s0ssos

(I was wondering in which forum to put this, and looked around. On the first page there are plenty of threads talking about first-class on this airline versus business on another, so I think it'd fit)

This past year I got status. I've read flyertalk for many years, always thought about doing mileage runs but never really did any. I've seen many try to justify that they're actually saving money by doing mileage runs, because they attain status, get free upgrades, save on change fees, etc.

I've flown first-class this year as well, using Avios points to get tickets on BA to London. And business on ANA and SQ. But on those flights I didn't have status.

Now I have elite status on 2 airlines, soon to get a third. I didn't fly a lot to get them. I did a challenge on AA, flying BA (2 international flights get you that pretty quickly). After I got platinum on AA I matched to AS. And now I'm matching to UA.

What I realized is that status does mean something.
It means I don't wait in line, I get to cut in line, even though my parents taught me that is wrong.
It means I get to change things for free, have a special number to call to get a representative faster, and they are nicer to me.
It means I can check in bags like the olden days. It may also have meant I get expedited security clearance, but I have Global Entry anyway so I never had to worry about that.

But it also means I get annoyed when AS announces (on their little Q400 flights) that because of the delays because handicapped passengers had to board they are going to allow everybody to board at the same time. So I just wait in line like everybody else.
It means I get annoyed when there is nobody at the first-class checkin, and I have to wait there for the agent at the counter to finish with the economy-class passenger and then come serve me. Even though there are many many people still waiting in the economy line, who have been there much longer than I have.
It means I am annoyed that I have to wait in my seat, unable to buckle my seat belt or settle in, because some passengers who haven't boarded early are sitting at the window, when I am in the aisle seat.
It means I am annoyed that I didn't get upgraded to first-class, that my name is way down on the upgrade list.
It means I am annoyed when I fly Delta, because they don't really recognize AS MVP Gold.


As I read through the forums, I don't think I am alone in my sense of entitlement.
Why is so special when someone in first-class acts like a normal human being and helps out someone in economy? Why is the act of giving up a first-class seat noble, almost the equivalent of Nathan Hale wishing he had more than one life to give for his country when he was hanged?

I don't think first-class or elite status would be quite the same if they didn't accentuate class differences. But as such, people want to get elite status almost illogically. I found myself thinking of ways to get higher status. Even though it doesn't make sense financially (hmm, if I get executive platinum, then I will be even more special!). I find myself thinking about spending money on this hotel or that, even though I don't really want to stay there, so I can earn more points. For what reason? So I can get more points!

I guess people by now are asking what is the point. Maybe this is obvious to everybody already, the fact people want to get elite status so they can feel better than everybody else stuck in that "cattle class". Even though they sit in cattle class themselves as well, they get to board early, choose "premium" economy seats, check-in free luggage, wait in the "first-class" line.
I feel the real difference is that there isn't (as far as I know) an etiquette class for how to behave when you have status. And thus there is a wide range of behaviors. For upper-class families, the parents have taught their kids (or nannies or butler) how to behave. Not to flaunt their wealth. To be discreet. To be polite, always smile. What words to choose to not be thought of as condescending.


Maybe I'm just wrong. This is a normal evolution of consumerism. Allowing people to buy themselves status. Having outlet malls with "Coach" and "Hugo Boss" and "Gucci". And I should just accept it.
But (and I have been guilty of this myself) I still believe people should manners, etiquette, and be polite to all people, not look down at those lowly people with no status who fly in Y.

Gardyloo

Moving this to MilesBuzz.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

philemer

Moving to TB!

EricH

Look at how you're getting bounced around. No respect. No respect at all.

sunnyzip

Lol...very annoying.....

nrr

You (now) should update your profile here on FT to show your "entitlements".

Annalisa12

Buy a first or business class ticket from the onset and then you won't have to wait to find out if you are upgraded and you can get on the plane first.

LondonElite

If I read your post correctly, you did a challenge to get AA Platinum, the rest was points travel and status matching. You're not really a very valuable customer to any airline from the sounds of it, but maybe I'm wrong. And with all those status matches (which you can usually do only once every five or so years), unless you actually fly those airlines (or alliances) the shiny plastic is not of any real value (and you won't retain the status for the next year). Your sense of entitlement is going to hit you very hard when the party's over!

CPRich

entitlement - the fact of having a right to something.

If the airlines have granted you a certain status, you are entitled. You have the right to those benefits. I'm entitled to live in my house, because I've paid for it. It's not a bad word, it's just a fact.

btw, you're not "cutting in line". Unless you're jumping ahead of other already standing in the elite boarding line, you're using the line that you are supposed to use.

If there are handicaped, kids, military waiting to board, and there's an "all call" boarding announcement, they certainly should be allowed to go. I've always done that, and I've almost always seen everyone else do the same - at least for handicap/children.

84fiero

Elite status isn't the cause of your feelings, that's your personal psyche, ego, pride, etc. Describing coach passengers as "lowly people" shows that.

I don't think most people are after elite status in order to "feel better than everybody else stuck in that "cattle class"", though some do apparently. If someone needs to have special status with an airline in order to boost their feelings of self-worth, then they have some internal issues that they need to work on. Anyone who acts like they are better than others, for whatever reason - airline status or anything else - is to be pittied.

I used to have status in 2 airlines (all earned BIS) before work assignments reduced my travel. Never once did I feel or think any differently because of it. Certainly I didn't seek status in order to feel better than anyone else. I enjoyed the benefits while I had them, but they are fleeting things. Some elite benefits used to be free to all (checked bag) and no some of them are attainable by simply signing up for a credit card.

I would definitely disagree that "upper class" people are more likely to be polite, kind, and not flaunt their wealth.

WWGuy

Still can't identify the point of this rambling missive. I have elite traveller status because I spend a lot of time and money traveling. This is how I earn my living and provide for my family. Airlines recognize my loyalty and spend by granting a few perks to ease the discomfort and encourage me to do business with them. None of this has anything to do with arrogance or condescension towards my fellow passengers.

Perhaps the OP might understand this better if he/she earned and maintained elite status by sacrificing the money, time, and discomfort most others do to earn it.

pinniped

In 1995, when I first reached AA Plat, I looked at status as a loyalty mechanism: AA would give me really nice perks in exchange for me continuing to fly AA. A pretty nice F cabin I could upgrade to, Platinum Service Centers in various airports, really top-quality phone support, excellent lounge agents, no-hassle service (even if I wanted to buy a ticket at the airport), and general pleasantness when I traveled.

In 2014, I look at status as a necessary means to simply obtain passable customer service that airlines really should provide *everyone*, but don't. Elite status is now the basic ticket to entry to a barely-tolerable experience, with non-status used as a tool of punishment to others.

Because I'm elite, I reach perhaps AT&T-quality customer service. Because you are non-elite, you get Comcast-quality customer service. That's about the difference.

We shouldn't be asking why I get to skip a queue: we should ask why that queue exists at all to begin with.

BearX220

How would that be possible?

Well, the OP obtained status by sideways means -- doing challenges instead of flying 25,000 or 50,000 miles in coach.

I don't understand what point the OP is trying to make at all.

The whole status game (which means a lot less in tangible benefits than it used to, at least in the US) is just a micro-model of humans' tendency to classify and organize themselves by tiers, and then advertise their rank within those tiers to others. People do exactly the same behaviors when buying cars, houses, clothes, whisky, watches, etc. -- any "plumage" item. Some people own BMWs because they appreciate the engineering and design, some have them because they want to rub their friends' faces in the statusy blue-and-white roundel.

In the airline sphere, some get off on flaunting their pre-boarding, upgrade-loving, PDB-savoring perks in front of others... there is plenty of repulsive talk on FT mocking "the great unwashed," "the Kettles," "those people back in steerage," etc. Which is equal to laughing while driving your BMW past your Chevy-owning peers and splashing mud on them.

But most normal people either achieve airline status unconsciously / passively, flying when and where they have to, or work at it a little bit to take some of the sting out of what's become the genuinely unpleasant experience of regular air travel. They're not trying to impress or hack off "the great unwashed," they just want to get through security, get their bag in the overhead bin, sit in an aisle seat, and get going.

pinniped

Oh, add me to the list of those who have pursued a status "illogically".

- I have done two airline status-matches in the past, solely to have a low- or mid-tier status while I flew a single trip. There was zero purpose to it besides some degree of IRROPs insurance and being able to access priority queues or lounges. They were international itineraries with family in tow, so it was worth it for peace of mind - even though I was 100% sure I wouldn't requalify the status and fairly certain that airline would frown upon future status match requests. (Most are once per five years, once per lifetime, or once per computer system upgrade.)

The trips operated normally and I was happy to not really *need* the status.

- I've done hotel status matches for similar purposes...just to ensure a good room for a particularly-important trip. Those have actually paid off greatly: it was how I first discovered Hilton. Thought they did such a nice job for me as a mere Gold in Hawaii that I ended up becoming pretty active in the program over the 10-15 years that followed.

- I've paid cash for a US Airways status...$430 for Gold status for 90 days which dropped to Silver for the following year. Timed it to hit a few international lounges and obtain enough baggage allowance for a golf trip for 4 people. Also took quite a few family trips where we checked bags. The kicker on this one was that - much to my surprise in 2012 - US Airways actually upgraded us a *ton* with those low/mid-level statuses. Had over an 80% success rate in about 30 eligible person-segments when I completely did *not* expect it. Lots of successful 2-person upgrades.

So while my initial motivation might have been barely "logical", that one ended up paying off on the back end in a big way. Likely the product of my home airport being somewhat of a US backwater.

Renaldo

"What words to choose to not be thought of as condescending................not look down at those lowly people with no status who fly in Y."
Lowly people?