When DYKWIA becomes the full <airline> tanty

[Pushka]

If they have gold or platinum status they can use the PB lane even if sitting in Y...

Exactly. This is my usual on Dom. And MrP's. Clearly IKWIA.

 

[Dougo]

I recall several years ago catching a flight from Sydney to Heathrow - can't recall which airline. Anyway at the gate, along comes two women being pushed in wheelchairs by their husbands ... naturally fitting into the first to board category.

So off they go, board the flight ahead of everyone else and by the time we got to our seats, both Mrs A and Mrs B were bouncing around like kids - walking, sitting twisting and turning to speak to each other, leaning over their seats etc ...hmmm

When we landed in KL for refueling / stop whatever, the FA saw Mrs A and Mrs B and told them they would disembark last as they needed the wheelchair ... they were not happy !!

Sometimes stuff just backfires ... it's called Karma.

 

[coolumbla]

Family RTW trip Mr and Mrs C and the 3 delinquents C , then 10 12 and 14 .
I was Plat and mrs C partner gold.
All travelling with backpacks as checked luggage ,that were getting the worse for wear and all had pony club ribbons festooned over them to identify them ( very useful when a guy tried to take Mrs C's ;it not yours unless you got a blue ribbon at gundagai pony club mate)
Rocked up to premium desk for check in at SIN , NRT ,shanghai , London , venice and new york wearing the hiking boots , and comfy travelling attire and varying teenage attitudes
. Queried each time by a man with a derisive smile till the card was flashed

 

[Icarus3619]

Exactly. This is my usual on Dom. And MrP's. Clearly IKWIA.

Yes, I do the same but walking straight up to the head of the line, pushing in and walking straight through to Y takes gall.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I love your work. You and I would get on very well. I love that you used the "I know the airport manager approach" We need more of that approach, there is too much negativity towards us DYKWIA's so good on you for standing up for us.

That'll teach that lady for daring to have that box at her feet.

Not to be technical, but that wasn't a DYKWIA moment but more a case of "Don't You Know Who I know" (DYKWIK), which incidentally, rolls of the tongue quite nicely!

 

[SeatBackForward]

Yes, I do the same but walking straight up to the head of the line, pushing in and walking straight through to Y takes gall.

Not if you're entitled to it by being a Platinum...

 

[OATEK]

Not if you're entitled to it by being a Platinum...

Mmmm, what if you are pushing past similarly "entitled" persons who are polite enough to queue?

 

[muliama]

Even better, wearing first class pjs AND carrying a flute of bubbly, smiling benignly. Only problem is you might be pelted with plastic glasses!

 

[SeatBackForward]

Mmmm, what if you are pushing past similarly "entitled" persons who are polite enough to queue?

Ok well yes that is rude by any standard, but the OP was a bit ambiguous.

 

[Archipelago]

Great thread, glad it was flagged in the newsletter today. Have had a bunch of great experiences over the years...this event is a little long but one of my favourites.
Not a rant story - far from it - but it does involve a blatant DYKWIA.

While working in Myanmar [was based there from the late nineties for the better part of a decade] I was stationed in a remote group of islands down in the south. Nearest port was a small town called Myeik, and there were virtually no expats apart from us and a couple of NGO's doing anti-malaria stuff. Myeik was where we flew into from Yangon on the clapped out old Fokkers, when they weren't crashing.

A couple of years in a small group of French expats arrived and started to set up a major fisheries venture - led by a flamboyant DYKWIA, an ex-foreign legionnaire turned entrepreneur who had been around Indochina for some years. We'll call him Jean. As Jean was happy to tell anyone who would listen, he had friends in high places [ie the Generals, politicans, claimed to have met the Dalai Lama yada yada] and a long list of dubious achievements. They set up a guest house in town for their group, and I was invited to stay on my regular visits from the islands. The free flowing french wines and cheeses were a bonus [real cheese, I mean runny as hell and stank to high heaven, but ohmygod they were good cheeses and great wines in a place where none of that was available]

Jean and I had a shared interest in travel and aviation which we would chat about - he constantly bragged about his FF status and proudly told me he never flew economy. He was best friends with the TG station manager at RGN, always guaranteed a J seat, blah blah blah. [TG was the main carrier in and out of RGN in those years].
Good for him I always thought. What a self important tosser I always thought - but he was an interesting character if you could put up with his never ending waffle.

Fast forward to September 2003 - SARS had hit Asia earlier in the year, and in the recovery period there were a tonne of great airline and hotel promos to be had. I decided to head to Hong Kong for a break with my two Japanese technicians, and a UK mate who had set up the first telecoms in Myanmar. Morning A300 flight RGN-DMK, last to board, J was empty as usual so we had run of the cabin and took up the first couple of rows. Champers pre-dep, lots of banter and fun with close mates.

Turns out there was a promotion on - Thai Super Lucky Draw on all regional flights, part of the post-SARS recovery. One winner per flight, prize was a return trip for two on the same sector in the same class of travel with a year to use the prize. Fill out a form, cabin crew come around with a huge plastic bag, you drop it in etc

Half way through the short flight, CSM approaches me in 1A "Mr Archipelago, would you mind helping us by drawing the winner?"
"Sure, would love to, what do I have to do?"
"Just come back with me to the economy cabin, I'll announce the draw on the PA, you reach in and pick one out"
Head through the curtains and economy is absolutely packed. And there squashed in a middle seat in the front row of Y is Monsieur Jean, looking rather crestfallen when he recognises me as I come through with the CSM.
And at this point I am loving it, nothing else could make this flight better than seeing this DYKWIA who had constantly bagged Y and sprouted his connections etc

So I draw the card, and hand it to the CSM with a smile and head back through to J.

"Wait Mr Archipelago, come back. Its your card"

Yep - I drew my own entry, and although I did query the validity of it the CSM said there was nothing in the rules he had to say I couldn't be the winner. Photo Op at Don Mueang on arrival [still have the photo as proof], free tickets given as a voucher, and I never heard M. Jean ever brag about his DYKWIA status again.

I have often been told I am a lucky person - no huge lotto wins but I do seem to get a nice prize for some draw or other every now and then - but that was the sweetest win ever.

 

[Archipelago]

So this was bugging me on my commute this morning.

Is it "Do you know who I am?", as a genuine question, or "Don't you know who I am?", as a statement?

Has anyone heard the actual phrase uttered by a real-life DYKWIA?

Have to agree with you on this question. In my head I always read it as "Do you know who I am?" rather than the approved definition here.

In saying this - Eddie Izzard is to blame...https://youtu.be/Bq03xebtbeU?t=135

edit: Oh, and if you watch that short youtube clip from the link above, you'll probably start saying it in his voice in future too. Be warned [but it is hilarious though]

 

[Corespec]

I heard the following DYKWIA story some years ago. It was purportedly an actual Australian occurrence, but I suspect it may be just a story, albeit a great example in how to deal with prickly customers. I apologise for the profanity, but the effect is lost without it.

The customer service desk of a major airline was particularly busy dealing with a long line of varyingly agitated customers, trying to get on flights after a number of cancellations. The very well presented customer service lady was dealing very efficiently with their needs when up rushed a very agitated man demanding that he be put on the very next flight out.

The lady behind the counter very politely indicated that she had a very long line of customers in the same situation and that he should take his place at the end of the line and he would be accommodated ASAP. With that, he started thumping the counter and demanding that he be attended to immediately. Again it was politely suggested that he needed to go to the end of the line.

Highly agitated at this stage, out came the “don’t you know who I am”? With that, the customer service lady very calmly picked up the microphone to the PA system and said “excuse me ladies and gentlemen, but I have a man here at the front counter who does not know who he is. Can anybody identify him please?”

With that the even more highly agitated male said “oh! cough* you!!” to which the very quick customer service lady retorted “I’m sorry sir, but you’ll have to stand in line to do that too!!”

Throughout life, whether it be on airlines, in hotels or whatever, I have found that generally you will get a whole lot further by being calm and treating people with respect. An approach that works very well is “I have somewhat of a problem, and I’m wondering if you could help me please?” Generally most will go out of their way to help you in whatever way is within their power; and don’t forget a very big “THANK YOU” whether you have achieved your goal or they have just done their very best to assist, but have not been successful.

 

[drron]

Not if you're entitled to it by being a Platinum...

That's when I will tap one of them on the shoulder and say I am life time platinum so go to the end of the queue.IKWIA as well.

 

[Icarus3619]

Ok well yes that is rude by any standard, but the OP was a bit ambiguous.

Didn't think I was. The point was clear in the original post. I was under the impression that I was being misinterpreted. But anyway, it was an action that I thought was unbelievably rude.

 

[anat0l]

That's when I will tap one of them on the shoulder and say I am life time platinum so go to the end of the queue.IKWIA as well.

Hypothetically, what if said person ignored your request and kept right on going?

 

[prozac]

Hypothetically, what if said person ignored your request and kept right on going?

Sounds then, like cabin bags at 10 paces...

 

[Denali]

QF61 a few weeks ago BNE to NRT. Priority boarding lane has a long line up. Strange since there are only 28 seats in Business. A group of four walk down to the head of the line, push in front, board the plane and proceed down to Y class. Sense of entitlement or what?

I forget about the status flyers. My husband is happy to line up while waiting for the counters to open (small airport in china) and Im like, "Theres only 8 seats, don't bother". Then hubby gets stuck behind someone that wants to argue about an upgrade (that he didn't get) and its all my fault. Now I just let him stand there if he wants.

Same with him boarding. Ive explained to him that Seat 1A doesn't mean first on board but hes like a damned kid in a candy shop - high on jet fuel and excited, waiting for gates to open.

Obviously we travel for fun and not work so hes not jaded yet, just excited.

 

[anat0l]

Sounds then, like cabin bags at 10 paces...

Well, if only for those days, to demand satisfaction...


One thing I have seen is that if people don't get their way, they don't necessarily back down quietly, but rather they will be a complete <backside> to the furthest extent that will not get them offloaded, arrested or charged. Most of the time, it means a "show" (or the onset of a headache) and a waste of time.

 

[Pushka]

Yes, I do the same but walking straight up to the head of the line, pushing in and walking straight through to Y takes gall.

If there is a priority then that is the way it works. You are called to board first.

I was made gold by virtue of MrP's flying and this was pre AFF and I didnt know what it meant. I lined up at HK with my mother at the far end of the queue. Crew members walked along the slow queue checking BP's. Finally got to mine and he looked at me and shook his head and then took me and my mother straight to the front of the queue. We were in Y.

I dont push in front of others if there is no priority lane. But I do expect that priority lane to be boarded first.

 

[drron]

Hypothetically, what if said person ignored your request and kept right on going?

Just hope the gate agent noted the conversation.He/she would have heard it.
You really didn't think an old f*rt like me would actually use anything more than words do you.
The one time I have used this line though it worked.