ORD / O'Hare - no priority access for gold?
Mar 20, 2015, 6:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12
ORD / O'Hare - no priority access for gold?
At O'hare this morning was not allowed in priority security line. Said as of today, only certain statuses would be allowed entry. My gold status was insufficient and I was sent to an extremely long regular line. I confirmed with multiple other employees, one of whom said I should have received an email that it was changing effective today.
Anyone have details or can confirm/refute? I see nothing on as.com but employee says they just haven't updated yet.
Seriously pissed off. Family almost missed flight. United, where I also have status, will be getting all my business if true.
Anyone have details or can confirm/refute? I see nothing on as.com but employee says they just haven't updated yet.
Seriously pissed off. Family almost missed flight. United, where I also have status, will be getting all my business if true.
Mar 20, 2015, 7:23 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
O'Hare - no priority access for gold?
Wow that would be a terrible enhancement indeed. Did your BP say priority aaccess or no?
Mar 20, 2015, 7:53 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12
Yes. Had priority access and gold on it. They said it didn't matter. Sent me from priority line to regular line. I pointed out benefits on website. They said website was out of date but that i would still get priority boarding just not priority security line. Meanwhile AA via Twitter says they are aware of no changes.
Regular security line was really long which they attributed to the change.
Multiple employees coraborated the story.
Something is screwed up here.
Regular security line was really long which they attributed to the change.
Multiple employees coraborated the story.
Something is screwed up here.
Mar 20, 2015, 8:33 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
I'd start with a Twitter message to AA. This seems like the kind of thing social media is good at confirming as policy or not.
Mar 20, 2015, 8:57 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 239
I wouldn't expect airport security to be well versed on the many benefits out there. Maybe they were confused about priority screening vs precheck or something? Sounds like follow-up with O'Hare is needed, too.
Mar 20, 2015, 9:00 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
Agreed, I'd raise hell with ORD. Really inexcusable behavior by the staff. The only other thing I can think of is if you mistakenly went to the precheck line? But that doesn't seem to be the case. Glad you ultimately made your flight!
Mar 20, 2015, 11:04 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12
This is what they say via Twitter:
The Priority Access lanes have been removed at ORD. You can use the Priority checkpoint adjacent to priority check-in.
I tried to do just this. I suspect it is a training issue and poor rollout and communication by their employees. Still stands that they told me to go to regular line. We'll see.
The Priority Access lanes have been removed at ORD. You can use the Priority checkpoint adjacent to priority check-in.
I tried to do just this. I suspect it is a training issue and poor rollout and communication by their employees. Still stands that they told me to go to regular line. We'll see.
Mar 20, 2015, 11:22 am
#8
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I think it's less of an AA issue than an Airport Authority issue, or possibly joint Authority / TSA issue.
Mar 20, 2015, 11:26 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
So is what they're saying is that the only non-PreCheck priority/status access line now the one next to the Precheck lane at door 3F?
If I don't have to check a bag, I always use the door 3B PreCheck because there are less people in it - primarily just the folks who got randomly assigned on their boarding pass.
If I don't have to check a bag, I always use the door 3B PreCheck because there are less people in it - primarily just the folks who got randomly assigned on their boarding pass.
Mar 20, 2015, 11:39 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
My recollection is that ORD had a separate Platinum/EXP/First/Business security line (between the AA priority check-in counters and the AS check-in counters, ie to the left of the AA counters) and a Priority AAccess security line to the right of the AA priority counters. But my information is probably current as of 2010 or 2011. Is the current labeling for the priority security line "Platinum/EXP/First/Business" (or similar) or "Priority"?
If they don't have a line labeled "Priority AAccess" as of today, that's frustrating and worth complaining about, but there may not be much you can do.
If they don't have a line labeled "Priority AAccess" as of today, that's frustrating and worth complaining about, but there may not be much you can do.
Mar 20, 2015, 1:00 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, DL, SPG, Marriott, Hyatt
Posts: 10
Yes, I believe that is still accurate. I used this line for the first time ever yesterday because my taxi dropped me off right in front of that door. The sign above read "Platinum/Ex....etc" and I was almost shocked at how quick the line was. There were practically 3 people ahead of me in the non-TSA pre check line and I was through security in less than five minutes. On the other hand, it probably would have taken more than twenty minutes on right side of the counters where the priority access line has you wait behind everyone else once your ID has been verified.
My recollection is that ORD had a separate Platinum/EXP/First/Business security line (between the AA priority check-in counters and the AS check-in counters, ie to the left of the AA counters) and a Priority AAccess security line to the right of the AA priority counters. But my information is probably current as of 2010 or 2011. Is the current labeling for the priority security line "Platinum/EXP/First/Business" (or similar) or "Priority"?
If they don't have a line labeled "Priority AAccess" as of today, that's frustrating and worth complaining about, but there may not be much you can do.
If they don't have a line labeled "Priority AAccess" as of today, that's frustrating and worth complaining about, but there may not be much you can do.
Mar 20, 2015, 1:03 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 12 stops from ORD
Programs: UA, AA, DL
Posts: 992
This is what they say via Twitter:
The Priority Access lanes have been removed at ORD. You can use the Priority checkpoint adjacent to priority check-in.
I tried to do just this. I suspect it is a training issue and poor rollout and communication by their employees. Still stands that they told me to go to regular line. We'll see.
The Priority Access lanes have been removed at ORD. You can use the Priority checkpoint adjacent to priority check-in.
I tried to do just this. I suspect it is a training issue and poor rollout and communication by their employees. Still stands that they told me to go to regular line. We'll see.
...I hope ORD isn't turning into MIA.
Mar 20, 2015, 8:06 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
As I noted above, there's been a separate priority (EXP/Plat/F/J, not other priority access) checkpoint at ORD to the left of the priority check in for years, and apparently it's still there.
Mar 20, 2015, 9:16 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,640
Hmm, I didn't see it on Saturday. It was my first time entering at ORD though.
When I went through security, I saw a precheck lane, and no other priority lanes. It wasn't a problem though, as the regular line was short.
When I went through security, I saw a precheck lane, and no other priority lanes. It wasn't a problem though, as the regular line was short.
May 18, 2015, 12:39 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 17
Gold no longer gets you into the priority security line. There are two lines at the priority security line. One is for TSA Pre, and the other is for First, Business, Ex Plat, and Platinum passengers who are in Pre or but designated for Pre.
If you go to the main checkpoint, there is a by-pass for Gold that gets you to the front of the line. But, you're still stuck behind people who aren't road warriors and are clueless about airport security.
My understanding is that TSA told American one of the two lanes at priority screening was becoming a dedicated Pre lane, and because of the volume of people who have priority, but aren't in Pre, the solution to keep the volume for non-Pre lane was to send Golds to the main checkpoint.
I'm planning to enroll in Pre, along with my wife and child, so we can use the Pre line at any airport.
If you go to the main checkpoint, there is a by-pass for Gold that gets you to the front of the line. But, you're still stuck behind people who aren't road warriors and are clueless about airport security.
My understanding is that TSA told American one of the two lanes at priority screening was becoming a dedicated Pre lane, and because of the volume of people who have priority, but aren't in Pre, the solution to keep the volume for non-Pre lane was to send Golds to the main checkpoint.
I'm planning to enroll in Pre, along with my wife and child, so we can use the Pre line at any airport.