch up to 6B, and sits there & calls me a ‘tool’ many times. I then hear that they have children back in coach+ who have trouble with the AVOD & need personal attention. She made sure to tell me she was GS. I fear for the future.
#2143
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: UA 1K (2MM); AA LT Gold (1.9 MM); SQ; WN; DL; "Bonvoy Ambassador""
Posts: 398
I have both showed up to the wrong airport as well as on the wrong day (or conversely having booked the wrong day without noticing it) and I found that a healthy dose of self-deprecation in those moments is the only path to a positive resolution. Same goes for the handful of times in my life I have woken up in a hotel room several hours past my ETD.
#2144
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,217
Boarded IAH-SYD, my favourite seat 6D on 787-9. Lady in 6E wants me to swap with her husband, I quickly refuse, suggesting that she could swap with her husband’s seatmate instead. Immediate tantrum calling me rude. Not a millennial, at least in 50s. Her husband manages to switch up to 6B, and sits there & calls me a ‘tool’ many times. I then hear that they have children back in coach+ who have trouble with the AVOD & need personal attention. She made sure to tell me she was GS. I fear for the future.
I too would not swap from 6D or 6E, especially as those middle seats are made for people not travelling together.
if in her 50s, then unless IVF babies or surrogate pregnancy, children should have been perfectly capable of working the technology. Also, interesting she could not sit without her husband (who switched into a good seat!) but she did not feel the need for a parent to sit with one of the "children".
Sure she was GS and not GE?
I am not sure how I would respond if someone kept calling me a tool, but guess headphones would go a long way.
#2145
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
Seriously, perhaps that's not the best of ideas. With someone talking and behaving that way, you already know that they're at least a big unhinged. Do you really want to escalate the situation, where you're going to be confined in a small space with them for 17+ hours, just to "stand your ground?" The way I look at such situations is that with that sort of attitude, they probably live a fairly miserable life, often being upset about whatever situation they're in. My revenge is knowing that I'm living a life well lived, not constantly being upset about things like that.
Last edited by Steve M; Dec 21, 2018 at 9:55 pm