Nothing "super" about SE status
May 17, 2018, 1:12 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC SE100K, Emerald Exec, HHG
Posts: 631
In previous years, I saw proactive intervention by the concierge whether it was switching my PY Seat at the gate so I didn't have someone next to me, or calling to notify me of a delay later in the day. I have not received a call, or interaction from a concierge in over a year for any sort of proactive action.. While I don't agree with the OP that SE offers no value, that is simply not true objectively, there has been a significant devaluation of the service over the past year that is well documented in another thread.
May 17, 2018, 1:29 pm
#17
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: AC-SEMM, AA-Gold
Posts: 962
In previous years, I saw proactive intervention by the concierge whether it was switching my PY Seat at the gate so I didn't have someone next to me, or calling to notify me of a delay later in the day. I have not received a call, or interaction from a concierge in over a year for any sort of proactive action.. While I don't agree with the OP that SE offers no value, that is simply not true objectively, there has been a significant devaluation of the service over the past year that is well documented in another thread.
May 17, 2018, 1:42 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
May 17, 2018, 1:54 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
I'm not going to go into details with the preemptive/proactive/solicited/unsolicited service I've received from the concierges, but like many here who will also not post about such things (you know that I know who you are!), I can say that the concierge has come through for me at times that I most needed it. I've posted about a few situations in the past here, but I'll let people dig it out themselves. 
I suspect, like all things in nature, it's a probability game. The probability of legitimately requiring Concierge service is proportional to the frequency at which the SE flies. If the SE typically flies ULH TPACs yearly and enough to hit the lower end of the AQM threshold, then their need for concierge service is most likely less. Last year was my highest AC metal volume in years... 300+ flights*. It also happened to be the year in which I experienced the most concierge interaction, most of it being preemptive. Years as SE when flying mainly TATL and TPAC (~150 flights per year), my concierge interaction/requirement was much, much less.
So to the OP, if you've been SE for a short time, or don't fly on AC metal with high frequency, I suspect your need for the concierge would be much less. Is this true?
However, if you expect the concierge to be at your beck and call, feed you grapes while fanning you with palm leaves at the a cabana, then I guess you're right in that the concierge is useless.
* Note that "300+" could mean 1,000. It just simply means "at least 300"!
I suspect, like all things in nature, it's a probability game. The probability of legitimately requiring Concierge service is proportional to the frequency at which the SE flies. If the SE typically flies ULH TPACs yearly and enough to hit the lower end of the AQM threshold, then their need for concierge service is most likely less. Last year was my highest AC metal volume in years... 300+ flights*. It also happened to be the year in which I experienced the most concierge interaction, most of it being preemptive. Years as SE when flying mainly TATL and TPAC (~150 flights per year), my concierge interaction/requirement was much, much less.
So to the OP, if you've been SE for a short time, or don't fly on AC metal with high frequency, I suspect your need for the concierge would be much less. Is this true?
However, if you expect the concierge to be at your beck and call, feed you grapes while fanning you with palm leaves at the a cabana, then I guess you're right in that the concierge is useless.
* Note that "300+" could mean 1,000. It just simply means "at least 300"!
May 17, 2018, 2:01 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Every SE needs to go through this at least once in their life. In fact, it should be a new perk offered by AC.
(yes, tongue-in-cheek, but there is some truth to it)
May 17, 2018, 3:49 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Ice Cream Club, AC SE MM, Bonvoy Life Plat
Posts: 2,803
Put a SE and VIP next to each other on a flight, and one will see immediately see that the SE is the "chopped liver".
Every SE needs to go through this at least once in their life. In fact, it should be a new perk offered by AC.
(yes, tongue-in-cheek, but there is some truth to it)
Every SE needs to go through this at least once in their life. In fact, it should be a new perk offered by AC.
(yes, tongue-in-cheek, but there is some truth to it)
May 17, 2018, 3:52 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC SE100K, Emerald Exec, HHG
Posts: 631
May 17, 2018, 3:57 pm
#23
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,779
I suspect, like all things in nature, it's a probability game. The probability of legitimately requiring Concierge service is proportional to the frequency at which the SE flies. If the SE typically flies ULH TPACs yearly and enough to hit the lower end of the AQM threshold, then their need for concierge service is most likely less. [...]
So to the OP, if you've been SE for a short time, or don't fly on AC metal with high frequency, I suspect your need for the concierge would be much less. Is this true?
So to the OP, if you've been SE for a short time, or don't fly on AC metal with high frequency, I suspect your need for the concierge would be much less. Is this true?
Last year was my highest AC metal volume in years... 300+ flights*.
Ho, if you expect the concierge to be at your beck and call, feed you grapes while fanning you with palm leaves at the a cabana, then I guess you're right in that the concierge is useless.
Last edited by Adam Smith; May 17, 2018 at 4:24 pm
May 17, 2018, 6:10 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YHZ
Programs: AC-SE MM, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 298
Disagree with the OP. When sh!t goes sideways, concierge staff is always on top of it (or at the very least incredibly responsive). Close to top of the list always (I will admit, I am SEMM so that puts me ahead of SE). The (even watered down) IKK is better than everyone else. No fuel surcharge is nice too.
May 17, 2018, 6:18 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Mississauga Ontario
Posts: 4,105
But I am probably expecting too much.
IMHO, the service as it currently exists is just about next to useless.
May 17, 2018, 8:06 pm
#28
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: *G^2, Bonvoyed, NEXUS
Posts: 3,516
If AC has J30, 29 rev pax, 1 eUp and one broken seat the eUp is going back to their original class regardless if they are P25 or SEMM. That is policy that is normally followed I believe. Now that’s extreme, and I doubt J30 is ever 29 rev pax so normally there would be some degree of status ensuring the MM gets their seat and any friends and family go down first..
May 17, 2018, 8:12 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Ice Cream Club, AC SE MM, Bonvoy Life Plat
Posts: 2,803
May 17, 2018, 11:42 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE; SPG Platnium; HH G
Posts: 551
Concierge service is hit and miss and is raraely proactive.
My worse experience was trip trip to Madrid three years ago through Frankfort from yyz.
was in lounge for six hours before departure, was SE and flying J. Was flying AC and connecting with Lufthansa to get to Madrid. Found out when I landed next morning that Lufthansa was on strike. Concierge in Frankfort never understand why they didn’t put me on one of many other options or give me a choice at least. Since the strike was well known in advance. Ended up getting on various connections to arrive over twelve hours late to Madrid and lost a day there.
when I asked AC how this could happen that no one in Toronto would contact an SE flying in J that there was a strike and there connection is cancelled I got a shrug.
My worse experience was trip trip to Madrid three years ago through Frankfort from yyz.
was in lounge for six hours before departure, was SE and flying J. Was flying AC and connecting with Lufthansa to get to Madrid. Found out when I landed next morning that Lufthansa was on strike. Concierge in Frankfort never understand why they didn’t put me on one of many other options or give me a choice at least. Since the strike was well known in advance. Ended up getting on various connections to arrive over twelve hours late to Madrid and lost a day there.
when I asked AC how this could happen that no one in Toronto would contact an SE flying in J that there was a strike and there connection is cancelled I got a shrug.