How long before the Concierge Service is gutted?
 

Since I've never been an SE, I never got a chance to experience the Concierge Service. But from what I've read here, it's one of the most sought-after perks of being an SE100K.

With all the recent cutbacks, devaluations, gutting of the FF program - whatever you want to call it - do you guys not think that the Concierge Service is also in AC's crosshairs?

The website indicates that there are 150+ concierge agents in the workforce, and quite a few stationed outside of N. America. This must have some impact on AC's bottom line.

Finally, if they did decide to do away with this program, would it influence your decision to go for SE100K status?

How long before the Concierge Service is gutted?
 

I've had some great service from the Concierges over the years. And some not so great service. The big thing for me was being able to get a hold of someone who could help in IROPS. It was a big worry of switching to United; however, that has been one of the best surprises at United. I've gotten better service from agents in the United Club or even just check-in. I believe it for one simple reason - they are not terrified of getting in trouble from management. I've had them move me into F, J Y and B fares to make sure I get to my destination. Send me to different cities and pay for ground transportation so I can make a meeting. Take an earlier flight or later flight at no charge. Every time I asked the concierge something it was "I'm going to get in trouble for doing that". BTW - I'm not asking United to do something they shouldn't. They are offering up these options. Same with AC. I just asked to get to my destination.

shhhhhhh... can we just continue to let AC SE's believe that the concierge is a benefit that other airlines dont provide.


The UC agents are the best. Oh your flight to BUF is delayed by an hour, we'll just send you to YYZ.. No charge. No hassle.

Agreed - I've always been impressed with how empowered UA agents are to 'make it right.'

It will be gutted next year after they have announced the SE benefits. You can protest but you will be told that "in the interests of being fair to all passengers and economic considerations this benefit has been identified by our focus group as being unnecessary. In keeping with our listening to our customers policy we have therefore cancelled this benefit"

If this is true I will finally be out! Bye bye SE!

UA agents are great for working with you during IROPS. Way better than AC (on average).

Also loved getting single-agent phone assistance from the 1K desk (reservations / awards / baggage / etc). Far preferable to getting "priority access" to several different call centres.

With some neuro-linguistic programming it becomes

This is definitely very negative. Hope they can come up with something else to make people happy.

While I have been quite cynical about "enhanced benefits", the concierge service is the hallmark of being a super Elite. I do not think that AC will tinker with this one.

Now for accumulation levels, upgrades, and other SE benefits, all bets are off.

I am good friends with a concierge. I will get the scoop tomorrow.

Couldn't agree more with some of the previous posters. AC supervises Concierges' actions so they are paralyzed with fear of being reprimanded. I had one concierge tell me that if she upgraded me the way she used to 4+ years ago, she would have an email the next morning asking her to justify her actions.

Run of the mill UA agents seem to be able to do what it takes to make you happy even if it means changing your fare class to full Y to improve your odds at upgrading.

As for gutting the concierge service, that will be done "at the request of our loyal Altitude members ..." ;)

I'm honestly surprised at the replies here because I thought that it was just me.... It's one thing I would be happy to see taken away, if replaced by the UA type service I have received over the years.

When you see the concierge,ask why all the pictures are off the walls at YYZ concierge office.(I like it that all the hollywood stars are gone BTW) Noted that on my way through a few weeks ago

The concierge does not work in YYZ. ;)

I was told by one of them that they pics will be back up eventually... no?

Does anyone know if a new appointment has been made to lead the Concierge program after the "departure" of the previous head?

Having been SE for many years, my experience(s) with concierges has been most variable. When living in Edmonton, I'd often get calls about flight delays from the concierge. Once in Toronto on my way to LHR, I was greeted and walked through security by one, much impressing my colleague. At the other end, CP's old concierge (David?) was the most amiable and helpful, and he appeared in the BBC series "Airport" and parodied in another British satire on the airport and an LCC. However, when I really needed help with tight connections or cancelled flights of late, they've been nowhere to be found to help. So losing them would not be a great loss in my opinion...particularly as I have decided to ditch AC generally.

David still there and always helpful ,polite and courteous.I stop in to say hi
I am still with AC and the benefit can be very helpful. I call on them when required. No reason to use them in quite some time;)
To be fair ,I ditched UA, generally, quite some time ago.:p:D;)

I will take expert and efficient over amiable and helpful any day.

Good move! Though you don't seem to have completely ditched them. I did!

In my experience, they are always there when you need them (except in YUL, where they are completely absent all the time). When the big snowstorm hit YYZ this last winter, they helped me get out on the first flight out. A minor miracle considering the state the airport was in. And they got my colleague on the flight too. Since the thread is pure speculation however, I'm not going to lose a lot of sleep over this.

Wish I could. Places like Palm Springs CA:D, and Louisville,Kentucky :eek:are destinations I cannot get to on AC direct.

That would be a good indication where AC is taking the program. Holding on to Concierge Service doesn't quite fit in to the new defensive line of We're just falling in line with other airlines yada yada that AC spits out each time they've been dialling back benefits recently.

Andrew was in charge of the concierges since DADS left. I believe it's just an interim position however. (I heard DADS went to SPG.)

Impressive. Concierges service AC's more important customers, yet making those customers happy causes a concierge to risk being disciplined.

Yes, they have hired a replacement based in Montreal...a guy named Mark or Michael...did not pay close attention

Some Concierges in YYZ are wonderful, others not so much... Wish there was greater consistency

Best in YVR

Yes, I've found varying levels in YYZ. Concierges can be extremely helpful if you know how to ask for things. For example, "there was a schedule change, can you please change my flights to... (something completely different)" works if that's true. SDCs are possible too sometimes further in advance than otherwise.

Although I tend to avoid YYZ, that is where I have had the best service from the concierge. I do think that the service is very variable, and seems to be less effective outside Canada.

I never really understood why I had a 'concierge'; I just want someone to help me to resolve an issue quickly and efficiently, and to be able to do more than just protect me on a later flight with the same routing. For that the UA staff are generally great.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9780; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.666 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

I'm guessing you've never been to SYD.

I think that the question is more having used their service rather than having been somewhere or having needed the service. 98% of the time I don't need their services. I only need them during irregular ops or odd situations. I've never seen a need for this group otherwise.

You dont have much choice based in YSB but stick by AC now do you?
left AC for UA 2 years ago and best move ever!

I may be the "only" one here who does not have the concerns that everyone else has,other than the scam charges to which I agree with all of the rest.

I manage to get the upgrades to which status is key. I care about the extra space. Food ,movies,wine,bin space..... are all items that are nice to have. Seat space is a must have when I travel and that makes SE a valuable tool.

I agree that choice is restricted ex YSB, and expensive. Hence my revenue based advocacy for FF status . I was always amazed that 10K, or less worth of travel to ASIA would get you SE status . For many years I labored in Y with approximately 100 segments annually and all it got me was E. It was also expensive.

FT educated me and the Dos gave me an opportunity to meet AC executives who listened to me as well as many others.^

Will stay with AC/Express until I retire ,most likely;):D

But AC doesn't have anything like a revenue based FF program. Buy a $10K TATL J ticket and you get virtually nothing from AC.

AC management seem to have taken the ridiculously simple view that SEs are valuable - while all other FFs are not worth having. This would include all mid-tier elites and also those pax who buy full fare J tickets - who they continue to treat as second class citizens.

I'm not sure why anyone would continue to defend a management team that has such a simplistic, naïve and poorly thought through approach to customer relations?

Back on topic I think that AC will likely keep the concierge program for the immediate future - if only due to management's poorly constructed approach to customer segmentation.

Depending on the route and class of travel, you do not need to be SE to be entitled/able to "enjoy" the Concierge Service.

In case of North American IROP, On My Way is a cheap and better alternative to the Concierge Service.

At LHR, Kelvin is the person you're talking about. He was promoted to manager there and so isn't on the floor as often.

Five return trips YSB <--> Asia gets you SE?

Nice.

Moses Beacon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqyaVcM5pGc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVZIEAODhEE

I love "Come Fly with Me."

YSB/YYZ/HKG/BKK return for approx.2000.00 netted close to 20K Q miles last January
Watch the Thai booking class.

Yes! This is the nonsense I've mentioned many times before where I was paying $300 more to go FLL-YYZ-YVR-YYC, so that I could get a pod on YYZ-YVR, and they kicked me off my flight under the guise that there would only have been 30 min left from the time I checked my bag back in after customs - and so I said fine that sucks but I can live with it, put me YYZ-YYC direct, and the concierge kept saying she would get in trouble, and that i had to keep the same routing, even without pod - had to argue for 30 min, and finally pull out the "I had a kosher meal ordered on the original flight, you damn well better on this flight, or else you'll offend my religious sensibilities" card. That incident and one with the old man at LHR have soured my view on concierges.

:(

Tedgrrrr, you need to do some housekeeping of your PM box, by the way