Ian Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 When renting a car in the UK a few months ago, (I tend to use holiday-autos.com /Alamo), I inadvertently put my title down as "Lord" (You get a little drop-down menu on the booking screen to fill your details in: Mr, Mrs, Rev, Dr, Lord etc).On picking my car up at Gatwick I was upgraded 7 grades - from basic Ford Ka to luxury saloon!! Nothing was ever mentioned - but considering I have perhaps rented cars in the UK about 150 times over the last few years and at best got bumped up to an Astra - I felt this had to be more than mere coincidence!Subsequent aristrocratic rental tactics have also paid-off with a range of free upgrades (7 grades is still my record)- though it is not always foolproof: there is the risk of coming up against a class-action warrior or snubbed labour-party-donor.. What upgrading tactics have you found useful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Thanks for the tip. Certainly have NEVER been upgraded on a plane despite dressing up to the nines and lugging expensive luggage. Have had a car upgrade once in Sardinia but I think that was more to do with the fact that they didn't have the basic model we had booked!Don't dress scruffily enough to pass for a baroness and, anyway, if I wear the Daks suit I bought in Chiswick High Road Oxfam, they'll probably just take me for a bag lady. Life is so..................unfair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Would it work on Ryanscare do you think m'lud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 5, 2007 Author Share Posted September 5, 2007 I'm not quite sure what an upgrade on RyanAir looks like... (A free scratch card? A seat that reclines? Priority boarding "status" doesn't seem to count for much...I prefer to get on later and pick who I sit next to!)I've not tried the Lordship gambit on the airlines - but I'm convinced it has worked with Alamo hire car in the UK. It's a shame they don't have more impressive titles, I quite fancy "Supreme Overlord". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Back in the 70s a colleague went to Butlins and another colleague phoned with an urgent message for Lord Power (Power being his surname). Apparently, there was great excitement by the manager - they actually had a Lord staying with them.So if anyone wants to have some fun when colleagues go on holiday - and you could always promote them to Duke or something similar.Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 How about 'Jedi Master' ?but then I suppose it wouldn't matter as you would just go to the check-in desk and say 'These are not the seats you are looking for, you will give me First Class seats' but there again if you were Yoda you'd probably fit in the overhead locker.Sorry, must get some coffee......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 The brother of a friend of mine in UK was frequently up in front of the beaks for minor misdeeds and being of a somewhat disrespectful demeanour changed his name by deed poll to Lord Iffy Boatrace, in the circumstances however I don't think his act of self engrandisment did him much good...[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Dordogne Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 But be careful or you may get a reputation for being a scam/con artist - there is a guy who lives here part-time who calls himself a Lord but isn't (I look up that sort of thing for a living and have checked his name/family all over the place for people who he has ripped off), he used to be a close associate with another Brit awaiting trial for mutliple fraud here, has managed to get himself a reputation as a real a**e and who trades on his 'title'.The man is a con artist and charleton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Dordogne Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 But be careful or you may get a reputation for being a scam/con artist - there is a guy who lives here part-time who calls himself a Lord but isn't (I look up that sort of thing for a living and have checked his name/family all over the place for people who he has ripped off), he used to be a close associate with another Brit awaiting trial for mutliple fraud here, has managed to get himself a reputation as a real a**e and who trades on his 'title'.The man is a con artist and rips people off for serious amounts of money whilst using his 'Title' locally and back in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 12, 2007 Author Share Posted September 12, 2007 Sound advice there Tony F. Though once would have been enough.As someone who-looks-up-this-sort-of-thing for a living, would you please "check all over the place" and confirm that I have never ripped anyone off. Indeed, I ordered a small car and was asked each and every time by alamo representatives whether I minded a larger vehicle (perhaps they had a surplus at that depot and I could help redress the balance). Fortunately for them I am an experienced and responsible driver who did not mind swapping to a larger, less environmentally friendly, more expensive to refuel and more difficult to park vehicle. I returned the car in pristine and full working order - and generally feel that I was a pleasure to deal with.His Imperial Majesty, Ian [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 [quote user="Tony F Dordogne"]... there is a guy who lives here part-time who calls himself a Lord but isn't (I look up that sort of thing for a living and have checked his name/family all over the place for people who he has ripped off), he used to be a close associate with another Brit awaiting trial for mutliple fraud here ... The man is a con artist and rips people off for serious amounts of money whilst using his 'Title' locally and back in the UK. [/quote]That is just so strange ... where we used to live before coming to France there was this man/guy who called himself Lord ... quite a variety of names, 'Lord Charles something' rings a bell. Anyway he caused no end of fuss and bother with just about everyone from the water board to the police, social services etc you name it. In the end he put his ramshackle house up for sale on the internet and conned someone into paying an awful lot of cash for it - far more than it was worth, especially as it would be very difficult to resell as it wasn't possible to get a mortgage on it because of the 'unusual construction'.Crikey it's not possible he came to France, is it?Some things never change.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 [quote user="Ian"]As someone who-looks-up-this-sort-of-thing for a living, would you please "check all over the place" and confirm that I have never ripped anyone off. [/quote]You can always PM Tony a full list of all the names you use / have used. It's probably not the sort of thing you want to post on a forum.[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I'm so looking forward to my lesson next week with the National Training Manager of Alamo..........................[:D] (BTW, they're now owned by Europcar in the UK, and, if you're going to the US they've recently been bought out by Enterprise over there, just in case you want to broaden your Lordly horizons!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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