videomaker

You really think a hotel in Johannesburg even knew you were CK on AA? SAA is a good airline, IME, but I wasn't aware they (or South African hotels) recognize CK.

FlyLikeAnEagle

^^^ You misunderstood my post. The hotel in Joburg offered me the service I described and it was definitely badass . I stated that I just got invited (today) to join CK and that if I get the same service from being a CK while flying AA, then it is something I am definitely going to look forward to..

videomaker

Oh, OK. Hope CK works well for you.

AAflyguy

Interesting article of Concierge Key Club benefits...being none.

http://stanleybing.blogs.fortune.cnn...concierge-key/

AA53

Bing really is funny. I am told they have special agents who rebook you but as he says, AC Angels do the same thing as does the EXP line.

Travailen

Fine article for a laugh, but not accurate given my experiences.

First, it is not Concierge Key Club, which is why there would not be a physical club (a point raised by Bing.)

Second, CK proactively rebooks you during IRROPs -- I receive calls from CK desk -- I do not need to call them, nor do I need to find my way to an AC (an extra special trick when no AC exists at the airport from which I am departing.) More importantly, if IRROPs occur overnight or while I am abroad, or if I am unaware of the situation, I am still protected and proactively cared for...not the case with EXP desk or AC AAngels (don't get me wrong...both are great, but CK does have a demonstrable value above and beyond these programs.) Indeed, a day or two prior to my departure, CK desk is already monitoring my flights and itinerary, and if troubles arise, they act to contact me, remedy these, or provide me with options -- that is priceless.

Third, as for meet and greet, pre-boarding, etc. -- These are very nice perks and are much appreciated. If you request them, more often than not, the CK reps at the airport (if you are at a major airport for AA) will do their best to accommodate you.

Fourth, CK is not earned through frequent mileage (at least not directly) -- it is not, as Bing implies, a function of heavy travel miles; indeed, there are a number of CK members who are not EXP (or so we are told) and CK is not affiliated with AAdvantage or other frequent flier programs. Similarly, it does not provide upgrades or other such perks (again, at least not officially -- though in my experience, they do their very best to take VERY GOOD CARE of me and the other CK members.)

Bottom-line, it sounds to me like Bing has not used the CK program to its fullest -- he doesn't even have the card (which means he probably doesn't even have the dedicated telephone line) -- and has a number of misconceptions about what CK is (and isn't).

That being said, overall it was a humorous article -- and I will enjoy it for what it is -- a well-crafted work of fiction.

pauleeepaul

Except the small clubs.

anabolism

From my understanding of AA CK and UA GS (not being either), they are very different programs, with UA's GS being a status level above the top, while AA's CK is a set of services independent of status level.

While you don't get a higher status than EXP from spending more on AA, you do get other benefits. If you have a better EQP:EQM ratio (meaning you buy more expensive tickets), or have a lot of EQM, then AA is much more likely to grant you a favor when you ask.

I'm sure CK would be very handy in this case, but in my experience calling the EXP desk, either a local one or the U.S. one (which is open 24/7) can do wonders.

Glad to hear you had such a nice experience. It sounds like this was as a PLT, not even EXP, and without CK? That's great.

Congratulations on having status on two airlines at such a young age.

With that level of spend, you're sure to be EXP, which in my experience means AA will treat you very well, even without CK. Keep in mind that CK isn't a status but rather a set of services, some of which you'll get as EXP anyway.

I've had my local AC club call me at home in the morning and let me know that my flight was delayed but they rebooked me on something else. I'm sure CK provides even more, but at least some ACs do proactively monitor flights for their members. (I don't know about flights from cities other than my home, perhaps no one monitors those for me, or maybe someone at a central location does.)

Travailen

Great to hear. Yet another reason why I fly AA and continue to give them my loyalty. The reality is that your experience is probably the exception, and not the rule, but AA does do its best to extend loyalty to those passengers who remain loyal to them. Whether you are CK or not, AA takes very good care of you when you fly with them regularly. I appreciate this, and I am glad that your AC values your business to proactively care for you in this manner. A heartfelt ^

bdemaria

There are a couple of threads/discussions about the "proactive" assistance. Based on my own experience - and these threads - this benefit seems to be something that the smaller clubs are able to undertake (SJC, SFO and HNL esp. good in this regard) while the hub locations simply too busy to be able to do this.

anabolism

I hadn't seen the threads, but it makes sense. There are fewer members at the smaller clubs. But, I wonder how the clubs know who their members are (since one could renew anywhere) -- is it simply AC members who live nearby? And, secondly, do the clubs only look for problems with flights originating locally?

RChavez

AC members have a notation attached to their names on the passenger lists. It takes but a second to pull up the list of AC members who are on a particular flight. They may recognize regulars, but they are probably just working the lists.

For those who have benefitted from this assistance, has it ever happened at your non-home airport?

From what I recall, you can also pull up the lists by whether they are originating or terminating in a city as well, but I could be mistaken.

HNL

Yes.
PHL, EWR, and HNL.

And I do not live in or consider any of those airports to be home - far from it.

RChavez

Thanks. Yeah, I'm not surprised. Like I said, during IRROPS, they would just pull the flight list with the code to list only AC members.

BTW, only the primary member (for those with partner memberships) I believe would come up on those lists. I don't think the spouse/partner would benefit from such proactivity.

That said, and I've said this many times, this type of service has never applied to me and has never been the value I derive from membership. But I can see how it would be for those who have benefitted from this in the past. From my perspective, it is a very easy gesture for the club reps to make and would serve as a very high value touch point from a loyalty perspective.

One or two of those calls in a year would go far to solidify one's renewal I'd imagine.

Maybe1

I don't credit to AAdvantage (I use QFF), and I don't fly particularly frequently on AA, only short intense bursts of flights when I'm in the US (e.g. often sufficient to make Gold in 2.5 weeks, if I had credited to AA).

I add my comments to this thread now, as if I did send miles to AA, I would probably have a fairly high EQP:EQM ratio, perhaps around 1.4 [for the flying which I do with AA, but not so QF, where I generally baulk at their comparatively over-priced tickets]. (So, anabolism's post got me thinking...)

Over the years many of the things that CK members have posted about, have happened to me. And I have never been invited to join CK.

I remember my fist time through DFW (quite a few years ago), where there was a guy with a cart at the gate, who was slightly miffed when I declined his offer to get onboard (at the time I thought he was there to pick up people with mobility challenges, so naturally didn't want to take up space from those who needed it).

I have also noticed that when I fly out of an airport without an AC, interesting things happen: from the "gate angels" proactively dealing with anticipated misconnections, including giving me a hotel voucher/rebooking "just in case" I missed a DFW connection (so I could go straight to a hotel and rest rather then having to deal with queues of other stranded passengers, as they emerged off the flight, with the proviso that if I didn't misconnect, I would advise the staff on the ground at DFW to cancel the “just in case” bookings), to "gate angels" coming down onto the aircraft after boarding has finished with new boarding passes, for me, for onward flights (if I would like them); where they have thought it reasonable to proactively book me onto a different service, for varying reasons.

I don't have a "home AC" (as I am not a member) but have been a mere Oneworld Sapphire (QFF Gold) over some of the years where this has occurred on AA.

So, I think perhaps anabolism may be on the right track regarding the importance of the EQP:EQM ratio?!