Originally Posted by
Global321
I agree with this being lame... you would think AA would want to give their own Emerald's a benefit to encourage more loyalty to AA. If you are an EXP, you obviously fly a good amount and spend a good amount. And you chose AA as the place you want those miles/loyalty going. Every year I at least consider switching to a foreign OW carrier for my status. (Domestic flight access to FLs + no $$ spend on at least some of them.)
It would cost nothing to allow this. EXPs flying other OW carriers wouldn't be making the lines longer, as they would have no reason to stop at the check-in desks. It's literally just a small courtesy to allow them to walk to the front of the line. The vast, vast majority of EXPS wouldn't even bother to do it anyway.