no1cub17

+1

ThreeJulietTango

Meanwhile, I always have my AAdvantage card on my phone and have never been asked to present it.

Actually, as of a few months ago, the contract employees at hubs are all gone and "First or Priority" is the doing of 100% AA staff.

Edit: Red shirts/vests are not part of the current uniform. The line greeter is supposed to be an AA employee.

The customer assistance representative's job is to control access to the line, albeit in a more polished manner than what is being reported. The ticket agent is there to check in whoever is standing in front of them; if they got into the wrong line then it's the greeter who has failed. Additionally, AA frowns on the passenger being redirected to another line unless it's a specialized issue where the passenger can only be helped at another desk.

That's a good way to get the ticket agent yelled at by someone who just wasted 10-30 minutes of their time standing in the wrong line because the person at the entrance didn't do their (only) job.

no2chem

Hm, interesting. I have noticed these line greeters, both at TSA precheck sometimes in ORD/LAX and at priority/first/whatever lines...

I usually just say precheck about 3 times to the precheck enforecers, and executive platinum about 3 times to the priority line enforcers. Also I make sure to never make eye contact... Haven't had a problem yet, although admittedly a pretty unpleasant experience.

On the other hand, JL and CX seem to manage/control their priority lines just fine, and it hasn't been unpleasant at all...

gajs

When AA does everything in its power to go to the lowest denominator, to make and grab the absolute last $ from their clientele; i.e. us, the frequent flyer, -- by selling priority access through credit cards, promos, etc. you are going to get the SNAFU's we all experience at the airport when we travel. OF course, ma and pa kettle, or the Clampett's -- THINK that because they have the xyz credit card, or because they printed their boarding pass at home, they are in the right line. [its the shorter one, right? ha!] And of course, the red shirt at the head of the line has been barked at all day, by just about everyone who passes by -- so its inevitable that you are going to get this level of ""service"". Just take a deep breath, and go on, and come to the realization that this is just the seedy bus terminal equivalent... in the [not so] modern era.

And oh!, our *status*.... that "thing" that entitles us to be at the head of the line.....that's just us thinking... we are really wearing the Emperor's new clothes. Cheers all.

Col Ronson

Wow.

What on earth are you talking about?
Delta and United also sell priority access thru their credit cards.

brettsir

At LAX for the past year or so there has been an AA contracted person "guarding" the priority check in (F,J,& general OW priority) area but has only ever approached me and asked "First or Business" to which a reply stating I was a (lowly) Platinum was met with a gesture to the J or OW Priority line. Occasionally I would be asked for proof but even at the most inconvenient of instances it took me less than 2 minutes to find my reservation proving eligibility. Here it worked perfectly as I was able to see an agent in little to no time.
On the other hand when I fly out of LGB where there are not contracted workers I often have to wait behind 7-10 people in the "priority" line yet see those same people walk to the main cabin during boarding.
If AA is cracking down on ineligible people using the priority lanes they should be making their contract workers more aware of what is eligible or not, even give them a photo sheet of who to accept and who not to. On the other side if you do not like the crackdown because it is an inconvenience and causing you to spend more time, imagine if there was absolutely no check of eligibility for the priority line.

TLDR: Its great that they are enforcing it but the people enforcing need to know who's permitted vs asking "first or priority" and not knowing the difference.

QueenOfCoach

Every single time.

I can't imagine arriving at the airport without printed confirmation of travel. That's especially important for international travel where immigration agents have been known to query plans for return or onward tickets. Happened to me just last November entering Germany, as a matter of fact.

LMB01

I have got to agree with this. I always travel with a copy of my receipt.

akcae

This, I think, is what goes to the heart of the matter -- if the line greeter person actually employed some manners and kinder tone of voice, no one would complain. If I were greeted with a smile, politely asked to confirm that I'm First/Business class, Priority Access, EXP / Emerald, and welcomed, I would have zero negative reaction to this. But when some person who looks like they'd rather be getting a root canal than standing in front of me barks "FIRST OR PRIORITY???" at me, I want nothing to do with them. I'm not being made to feel as a valued customer, but as a nuisance in AA's daily existence. And whether they are AA employees or contract personnel matters not one bit -- they are AA's face to the customer at that moment.

rdurlabhji

International - always - for the above stated reason
Domestic - almost never. I check in on the app, and if I need to check a bag or can't OLCI I go to the appropriate line.

ijgordon

Agreed on International, but I generally try to do so on domestic as well. You never know when your phone is going to brick itself or freeze up... And I like the static-ness of a hard copy.

Of course there may be times when you're getting rebooked en route to the airport because your meeting ran late, so it's not always possible.

flyerCO

I get that when checking in. They print it out along with BPS. I can't say the last time I went to a checkin counter with more then my ID to present.

akcae

Same here -- for international, I always print out the itinerary confirmation and make sure ticket numbers and PNRs for *each* operating airline are noted. I also print out hotel reservation confirmations in case I have to inquire about the address or prove to an immigration official I have accommodations.

For domestic, I never print anything out, including BPs if I can get a mobile one. Ever.

Efield7

FWIW, in SJD about two weeks ago there was a red shirt with the elite passenger manifests for every flight that day manually checking your ID and checking you off the list.

Air Houston

Reminds me of the time my employer decided that all computer problems must be submitted to the help desk via an on-line form. They closed down their phone line. Of course if your computer didn't work you couldn't actually submit the form. DOH!