Boss is retiring (8MM)...Would AA care?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
Boss is retiring (8MM)...Would AA care?
So here's the deal.
My boss is retiring with well over 8 million miles logged on AA.
At the office, we're kicking around retirement gifts for him, and I wondered out loud if AA would have any sort of "thanks for the memories" tokens of appreciation for his 20 years of loyalty?
If so, who might I approach at AA?
Any suggestions as to which door at AA I should first knock on?
The answer may be a resounding "no", but that's no reason to not ask.
My boss is retiring with well over 8 million miles logged on AA.
At the office, we're kicking around retirement gifts for him, and I wondered out loud if AA would have any sort of "thanks for the memories" tokens of appreciation for his 20 years of loyalty?
If so, who might I approach at AA?
Any suggestions as to which door at AA I should first knock on?
The answer may be a resounding "no", but that's no reason to not ask.
#3
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
"Logged" or "earned"? (I've earned over 5M, and though I've flown on AA since the 1940s, I've not logged more than 2M, I'm guessing; I think they'll know the difference.)
I doubt you'll be able to get anything for your boss. If you want to go this route, get you and / or your colleagues to pungle up for a symbolic gift purchased from the C. R. Smith Museum Store, or from the plethora of AA items offered on eBay.
I doubt you'll be able to get anything for your boss. If you want to go this route, get you and / or your colleagues to pungle up for a symbolic gift purchased from the C. R. Smith Museum Store, or from the plethora of AA items offered on eBay.
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
There is tons of AA paraphernalia out there. If he's been flying forever, he may appreciate something. Or more likely, he says to himself, "I'm retiring so I never have to fly these guys again and look what I got..."
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
Over 400 international trips and God knows how many domestic US trips...but another 2000 at least. He's got a world map full of push pins that he stopped updating several years ago.
#6
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Boston MA
Programs: Delta Platinum, Delta Million Miler,Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, Delta Sky Club
Posts: 663
I might consider getting him something he can use/spend with his family instead of getting him something that reminds him of all the time he spent away from his family
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
He also received millions of miles to spend on trips and SWUs for million-mile qualification (when the getting was still good (on the miles and the SWUs,) he's been well rewarded.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,647
So I assume he is LT Plat - of which there are many.
You might call AA Advantage desk and see if they would do something - like send a appreciate note or something like that. No harm in asking.
Also - were most his travels on business at higher fares? Or personal low fares?
The airlines know the revenue difference and track it. He likely wasn't a big enough spender for Concierge Status, but maybe in a range above mileage runners.
No harm calling and asking.
You might call AA Advantage desk and see if they would do something - like send a appreciate note or something like that. No harm in asking.
Also - were most his travels on business at higher fares? Or personal low fares?
The airlines know the revenue difference and track it. He likely wasn't a big enough spender for Concierge Status, but maybe in a range above mileage runners.
No harm calling and asking.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP - Marriott LT Platinum - National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,112
#10
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: AA - EXP 2MM+, Marriott PLT, UA, National Exec
Posts: 495
I have heard you do get a phone call once you reach 10MM miles, like in the movie Up in the Air. I have a long way to go to see if it's true myself.
Congrats to your boss! 8MM is quite an achievement. I hope he at least gets a letter from Dougie.
Cheers.
Congrats to your boss! 8MM is quite an achievement. I hope he at least gets a letter from Dougie.
Cheers.
#11
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: AA Plat,AS MVP Gold, Hilton Gold, Accor Plat, Amtrak(all routes, VIA same, AUS 90%)
Posts: 382
CR Smith Museum store
Is a good bet but sadly the "scissored eagles" logo items, which I presume he/she would desire, seem to be gone. I had dibs on laptop slip with that logo, order was confirmed, only to find that within next few minutes someone had purchased in-store the last remaining one. Alas, I loved that logo.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
If the boss really loves AA, I'd second the eBay option -- there must be some interesting vintage articles from around when he first started flying them.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
I don't know anything about how this would work at AA, but my guess is the only hope would be the media and/or social media (Twitter?) teams, not a reservations or AAdvantage phone agent. You would almost certainly get a congratulatory tweet if you tweeted @AmericanAir a photo of the retirement party with some AA mention, since corporate social media teams respond to pretty much everyone who says something unsubstantively positive, but that may be a little less substantive than you have in mind.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,624
Why should AA be bothered about someone who will not be a high-value customer in future? It's not personal, it's business. But he will have his Lifetime PLT membership.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Even a small token can go a long way, and even encourage those still flying by showing them that loyalty still means something to at least one airline.