Re: SYD > MEL DYNWIA [DYKWIA] fever

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Spacetravel

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I was trying to decide if this should end up in trip reports or here, since it is specific to my virgin flight thought best fit here.

So on Friday I completed a SYD > MEL trip in J, food, flight and service were all great nothing to really comment on. However for some reason this flight was full of DYNWIAs

Shortly after boarding I had just finished putting my bag in the overhead bin and sat down when a lady in one of the first rows of Y starts shouting loudly to the cabin crew (who were busy doing important cabin crew things), "excuse me! oi! excuse me!" I jump at the sound, never heard someone act like that on a flight before. Asks angrily like she is entitled to it, "can I put my bag here!" (pointing to the J overhead bins). The flight attendant gives in and lets her, so she puts her THREE (1 large roll aboard and 2 half size bags) into the compartment. Only to have another J PAX board after and struggle to find overhead space due to this PAX stuff. After seeing this passenger get away with it another one followed demanding the same thing and was allowed.

After take off, a PAX from Y walks into J to use the lavatories a flight attendant stops them and proceeds to direct them to the Y lavatories at the back, PAX complains about the long walk and "come on its just there" which in the end was allowed to use it. Again after another PAX in Y witnessed this, they also attempted successfully to do the same.

Now finally upon landing, before being allowed to disembark when the crew stand between Y and J to allow J off first, the lady from the start of my story is now complaining loudly demanding access to her bags and that she is being held up by the staff in her way. At least this time they did not give in and asked her to wait.

Now SYD > MEL in J is very expensive and tickets go for more than $700 each way. I pay that for the above mentioned comforts (and status credits), it really feels like it takes from the experience when the crew cannot contain the other PAX from infringing on this space. While some may argue if the lavatories or overhead lockers are free why not let others use it, but that is the whole point of being in J. To have these amenities available (or lack there of in Y).

I fly a lot in both Y and J and a flight like this was unusual but still annoying PAX were essentially allowed to do whatever they wanted.

Does anyone else mind if Y try and use J facilities?
 
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re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

It's good to see that they enforced the lavatory rule as well as blocked the passage between rows 2 & 3. I've been on flights where they don't do this and it really diminishes the premium experience.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Hmmm. There is a thread discussing this very issue, however it was not an exclusive thread. Perhaps the mods may like to make this thread a VA J issue thread?

To the OP, you are not alone in noticing the very visible degradation of J with VA. There seems to be a disconnect with what the management desire, to what the crew deliver.........or is there?

VA seems to be in all kinds of turmoil with the soft product (and moderate turmoil with the hard product) and they have no inclination/funds to fix it.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

I have had a few trips in J recently and fortunately haven't experienced anything like that. The area should be off limits to Y PAX and enforced by VA staff. I expect the premium service in J, in most instances the fare is around 5 times the price so you should receive more. Like most I pay it for the SC, premium service and convenience.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

It's good to see that they enforced the lavatory rule as well as blocked the passage between rows 2 & 3. I've been on flights where they don't do this and it really diminishes the premium experience.

But they didn't do that. They let them use the j lav.
 
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re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Seems to me to be happening more on Qantas too of late - particularly as a number of its aircraft no longer have any type of visible and physical barrier between the classes (I'm not very familiar with VA yet so don't know if there's any barrier?). That said, I have never seen anyone be obnoxious as the scenario described by the OP (about asking to use bin space or the toilet upfront). That behaviour would further diminish the J experience.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

The offenders where most likely QF 'elites' who were 'cut' that their employer put them on VA and wanted to make their displeasure known to all.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Seems to me to be happening more on Qantas too of late - particularly as a number of its aircraft no longer have any type of visible and physical barrier between the classes (I'm not very familiar with VA yet so don't know if there's any barrier?). That said, I have never seen anyone be obnoxious as the scenario described by the OP (about asking to use bin space or the toilet upfront). That behaviour would further diminish the J experience.

Yup Qantas have really screwed B737 j class on the refurb with no curtain and a very basic overhead divider. Y class pax do not have anything to deter them from coming through J and even forming a queue in J for the J lavatory.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

But they didn't do that. They let them use the j lav.

Yes you're right, I missed the second part of the sentence. Seems to occur far too often.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Yup Qantas have really screwed B737 j class on the refurb with no curtain and a very basic overhead divider. Y class pax do not have anything to deter them from coming through J and even forming a queue in J for the J lavatory.

Definitely better if you are sitting in Row 4 though! Added bonus that you don't suddenly get a trolley rammed through the closed curtain and nearly run over you or your feet. But, QF (and all airlines actually) should be looking after the J pax' perspective, not this particular QF 'elite' slumming it in Y.

Back to the OP - I really applaud staff that enforce the rules firmly but politely, or tell pax such as the first person in your story to wait (until all J pax are onboard, for example) before offering something extra. The first response sets the tone for the flight and I suspect no-one else will try it on unless a genuine issue (eg a child with a bathroom emergency on someone with mobility issues).
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Facebook quite often have rants, complaining about having to use the rear toilets and the outrage is quite funny as they try to make it a class war/struggle.

If you want J facilities, pay for it. Simple. I picked up $115 fares on Sunday and point upgraded (hubby needs 2 sectors). Doesn't have to cost a fortune.
 
SYD > MEL DYNWIA fever

It's good to see that they enforced the lavatory rule as well as blocked the passage between rows 2 & 3. I've been on flights where they don't do this and it really diminishes the premium experience.

They didnt enforce the lavatory rule.
But in some circumstances pax should be able to use it. Kids. Trolley in the way maybe. Maybe they should have pin codes to open them. At least she couldn't get to her bags.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Where the OP confuses me is the mention of "a lady".
Hardly sounds like a lady to me. ;)
My feelings are mixed on the toilet thing. Whilst I'm not so precious that I don't want Y pax to use the J loo, I understand that sometimes access to the Y loo may be blocked by, for example, a trolley. I also appreciate that as a J pax a lot of cash may have been paid for a certain level of travel and with that an expectation.
Back to said lady - what the hell was she doing with 3 pieces of carry on? If I was the FA I would have sent her bags as far down the back as I could!
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Back to said lady - what the hell was she doing with 3 pieces of carry on? If I was the FA I would have sent her bags as far down the back as I could!
Agree. Qantas are making this an issue by not enforcing it. A handbag and case is tops! Anything else gets stowed. The airlines need to unite on this and enforce it. They are making it other passengers problems.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

Seems to me to be happening more on Qantas too of late - particularly as a number of its aircraft no longer have any type of visible and physical barrier between the classes (I'm not very familiar with VA yet so don't know if there's any barrier?). That said, I have never seen anyone be obnoxious as the scenario described by the OP (about asking to use bin space or the toilet upfront). That behaviour would further diminish the J experience.

VA use a magnetic rope strung between the J/Y partition
Ive been the only pax in J on a number of occasions, and with a nearly full Y cabin. And feel like a bit of a tosser having my own personal loo ;)
Funny sight, when a young lass did a quick and nimble limbo ( without touching ) under the rope to use the J loo, only to be denied and sent down the back.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

My feelings are mixed on the toilet thing. Whilst I'm not so precious that I don't want Y pax to use the J loo, I understand that sometimes access to the Y loo may be blocked by, for example, a trolley.

Yeah in that instance it would be ok. But for this case it was immediately after take off when there was no trolly (The rope was up already). I doubt even the Y toilets were in use by this stage. The guy was just too lazy to walk and possibly just wanted to use the J ones to feel special.

Lol now re reading this I am thinking to myself, wow what have I come to.. complaining about someone using a toilet on a forum haha. TBH if it was just that one incident I probably wouldn't have even posted about it. It just felt this flight all the PAX were allowed to walk all over J as the flight attendance didn't enforce anything.

Edit: something that also slipped my mind with this flight. For some reason priority boarding wasn't enforced at all either. I had come from the lounge and boarding had just started, to see a huge line. I go to find the priority queue only to see the line was the priority queue. For whatever reason they had allowed everyone to just line up wherever. There was no way there were that many status/ J PAX on the flight. It went out of the gate lounge and into the walk way there were that many and not a status bag tag or boarding pass in site (full of no bodies or reds)
 
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re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

I've found the magnetic rope stops most passengers, especially compared to Qantas, who as mentioned earlier, seem to have Y pax forming a queue in the J cabin or helping themselves to a seat while they wait.

I've never seen cabin crew stop people putting their bags in the J overheads though, and they often end up full from Y.
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

They didnt enforce the lavatory rule.

Indeed, as I mentioned here.

But in some circumstances pax should be able to use it. Kids. Trolley in the way maybe. Maybe they should have pin codes to open them. At least she couldn't get to her bags.

I think there should always be a medical exception, pins would probably be a H&S hazard for a variety of reasons. Would have to think about the kids part..
 
re: SYD > MEL DYKWIA fever

The correct acronym is "DYKWIA". It would be a shame if DYNWIA became commonplace as, for me, the "DYK" part perfectly sums up what the whole thing is about. :p
 
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