c_stanley

Thought this was interesting, and just did a search and didn't see another post about it (meaning of course there are 87 posts I guess) so thought I would share.

I've had an AC membership for years, but let it lapse this spring as I had no travel booked and am changing my employment situation. I expect I'll be back in the air soon but I just couldn't justify the money until I was sure so I left it.

I got a call today, a real live person from my home airport club, offering me substantial discount (I believe $100) to renew, plus she said the "member since" would stay continuous. I actually still declined since I need a bit more time to figure it out but she said the offer would be good for a month from today and gave me her direct number at the club's desk.

I was certainly pleased, I most likely will take them up on it, I hope, and thought it was great that they "noticed" a longtime member and regular flyer dropping off the face of the earth for a few months.

Not sure if this is common or a widely implemented nationwide program but thought it would be of interest.

JDiver

Some Clubs seem more proactive about this, and it has been said Clubs get some kind of "credit" for renewals. It seems your home club has decided to call recently lapsed members and entice them, including the use of a discount. Nice incentives.

gamehendge2000

Is there any benefit to the 'Member Since', or just more fodder for dykwia?

njvandy

The part of this story that most interests me is the fact that the AAngel gave the OP a direct phone number to dial the club. I let my AC membership lapse last year and one of my major reasons for doing so was the fact that they shut off the 'direct access' numbers and prohibited the clubs from proactively calling pax. Does anybody know whether that is no longer the case?

MsEverywhere

I think it's likely they all still have direct dial numbers, although they stopped publishing them. I was looking for the # for a certain club, and called the # one less or one more (I can't remember) from the FAX #, and they answered.

MIKESILV

I have a direct number to the manager of two clubs (in the same location) and which she always answers personally .. so in short such numbers do exist ( and I presume jealously guarded by those who happen to have them )

mike

njvandy

That is precisely the answer I was looking for. Were the direct numbers ever published? Many people on this board, myself included, have/had direct numbers to club managers and other AAngels. I was under the impression that these numbers had been cut off about a year ago, as was the case with both numbers I had (also same club). I would love to be wrong on this one!

JDiver

Direct numbers still exist, and ini some limited occasions AAngels share these with some regulars. Like MIKESILV says.

Steve M

More specifically, it's my understanding that each club has to earn their keep by having a certain number of local members. If they fall below the threshold of profitability, then the club is at risk of closing. The assumption seems to be that people primarily join the AAdmirals Club due to having one at their home airport. Although certainly not always true, I assume that AA has enough data with their membership lists to establish that it's true enough to base a decision upon.

JDiver

Yup - though as you imply, sometimes other issues prevail, such as did in Seattle, where the airport tripled (iirc) the rent for the late SEA Admirals Club. Or the decision to close the DFW Terminal A Flagship Lounge (sometimes the doors are open and I reminisce) and not open a new one in D, probably made because there is no real alternative or competition, and no pressure from partner airlines - such as occurred at HNL, reopening a defunct Club as a shared Qantas Pub and Admirals Club (it is so good to see Shari and Dianne and an AC at HNL after a five year hiatus!)

dia1

I assume this was related to the discount members get for renewing by or nearly by their expiration date vs. lapsed "renewals" that, after a while, cost the same as new memberships. So, in this case, renewal discount plus additional discount.

ESpen36

Yup. Direct lines to domestic clubs definitely still exist. The AAngels are just being much more discriminating about who gets access to the numbers.

(IMHO, having your favorite AAngels on direct dial is just as good as being CK! Although I very seldom use the numbers because I wouldn't want to exploit the privilege. When I do call, it's because I'm really in a jam, and they come through every time!)

c_stanley

To answer the questions yes the price offered was a discount off renewal rates and also included my discount as LT gold (lapsed from PLT during this slowdown) which was interesting. Not sure what "member since" gets you, but I figure it certainly isn't a bad thing when you hand it to one of the aangels and then ask for some help in a tricky situation.

And yes, they gave me the direct number, which certainly seems to be right to the club/desk though I haven't actually called it back.

And lastly I wasn't being coy or anything, the club in question was LGA. So definitely not in the threatened category that would be fearing closure I'd think. If my memory serves that's actually the first airline lounge of any kind ever in history, dating to the '30s or something.

Although that said AA seems to be getting aggressive in growing/retaining NYC frequent fliers, and they presumably don't know I haven't been flying with another carrier. Given about 7 years of very consistent travel and a sudden and total disappearance of a couple months I sure would come across as indistinguishable from DL defector or similar to any computer program.

FlyerBeek

Just out of curiosity, how long have you been a AC member? (if you don't mind answering)

-FlyerBeek

NWAMileageSlave

My father worked for a large defense contractor on an expendable launch vehicle program for 40 years. Once or twice a month, my dad would fly on American Airlines from LAX and later SNA to MCO, rent a car, and then drive to Cape Caneveral to launch a rocket into space. A few years ago, he hung up his rocket launch keys and retired.

About six months after he retired, my mom got a call from American Airlines. they were concened that he was not happy with American and that he was fiying another airline. My mom told the agent on the phone that he'd retired. Both my mom and I were sufficently impressed that an airline would notice that a customer had left, and that they cared enough to inquire why.

Rick