Business Class Smash

[OaklandZoo]

Az calls it a Gaijin Smash, seeing that he did it in front of mostly Japanese people, but anybody with a business/first class can do this. And I did it last year as well.

Airline N, which I was going to board originally, said they were heavily overbooked, and that they are looking for people to switch to Airline C. So I said ok and they gave me a business class ticket. And now with this newfound power, I was able to access the suite they set up especially for those with the powers. And I think the suite might have been my faovirte part.

Az, about the connecting flight from LA to SF. Didn't they give you an upgraded ticket for that flight at Kansai? When I got connected at Newark to get to da 'Burgh, because of the upgraded ticket I got to go through the special security line, which was WAY shorter.

[kitsunepixie]

I think he met metaphorically...by virtue of his big, long-legged gaijin body, features that normally drew stares from Japanese people, he was able to upgrade and walk right past them with his head held high. ;)

[OaklandZoo]

But the wall that stands between economy class passengers like most of us, and the fortunate bastards who get to travel high class is something we all acknowledge. Trust me, in this case it doesn't matter who you are, you can still feel overwhelmingly powerful.

[laggedreaction]

This reminds me of when I flew first class from LAX to NRT last year. Not only was I in first class, but my aunt's husband is a security guard at LAX. He's a really lonely guy too so he was following me around everywhere, making stupid jokes.

That definitely got quite a few looks. Two of other first class passengers were like "You have a special security escort?!? WTF? Who are you ?" LOL.

Yeah, there's a world of difference in attitude between first class and economy.

[gyoza]

My parents work with Singapore Airlines and so I can get business class upgrades almost half the time without having to be a huge black guy. :)

[neta]

That is so so true about LA, so so true! When I came back for the first time I had forgotten how much of an ass the average employee is allowed to be in America. The courtsey here in Japan is simply amazing compared to LA. And the thing about security checks is right on to, the way the police were asking questions to Japanese who could barely speak english was just shameful...

[Livre]

I remember a few years ago, when I had turned 14, my parents decided that my sister and I should visit out relatives in BC for two weeks in July. (My mother's brother and sister plus their families live in Vancouver and Victoria)

Security out of Ottawa was ok, and aside from my sister almost walking onto a Hong Kong flight and putting her ticket and Health Card in a Shounen Jump then losing it at the airport (We got it back when I realised it was gone) we got to Vancouver in one piece. However, the security out was nightmare. My sister was only 12, and I had left her mini nail clipper (it was about 2 centimetres long) in her bag and they security dragged her off to side to ask her why she had it. T-T Then, seeing I had a CD/MP3 player, they dragged off to the side and dusted it and such. Maybe they suspected us because we were two young kids alone, but it was still scary at the time.

[Angelyne]

LAX is the worst airport I've ever been to. Obviously, that doesn't excuse the rudeness of the employees there, but the employees and all of the airline bullshit are a bit more tolerable elsewhere. I just don't think it's fair to make generalizations based on LAX employees because their rudeness and stupidity is quite extreme.