Concierge
 

Just wanted to pay a note of thanks to David, the concierge in London. I was travelling last week to Vancouver on the 8:40AM flight and was connecting from Dusseldorf. The Dusseldorf flight was supposed to land at 7:20 in terminal 1, giving me 1:20 to connect (marginal at LHR). However, my flight was delayed by an hour. Landed at 8:20, ran to flight connection (other end of the building), skipped the queue at security and as I was running down to the bus I called out to the AC desk that I was trying to catch the YVR flight in terminal 3. I caught the bus, got to terminal 3 at 8:35. David was waiting for me, took me backwards through security into the terminal onto a car and to the gate. Stepped on the plane at 8:39 and we pulled back at 8:42. Big, big, thanks to David and all of the AC concierge who have been a big help to me this year. I think a 15 minute connection at Heathrow with a terminal change must be some kind of record!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

Wow, I've cut some fligths close, but never through LHR. You Win http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

All I can say is, typical. Concierges are the best! Bravo.

Heh... I have to post a thank you as well... The concierge's at YYZ have been great to me of late... I've had a couple incidents...

1. I'd asked to be met at the plane so I could get fasttracked from Canadian customs and back through US customs. The plane arrived early and there was no concierge but no line. I ended up on my plane without a problem but the concierge had come onto the plane to make sure everything was okay... I'm sorry but I forget her name...

2. Same weekend, flying back the other way... The concierge met the plane and we once again zipped through Canadian and US customs. I was heading back to LAX from EWR and in the process of all the flight delays and such, I was unsure what was happening to my flight. She had rebooked me on a flight that was delayed due to the ground hold (fires around control centre) and it pushed off an hour late... Turns out the winds were favourable and I got to LAX more than an hour before my original flight would have gotten me there...

3. Stupid FF stunt save... In the same process of going crazy with the flights to LAX and having to be at a client site first thing the next morning, I left a small carry-on bag in YYZ... I called the concierge and was connected to Anne... Anne managed to find my bag and had it sent to my wife back in Ottawa... big thanks there as I had my MP3 charger and a few other things that would have cost me a fortune to replace...

THANKS ALL!

B

PS. I still can't believe I left a carry on behind... What was I thinking? Man...

How many AC's flight points do they have concierge in place? I saw a few in Ottawa the other day. They seemed very professional. One guy looked like he could have been a secret agent.

Question to other SEs:

Having just reached SE for the first time, I have heard of these mystical concierges, but don't really know what they do http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Getting through YYZ customs sooner would be a marvellous start for many reasons. Can someone fill me in?

Simon

This week's Maclean’s news magazine has a full-page advertisement of Air Canada’s concierge service. A picture a YYZ concierge. Forgot his name.

[This message has been edited by Prestige (edited 10-30-2003).]

I think Anne is one of the best at YYZ!

When there are delays or cancellations they can really help you out of a potnetially sticky situation (but as a SE, you're usually at the top of the queue for any flight changes anyhow). Most of the time I have asked them to secure me seats on partner airlines, like an exit row in Thai Y class in LHR when I was connectng (AC acts as agent for TG there). Yumiko in NRT also helped me with a tight connection between an AC and NH flight last month, meeting me at the gate and escorting me to connections and even taking me to the Signet lounge (which I could use as the AC flight arrived early).

I understand that they can arrange hotels or limo service or other things, but I have only really used their services for flight delays, cancellations, and connections.

They are also very nice people to have a chat with when you are checking in or in the lounge, especially at LHR.

Concierges are the best thing in the AC system. Always look forward to meeting up with them when I travel. They are not only helpful when you travel, they are always great people to have as friends! I agree with the above posters that the ones at YYZ are wonderful!

YYC, YEG, YHZ, YUL, YOW, YYZ, YVR, YWG, PEK, FRA, HKG, LHR, NRT, KIX, CDG, EZE, PVG, SYD, ORD, HNL, LAX, LGA

YYZ has the most number of concierges.

I wholehearted agree. Conceirges are terrific and many have saved me tight connections or done magic over the years.

Regretably many are now gone and the truth is you do not see much of them. The secret is to call them in advance when you need something! SEs get a private phone listing so use it.

Which Anne? I learned this the hard way as another Anne (or Ann) answered the phone at the coordination centre this morning...

I was dealing with Anne Rosen.. I sent her a gift basket along with my thanks...

B

Getting the concierge to escort you thru YYZ customs would not be appropriate use of their services.

I too believe that the concierge service is one of the best reasons/perks for getting SE status. I have used their services sparingly over the last 5 years or so but find them to be incredibly helpful when you need a hand.

Some examples ....
1. Rushing to Person for flight to TLV and left paper ticket at home ... was about to go into panic mode. Conceirge was great in sorting it all out.

2. Meeting Mrs. V and baby V's in YUL - them on flight from YYZ, me on flight from YVR. Asked concierge to greet them of the flight and take them to MLL until i got there a few hours later. Done with pleasure.

3. Flight from GRU-YYZ - ran into mechanical troubles and had to return to GRU after 3 hours - arrived back in GRU 3 AM. They must have called back the concierge as she was there to meet the SE's on the flight (2 of us) and escort us to prearranged taxi to take us to hotel. She took care of all vouchers, arrangements - everything.

As i have said onmany occasions - the concierges are one of the best things of AC SE program.

I would agree with that.. I use them to fasttrack when I have close connections only...

B

I second the motion on David. When there was a system glitch on checkin at LHR a few weeks ago, the gate agent said 'I know, wait here and I'll get David'. A few minutes later David appeared and solved the glitch in the moment (even though I'm only Elite).

NV