edbyu

Me too!

trtfsr

The problem with Gate D is that it handles all of AA's international flights and on those you always have to check-in in person. They have to verify your passport, I-94, etc. There is no machine or non-person alternative. This means long lines.

I check in at gate A and then take the new Traam to gate D. Gate A almost never has a line. I used to use Gate B but that is Eagle (contracted) employees who can be confused easily about how to check in an international passenger.

I suggest checking in at First Class in A and avoid Gate D(isfunctional) alltogether.

ESpen36

You've got to be kidding me!! Are you trying to say that at the largest hub in the AA/AE system, the check-in AAgents at Terminal B are CONTRACT AGENTS (a la HPN*)? That's un-freaking-believable! How low will AA stoop? And furthermore, does this mean that all Midwest cities that are AE service only are no longer staffed with genuine AE personnel? (I do seem to remember the uniform degradation around 01-02 from typical AA uniforms to short-sleeved button-up shirts, or polo shirts.)


* Yes, I know the agents at HPN are County employees, not workers from a private contrator, but my point of their not being AA/AE employees still stands.

Nachtswerg

One of the reasons I like the concept of F / EXP / P / G going through their own line is that there's an assumption that such a traveller would be pretty savvy about using the line. Just like preboarding said group of passengers makes sense because either there just aren't a lot of us (true for first) or we SHOULD know how to get our luggage in the bins and butts in the buckets quickly (assumed for the others),

I have to admit that I do chuckle when folks in the premium line aren't prepared for the TSA. I know, I know, some of the F passengers are actually paying full fare (gasp!), but I guess I just assume that every one heading to the left is a FF. To me, if your time from getting to the table in front of the conveyor to picking up your bags is more than a minute, something is wrong.

gemac

While I agree with almost everything you have said, I would demur on the statement that F pax would be pretty savvy in the check-in line. In my experience, some of the least savvy, but most demanding passengers I have ever seen have been in front of me in the F line. It is not at all unusual to have one passenger tie up an agent for 20 minutes or more. Naturally, this seems to happen most when there is only 1 F agent, and the Y agents refuse to take the next person in the F line, stubbornly taking the next person in the Y line instead.

Naturally, I'm talking exceptions here, most pax in the F line are pretty efficient.

jimorr67

I use the First line in the D Terminal on occasion and have never been turned away. Not even a comment from the desk agent.

oklAAhoma

On the one occasion I needed to check in with an agent at the D terminal, I was asked by the agent "Traveling in first class today?" It happened that I was, but the tone of her question made me wonder if I would have been turned away if I had answered "no". I'll have to try it some day when I'm in coach... er, never mind... I'm hoping that day will never come.

PresRDC

They should be asking if you are traveling in International First Class today.

One line for International First and EXPs.

One line for Domestic First, Business, PLTs and GLDs.

That's how it should be.

JAGMAP

I wonder if they make AAirpass go through the Business Class line since one of the published benefits is using First Class check-in.

sonora

There is a woman is STL who will challenge people getting in the F check in line with those same words. Since she generally communicates by shrieking I make the reasonable assumption that she is not addressing me and I just ignore her.

I have never had any of the actual check in agents challenge my "right" to be in that line. And the last couple of times I've had to check in there, whoever was the next available agent took the next person from the F line.

MiamiBeach

Which would be greatly simplified if US airlines started doing what the rest of the world does, and always call the front cabin in 2-class aircraft Business.

PresRDC

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Amen!!

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IceTrojan

It would be great, but SAG would never allow that.

Swanhunter

Very true. It really is an anathema in this day and age. The only other country I can think of where the F/Y distinction largely still exists is Saudi Arabia.

PresRDC

They have the three class flights between JFK and LAX.