I’d flown here before
The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are quite short-tempered. They expect one not only to know one’s gate parking location, but also how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a PanAm 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747 (call sign “Speedbird 206”) after landing:
Speedbird 206: “Top of the morning Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of the active runway.”
Ground: “Guten morgen! Taxi to your gate.”
The big British Airways 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.
GND: “Speedbird, don’t you know where you are going?”
BAW206: “Stand by a moment ground, I’m looking up our gate location now.”
GND (with some arrogant impatience): “Speedbird 206, have you never flown to Frankfurt before?!?”
BAW206 (coolly): “Yes, I have, in 1944. In another type of Boeing. I didn’t stop.”