Jan 1, 2018, 2:51 pm
Last edit by: JY1024
American Airlines Celebrity Sightings (and Related) for 2018
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Feel free to report your celebrity sightings on American Airlines / Eagle, the Admirals Club / Flagship Lounge, or the AA airport concourse areas here. (Please moderate your comments - offensive or other comments that do not fit the FlyerTalk TOS will be deleted.)
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The archived 2015 Celebrity Sightings thread can be read here.
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The archived 2017 Celebrity Sightings thread can be read here.
The archived legacy US Airways Celebrity Sightings thread can be read here.
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AA Celebrity Sightings and Related for 2018 (consolidated)
May 22, 2018, 12:48 pm
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
May 28, 2018, 7:50 pm
#77
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: CX Diamond, AA Gold, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 497
Conan O'brien, and I assume, Wife and son on AA 6023 SFO ro LAX - May 20.
Was accompanied to pre-board by an AA rep. I was on the Group 1 line (traveling F) waiting to board.
The gate agent asked the AA rep - what status does he have with us? He said concierge key and group 1 board first. Escort Agent said no status, and argued quietly with Gate Agent. He finally said, "OK this time, but boarding priority is Concierge Key and then First".
Conan did not act entitled, was quiet, and said thank you to the gate agent as he boarded.
Upon boarding right after them, GA apologized and said - "you paid for F - you should have boarded First". I said no issue with me. Conan and Family were in row 2 of coach. Flight was oversold as they asked for volunteers.
The agent was coming back from the bridge as we were boarding and mumbled to another AA agent "Now he is going to mention this on his show" - She seemed upset.
Conan is a very tall guy.
Was accompanied to pre-board by an AA rep. I was on the Group 1 line (traveling F) waiting to board.
The gate agent asked the AA rep - what status does he have with us? He said concierge key and group 1 board first. Escort Agent said no status, and argued quietly with Gate Agent. He finally said, "OK this time, but boarding priority is Concierge Key and then First".
Conan did not act entitled, was quiet, and said thank you to the gate agent as he boarded.
Upon boarding right after them, GA apologized and said - "you paid for F - you should have boarded First". I said no issue with me. Conan and Family were in row 2 of coach. Flight was oversold as they asked for volunteers.
The agent was coming back from the bridge as we were boarding and mumbled to another AA agent "Now he is going to mention this on his show" - She seemed upset.
Conan is a very tall guy.
Last edited by traveler18; May 28, 2018 at 7:52 pm Reason: typo
May 28, 2018, 8:23 pm
#78
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
Conan O'brien, and I assume, Wife and son on AA 6023 SFO ro LAX - May 20.
Was accompanied to pre-board by an AA rep. I was on the Group 1 line (traveling F) waiting to board.
The gate agent asked the AA rep - what status does he have with us? He said concierge key and group 1 board first. Escort Agent said no status, and argued quietly with Gate Agent. He finally said, "OK this time, but boarding priority is Concierge Key and then First".
Conan did not act entitled, was quiet, and said thank you to the gate agent as he boarded.
Upon boarding right after them, GA apologized and said - "you paid for F - you should have boarded First". I said no issue with me. Conan and Family were in row 2 of coach. Flight was oversold as they asked for volunteers.
The agent was coming back from the bridge as we were boarding and mumbled to another AA agent "Now he is going to mention this on his show" - She seemed upset.
Conan is a very tall guy.
Was accompanied to pre-board by an AA rep. I was on the Group 1 line (traveling F) waiting to board.
The gate agent asked the AA rep - what status does he have with us? He said concierge key and group 1 board first. Escort Agent said no status, and argued quietly with Gate Agent. He finally said, "OK this time, but boarding priority is Concierge Key and then First".
Conan did not act entitled, was quiet, and said thank you to the gate agent as he boarded.
Upon boarding right after them, GA apologized and said - "you paid for F - you should have boarded First". I said no issue with me. Conan and Family were in row 2 of coach. Flight was oversold as they asked for volunteers.
The agent was coming back from the bridge as we were boarding and mumbled to another AA agent "Now he is going to mention this on his show" - She seemed upset.
Conan is a very tall guy.
May 28, 2018, 8:41 pm
#79
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
I imagine they don't. I'm sure some of them pay for it personally, or their employers pay for it per a contract. I've seen famous, even Academy Award winners, sitting at the gate with me minding their own business as I wait to board JFK or LAX flights.
May 28, 2018, 8:59 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Programs: AA PLT, 1.8mm
Posts: 6,988
Not sure about 5 Star svc, but I've seen celebs with escorts preboarded. Years ago, DFW-LAX I was waiting to board in F, when Ben Stein was boarded ahead of us. I assumed he was in F. Once F boarded, I looked back and he was in the exit row on a 752.
May 29, 2018, 7:11 am
#81
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Wow, Conan was in MCE? I'm sure that was a miserable flight for him. Ratings been down this spring?!
May 29, 2018, 8:26 am
#82
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: CX Diamond, AA Gold, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 497
May 29, 2018, 11:26 am
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
It sort of makes sense that they are assuming they're high enough up the food chain. Can prevent hoopla in busy boarding areas, particularly now every bugger and their brother seems to want to whip their camera phone out for a quick snap.
I don't know when FSS was formalized as a paid service but I've seen well known celebrities with what I assume was the predecessor to FSS in the mid 2000s. I'm sure AA has had some VIP handling service at places such as LAX since the days of the Wright Brothers.
I don't know when FSS was formalized as a paid service but I've seen well known celebrities with what I assume was the predecessor to FSS in the mid 2000s. I'm sure AA has had some VIP handling service at places such as LAX since the days of the Wright Brothers.
May 30, 2018, 6:30 am
#85
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Paris, Chicago, Rome, London, St John
Programs: DeltaPrivateJet, Ritz PP, Delta 4 million miler - Flying Colonel; AA Exec Plat (3 million + USAir)
Posts: 796
back in the 70s prior to the Advantage and Admirals Club, AA had VIP status. I was a student and dated a corporate person of AA who got it for me. Always first class (even on student standby) and always escort to private lounge.
May 30, 2018, 12:40 pm
#86
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 591
Do you remember what the private lounge was like? Similar to Today's AC's?
May 30, 2018, 5:51 pm
#87
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,037
My wife reports that she flew with Tim Meadows and his two children in MCE on Memorial Day, DTW-ORD.
May 30, 2018, 5:56 pm
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,453
May 30, 2018, 6:25 pm
#89
Join Date: May 2017
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 369
May 30, 2018, 7:05 pm
#90
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 103
Smokepurrp
in F MIA-LAX 1024, May 16