Flagship Agent tried to remove me from Upgrade List
Dec 14, 2018, 8:42 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: BOS
Programs: SPG
Posts: 67
FA recently asked me to pay for my drink in coach
I handed her my concierge key membership card and she tried to run it and then told me my credit card was no good
I pointed out I was ck and the card showed that and that cks don’t pay for drinks
She demanded payment anyway and I went ahead and gave her the money since it was clear she was an idiot.
I handed her my concierge key membership card and she tried to run it and then told me my credit card was no good
I pointed out I was ck and the card showed that and that cks don’t pay for drinks
She demanded payment anyway and I went ahead and gave her the money since it was clear she was an idiot.
Dec 14, 2018, 9:36 am
#32
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
I’m Executive Platinum and fly mostly international so I access the Flagship check in at JFK. I always encounter the same agents.
This week my flight JFK-MIA-GRU was booked using miles and I was automatically added to the upgrade list for JFK-MIA.
At check in, the agent tells me I was mistakenly put on the upgrade list for JFK-MIA and she was taking me off. I quickly corrected her and said I was entitled to it as an EP on award travel on domestic and caribbean flights, and could even upgrade companions with 500 mile upgrades. She talked to another agent and she told her that I didn’t qualify and to take me off the upgrade list.
Again I tell her that I was entitled to it and had just done it 3 weeks prior for a trip to the caribbean over Thanksgiving with a companion on an award ticket and we both were upgraded on both the domestic connection and the flight to the caribbean. she then made a phone call and was told my itinerary did qualify for the domestic upgrade.
Sadly, I’m not surprised that an agent doesn’t know her own company policies, I’m more shocked that she actually tried to go out of her way to take me off the list. What gives?
This week my flight JFK-MIA-GRU was booked using miles and I was automatically added to the upgrade list for JFK-MIA.
At check in, the agent tells me I was mistakenly put on the upgrade list for JFK-MIA and she was taking me off. I quickly corrected her and said I was entitled to it as an EP on award travel on domestic and caribbean flights, and could even upgrade companions with 500 mile upgrades. She talked to another agent and she told her that I didn’t qualify and to take me off the upgrade list.
Again I tell her that I was entitled to it and had just done it 3 weeks prior for a trip to the caribbean over Thanksgiving with a companion on an award ticket and we both were upgraded on both the domestic connection and the flight to the caribbean. she then made a phone call and was told my itinerary did qualify for the domestic upgrade.
Sadly, I’m not surprised that an agent doesn’t know her own company policies, I’m more shocked that she actually tried to go out of her way to take me off the list. What gives?
Here's my AA example. Last Christmas Day I was checking in at the AA priority line in EWR and my bag was slightly over the weight limit. The agent paused, and then said "it's okay". As she was tagging it, a colleague of hers walking past actually stopped: "You can't allow that, it's over weight! He has to pay a surcharge!" She was wrong about the surcharge as I was able to move some things into my carry-on, but at that point I decided to check that bag too, so rep #1 had to then tag that, and the handlers had to move it, and neither of those actions (or the initial paying the surcharge) had anything to do with the cranky agent.
Dec 14, 2018, 9:40 am
#34
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
You would think that the JFK operation would provide a roving floor manager who is well versed in the rules (perhaps the station expert) who can be called upon when there is type of dispute (disagreement?)
Dec 14, 2018, 9:56 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 36
I am most frustrated about these things because it’s made to seem as if I’m asking for something that’s not part of my benefits as EXP. I’ve had repeated incidents with this agent also when it comes to moving into Premium Economy for the $0 upgrade for EXP. She gives me a hard time every single time saying “oh I dont think that will work”. But low and behold every single time, twice a month it works. (Icant check in on my own because of a visa check but otherwise I’d be able to upgrade myself on the app and save myself the annoyance)
Dec 14, 2018, 9:57 am
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 36
yes she did call someone on the phone to ask, after I pushed back 3 times.
Dec 14, 2018, 3:16 pm
#39
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
Dec 14, 2018, 3:43 pm
#40
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
This whole story is sad.
I checked into the FL at JFK recently flying in FC to LAX on the Transcon and has to remind the agent I needed an invite to access FL dining
I checked into the FL at JFK recently flying in FC to LAX on the Transcon and has to remind the agent I needed an invite to access FL dining
Dec 14, 2018, 5:49 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Dec 14, 2018, 6:01 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP/2.7MM
Posts: 42
I am most frustrated about these things because it’s made to seem as if I’m asking for something that’s not part of my benefits as EXP. I’ve had repeated incidents with this agent also when it comes to moving into Premium Economy for the $0 upgrade for EXP. She gives me a hard time every single time saying “oh I dont think that will work”. But low and behold every single time, twice a month it works. (Icant check in on my own because of a visa check but otherwise I’d be able to upgrade myself on the app and save myself the annoyance)
Dec 14, 2018, 7:55 pm
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage EXPLAT, Hilton Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Citi Exec MC, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,443
I had a long argument with an agent when I had a 3 class F ticket DCA-JFK-LAX and my DCA-JFK flight got cancelled and I got placed on IAD-LAX in 2 class F. At the time, 3 class F was 32.5K and 2 class F was 25K (no rule at the time about the surcharge if plane was a 3 class flight).
i spent a long time trying to teach the stubborn agent that 2 class F and 3 class F are NOT the same thing, and then she even claimed that ALL domestic flights are 2 class and she had no idea that the 321T on JFK-LAX even existed.
Called in many times to get the mileage difference refunded and still couldn’t find someone competent enough to understand but did manage to get a guy who was at least willing to listen and browse around the website and learn that 3 class F and 2 class F are not the same thing.
i spent a long time trying to teach the stubborn agent that 2 class F and 3 class F are NOT the same thing, and then she even claimed that ALL domestic flights are 2 class and she had no idea that the 321T on JFK-LAX even existed.
Called in many times to get the mileage difference refunded and still couldn’t find someone competent enough to understand but did manage to get a guy who was at least willing to listen and browse around the website and learn that 3 class F and 2 class F are not the same thing.
Dec 14, 2018, 8:28 pm
#44
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,159
It's a worthy ideal for employees to safeguard the company's funds like their own (we don't want store clerks looking the other way while their friends shoplift, or executives spending excessively on travel and dining just because they have an expense account).