So it turns out that flight attendants, gate agents and airport personnel in international airports are on just as much of a power trip as their respective counterparts in the United States. I am not sure why I thought that this would be any different in other parts of the world.
This morning I am at the counter to talk to the Lufthansa guard of the Star Alliance Gold lounge during my layover in Frankfurt and he's giving me static about not having my United Premiere Exec card. I am asking him very simple and polite questions to figure out what I need to do to get into this lounge (besides flying over 50 thousand soul crushing miles this year so far). And he says to me:
"I zoo nut hhhhaveee timee to explain, I am verrrry beeezzey."
I wanted to scream at him:
"You get paid to stand here and deal with people that walk up to this counter. Explaining this to me is EXACTLY what you should have time for!"
Instead I just nodded and smiled stiffly and walked away. He better just wait till I am back for the layover on my return flight. He'll get his.
So not only are international gate agents on a power trip, one woman totally tried to pull a fast one on me.
I am sitting at the gate, post altercation with German lounge guard, and an agent approaches me and asks me very officially if I have filled out this form. I get slightly concerned and say no, what form do I need to fill out. She responds with some official description of what very obviously is Lufthansa's mileage account. After the newly realized uselessness of all my stupid United Miles, I had no intention of signing up for more useless crap that will only lead to electronic and physical spam mail. I say "No Thanks" and go back to my book (which is awesome - details on this forthcoming). This for some reason appalls her and she continues to tell me - in her very official international gate agent manner - that this is something that is very important for me to fill out. After her 7.5 minute tirade on the importance of filling out this application, I tell her I already have a miles account. When she realized that I know that there is no reason I have to deal with her and her un-fruitful mileage account she finally says OK and leaves. Of course, she begins her official harassment of the next person over...
This morning I am at the counter to talk to the Lufthansa guard of the Star Alliance Gold lounge during my layover in Frankfurt and he's giving me static about not having my United Premiere Exec card. I am asking him very simple and polite questions to figure out what I need to do to get into this lounge (besides flying over 50 thousand soul crushing miles this year so far). And he says to me:
"I zoo nut hhhhaveee timee to explain, I am verrrry beeezzey."
I wanted to scream at him:
"You get paid to stand here and deal with people that walk up to this counter. Explaining this to me is EXACTLY what you should have time for!"
Instead I just nodded and smiled stiffly and walked away. He better just wait till I am back for the layover on my return flight. He'll get his.
So not only are international gate agents on a power trip, one woman totally tried to pull a fast one on me.
I am sitting at the gate, post altercation with German lounge guard, and an agent approaches me and asks me very officially if I have filled out this form. I get slightly concerned and say no, what form do I need to fill out. She responds with some official description of what very obviously is Lufthansa's mileage account. After the newly realized uselessness of all my stupid United Miles, I had no intention of signing up for more useless crap that will only lead to electronic and physical spam mail. I say "No Thanks" and go back to my book (which is awesome - details on this forthcoming). This for some reason appalls her and she continues to tell me - in her very official international gate agent manner - that this is something that is very important for me to fill out. After her 7.5 minute tirade on the importance of filling out this application, I tell her I already have a miles account. When she realized that I know that there is no reason I have to deal with her and her un-fruitful mileage account she finally says OK and leaves. Of course, she begins her official harassment of the next person over...
Yikes... One more leg of the journey to go and you're already having fun.
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