GTITAN

In defense of the ACs, I find the shower access huge especially if coming off of a domestic red eye, and the AAngels especially in ORD and DFW are just fantastic! I was not as impressed with JFK's personnel, but that was just me. I also find since the advent of free wi-fi, ACs get close to the CO PCs, DL CRCs and NW WCs, and for reference I am a NC WC member as well. Where the ACs fall down a smidge is the lack of free alcohol (a big one I know) in comparison to the aforementioned clubs, but for a frequent AA traveler, I find ACs invaluable. Besides, try using the UA RCCs. Now those are really no fun domestically for sure. A definite YMMV situation IMHO. Safe Travels.

jakuda

I bummed it at the ORD G AC today and they had a full veggie, cookie and snack mix spread.

I think it depends on the time of day. Even the dinky SFO club has some bite-sized muffins in the morning and some fruit later in the day.

Like brp and others have stated multiple times like a broken record, the service the AC agents provide is usually worth the annual fee.

njmcgreg

It all depends on what feel you are paying for. If you feel like your cost should go to free booze, then the AC is not for you--join a competitors lounge. If you want a quiet place to work, with free wifi, the help of the AAngels, and don't mind springing a buck or two for a drink, then the AC is perfect.

hilton-gold

That would be a Port Wine cheddar cheese ball, to use the technical term. Aside said ball, Wheat Thins enable delivery of said lusciousness to one's mouth.

I am also a big fan and a bigger person as the result of that affinity.

nd_eric_77

wow, as if I needed yet another reason not to join the AC... I do have to hand it to FT though... finding out just how lame ACs have become by reading here is a good way to save the $50 I might otherwise have spent on a trial membership.

brp

If drinks and snacks would be the reason, then you definitely should not join. By those criteria, the ACs are decidedly lame. I think the assessments here have been quite an accurate representation of the culinary amenities of the AC.

Cheers.

scraps

Worth the annual fee:

• handfuls of Airborne samples at the DFW C AC
• clean restrooms
• toilet seat covers
• quiet workstations
• not having to look at all the other travelers in the gate areas who don't seem to understand appropriate public dress
• free tampons
• water, coffee, or a healthy piece of fruit if I really need to grab a snack
• lemon cookies that are tasty enough to have one, but not so tasty that I get fat by eating too many
• improved ratio of singles:families
• comfy chairs
• a good view (Denver)
• a bartender that serves you his homemade red beans & rice (Reagan)
• making all my colleagues jealous
• the outstanding AC agents

and lastly...worth the price of admission is having proof that my head is, in fact, screwed on straight:

• getting to hear the mom in the DEN AC on her cell phone, on Mother's Day, say "oh thanks...yeah, I guess it's an ok mother's day for me; I mean, this is the first one I've not been hungover" ^ ^

HeadInTheClouds

The lack of snacks is the one and only real issue I have with ACs. In every other way, they are quite superb. But they should take note: When UA can "out do" you in a lounge in ANY way, you are doing something very wrong!

[I actually cannot think of any lounge anywhere in the world, including broom closets called lounges in some places, where snacks wouldn't have exceeded AA's offerings.]

But AA is worth every penny of my $250. I didn't renew UA's $300 membership this year, but I will not hesitate to drop the $250 for my AC card.

skywalkerLAX

Yes, a small snack would be nice. Even the cheese and crackers they had in the LAX UA RCC last week would be a treat. I'm not a big eater in lounges anyways but the occasional bite would be great. Thats why I love the FRA club!

I will renew my membership with David in FRA next week ! 250$ are worth it for the showers and internet/printing alone. Especially since FRA is outside security and a great lounge if you continue per train ^

Question in general, since I depart on the 29th of July... should I ask David to keep my CC and renew my membership in August just to keep a month longer membership ?

My current one is good until AUG 2008 but maybe I wont come back to FRA in AUG And I wont renew online...

Also I heard there is another discount code from the AA Citi MasterCard ! Is that still current ?

og

After reading the above, I'll never again complain about the offerings in the QPs (Qantas Clubs) on domestic Oz fights. Free bar, free soft drinks, snacks including meat, vegetables, cheese, spreads, toast, jam, nuts, pretzels, soup, bread, rolls, whole fruit, fruit salad etc). The biggest complaint is that the hot savouries disappear too quickly!

Sorry about that!

bdemaria

There were a lot of "sky is falling" scenarios -- including the thread you posted -- when the new upgrade system was announced earlier this year and the AC AAngels got caught up in the notion that this was "worst news ever."

I can say this: I've been an AC member since 2002 and I have seen no reduction in the assistance provided by the AC staff since that time.

As for snacks: true, nothing to write home about, but I didn't join the AC for food.

nrr

Each AC (domestic, non flagship) seems to offer different "specialties" (1)jfk: carrots and celery (most of the day), (2) lga: bagels am (pm?--i only fly out of lga am), (3) dfw: chocolate chip cookies, (4) ord: muffins (am), (5) lax: pretzel mix + cookies. [Seasonally(near passover), (1) and (2) will add matzos--sometimes placed next to the ham in the flagship lounge at jfk.)
As others have noted: DL, NW and CO's lounges all have open bar even in their domestic lounges--it would be a nice touch if aa added this to their domestic lounges also.

AAbuzzard

So AAngels can still override the new upgrade system that was put in place earlier this year? You can snag upgrades by going to the AC? From what I have read, that used to be possible. This would indeed be a real perk; however, from what several AAngels have told me, they no longer have that power/ability.

I do a fair bit of flying, for the past two years more domestic flying than before when it was mainly international itineraries. I can think of only one occasion where the AAngels provided great benefits in a reroute situation--and maybe a GA could have done the same thing had I not first talked to somebody in the AC as I was already there when I found out about the problem. I am glad that many of you have benefitted from this superior service, but I can't really say that it goes beyond what I would expect from a competent and willing GA.

And my original question did indeed inquire into what "snack" means to the AC and to its guests.

skywalkerLAX

Now the question is where to find a competent and willing GA... there are some though !

The snack means just something so small that you get hungry to purchase the bargains from the AC bar ! @:-)

bdemaria

So in the past, the AAngels could override a system that was not yet in place? I'm not following.

I can only state what I have observed: no reduction in their ability to assist me w/my tickets, etc.. There are limitations to what the AAngels can do. If F is sold out and there are three EXP ahead me on the upgrade queue, the AAngels can't magically make a seat appear - but that wasn't the case three years ago either.

In your first post, you stated "I'm an easy-going fella who likes his pretzels, but they are NOT a snack. Neither are chips"

I found myself wondering if pretzels and chips are not snacks, then what are they?