I realize we´ve discussed this beforehand, but "contacting concierges by phone / e-mail" is not an advertised benefit for int´l J pax.

However, I agree AC concierges could actually be more helpful in helping J pax at the airport - especially when you´ve tracked them down and they´re not flooded with helping other pax.

IMO AC could implement a "priority line" for int´l J pax where you identify yourself with your PNR, so you at least don´t have to wait 10-60min when calling the regular line. LH has just introduced this feature for its F pax and it´s definitely an improvement.

However, when it comes to airport-related matters which can only be handled by concierges (or other airport staff), I think it´s just not feasible to provide phone access for all J pax.

Every airline should do this for both J and F pax. I booked a revenue F ticket with Air India once through expedia. Tried to get through to the airline for seat selection. After 1.5 hours on hold and frustration, I canceled the ticket within the 24 hour window.

AC wait times are brutal for non-Elite pax, and if you're in J, you should not have to wait to call in regardless of status.

I hope these changes aren't the start of a cost saving measure that means we always go to a centralized dispatch when trying to contact an airport concierge. i.e.

Same-day travel? Press 1 - forwards to concierge dispatch, who will then forward your request or call to airport concierge if deemed necessary.

No same-day travel? Press 2 to forward to SE desk


I rarely use the concierge (once a year), but the primary reason is because they're at the airport I'm flying into or out of.

I very much hope that pressing option 2 gets you directly to the airport concierge office. I certainly have no interest in explaining the issue twice, and certainly not to some unqualified "dispatcher" who isn´t familiar with the airport in question.

Oftentimes the issue is rather time sensitive (short connection and asking concierge to call gate; need to be rebooked during irrops etc.); not to mention roaming costs.

Wrong. No concierge dispatch. You end up at the SE desk if you hit 2 (at least I did). If your request should be routed to a concierge you need to call back. They told me to call back and push 1 this time as noted above in post #71!

I know it's not like that now, but I'm worried this is coming down the line under the enhancement of 24-hour concierges.

Understood. I'm not sure which one is worse. Being routed to the proper person or being told to hang up and call again. But I guess we're used to that with AC and AE when you don't get the answer you want! Just odd to be told by the agent to do it. Maybe they should work on their prompts.

Landed in Zurich and transferring to Milan. I was greeted by the AC Concierge who took me through transfer security and immigration in a flash. She then took to the Swiss lounge and showed me around. That's service.

That would never happen in YYZ.:D

Well, with hundreds of SEs coming through YYZ each day it wouldn´t be very practical.

Though I´m still dreaming of the day AC introduces golf carts with (maybe with a throne on top) to drive SEs around the airport.:D (i.e. something similar to the TG F experience at BKK)

Imagine some dragon driving us in one of those TG's carts to our next flight?:D I just got a visual.:p

Well, if it´s a dragon she could effectively use her attitude and keep shouting "out of the way - first class" while (nearly) running over any pax who don´t jump aside.:p (my last experience at BKK:eek:)

Looks like Super Elites are losing Concierge access until day of departure now

This was discussed here on FT over a week ago - so far it´s hard to say whether this change is minor or not IMO.

I doubt this change was implemented because 1 out of 1000 SEs called the concierge to have them make a restaurant reservation for the following week. Instead I´d assume that

1) many SEs are clueless about what concierges can / cannot do and contacted the concierges when they should have called the SE line
2) some SEs "abused" the benefit by calling their local concierge office / treating them as their personal assistants asking them to deal with issues the regular res line can do (also - afaik - most concierges are not fully trained ticketing agents - so bothering them regarding complex ticket issues is an issue; IME some concierges don´t even know how to process a SDC)

The "day of departure" wording is somewhat restrictive, though I honestly can´t think of many cicumstances where one would need to contact the concierge more than 24-48h before departure/arrival.

Is this all based on the phone system? It's not like they'll deny you access if you contact them ahead of time. Just press 1 instead of 2 :p

I sent an email to a concierge a couple weeks ago about a flight next week, because I want to stand by for a flight that violates MCT, and I wanted to know if it was even possible to do that, so I could tell my family that I'd likely be arriving 3 hours earlier than scheduled.

I got a reply saying it would be no problem (as long as I have no checked bags), and to contact them again on the day of departure to be put on the standby list.

This is exactly the sort of question you need an airport agent, because phone reservation agents are not going to be familiar enough with the airport layout, and maybe not even standby policies, from my experience.

And they did respond quickly. And by sending an email, I gave them the opportunity to respond when they had nothing more urgent to do, whereas calling them will take up their time regardless of how urgent your issue is, or how many fires they're dealing with at the airport.

But anyway, that article seems really lacking of facts. There is a new phone system that directs you to reservations if you're not travelling today. That is very different from "the concierge won't help you". And I still think the phone system is just being put in place so that they can better control access (I foresee a "Please enter your Aeroplan number" prompt), rather than a way to get Super Elites to stop calling the concierge.