chris1979

that's interesting.

I've had it at LAX and JFK on BA tickets.

just flew on pure AA ticket last week where I could have done with some help but nothing at ORD nor LAX (nor PIT, PHL, MIA, CLT, SFO but didn't expect it there).

definitely not a repeat of the LAX AA Flagship Lounge 'paging' to say hello.

golfmad

This may well be the case.

I had a somewhat reverse feeling of goodwill from BA at MIA earlier this week. I arrived at the Premium lounge and the check in lounge agent said there was a message telling her to call Special Services straight away. She called to be told the SS lady would be coming to see me. Three hours passed and I boarded without seeing anyone. I didn't need or want a visit but it's a bit odd to make such as song and dance about it and then do nothing.

golfmad

New one on me today. I was sitting at gate C15 at CLT waiting patiently for my flight. As usual a decent crowd starting to form around the gate. Just prior to boarding starting the gate attendant announced my name and asked me to come forward. My initial reaction was to expect some kind of problem with my seat but he was simply offering me to board before anyone else.

I suspect it's the GGL treatment again?

Rather pleasant really.

Airprox

Having read a few reports of this but not having had an experience of it myself I wondered whether this was AA collecting their own data on non-AAdvantage flyers and working out who their higher value customers are, much like BA's CIV system, rather than any data actually being shared between the two about CKs/GGLs.

Last week however I was flying CLT-LAX-SEA in F and was paged at the gate at CLT to come forward, along with another gentleman, and a lady there introduced herself as from Premium Services etc. She had a PDA thing which listed our flight details, he was Concierge Key (flying in Y) and next to my name it clearly said "BA VIP", which leads me to believe it must be GGL data shared by BA? Anyway she took us down to the aircraft before boarding started which was quite nice.

I wondered if I was only included because she was coming to that flight for the CK guy anyway, but at LAX again I was paged at the gate and a Premium Services lady was there, and this time it was just me and no CKs. She said that they had planned to meet me at T6 off the inbound from CLT but apologised that because we arrived early someone couldn't get over to T6 in time. I'm not sure if this would have meant anything different for getting over to T4/TBIT or whether they would have just ridden the bus with me?! Finally she mentioned that she had been to see if I was in the T4 Flagship lounge before coming over to the gate at TBIT (Gate 151 to SEA), but of course I was in the QF F lounge.

I also flew SEA-ORD-CLT in Y, and PHL-RDU-CLT in F last week and had no special treatment on any of those flights, so perhaps it is just focused on Transcons in F?

ianfly

As GGL I was offered a luxury Cadillac car transfer in the flagship JFK to my gate. I was boarding the transcon to lax in business

I accepted and it was ok. Sort of pointless the gate was minutes away and the plane wasn't ready for boarding, they drove us to steps to the gate where we boarded as normal

Was nice to be recognised but I think I would decline in future

Oh and it was AA3. I asked if this was a new thing to the flagship service and I was told that the flagship lounge and services aren't as busy in the mornings/early afternoon. Not sure if this was a misunderstanding or not but I assumed that special services are busier in the evenings when the AA/BA flights all start leaving for Europe.

opalfruit

Few negative datapoints from me on this - no CK treatment for me whilst transiting JFK, MIA or TPA (not that you'd expect it at TPA!) in the last month or so.

MIA in particular was a disaster - after queueing for ages to clear security at terminal E and getting to the ex-AA lounge an announcement went out saying that there had been a gate change, and our flight would now depart from terminal F... meaning we needed to exit the E terminal, wander over to F and do the TSA dance all over again - along with a 747's worth of other disgruntled pax. In total spent over an hour going through security in both terminals (upside is this has finally prompted me to sign up for Global Entry, which gives TSA Pre).

Would have *really* appreciated the CK/SS treatment in this scenario.

Airprox

Sounds like you were departing on BA?

opalfruit

That's a darn fine point there! Though I was connecting via AA.

newbyuk

I have to say that I think the treatment as BA GGL/CCR with AA Premium Services is sporadic and is heavily dependent on the availability of AA Premium Services staff to help which is of course a function of the number of AA CK's travelling at the same time.

In July on a AA ticket LHR-JFK-LAX return in First all the way I was met in JFK and LAX for car transfers from the flagship lounge to the gate which In JFK given the split of the ops was great. They also called me when my flight was late taking off (just before doors closed) and whilst delayed in flight they confirmed me on a later connecting flight as well as keeping my original seat on my existing connecting flight just in case by a miracle we landed in time (which is not normally supposed to be possible according to the CSM on board). All in all a very impressive service especially when met on arrival too and whisked around the terminal in a golf buggy!

However, last weekend on a AA ticket again in First on the same route I had nothing at all from them but noticed an AA CK being whisked to the plane in a car from the flagship lounge as they ended up sitting in the suite next to me bragging about it to their other half on their cell phone! (and yes I was slightly envious but should learn not to expect anything in future!)... To compound things my flight was very late into JFK from LAX and I nearly missed my onward BA connection to LHR - neither AA or BA were anywhere to be seen to help - thank goodness I was in my trainers and shorts so I could run across Terminal 8 onto 7 and through to the gate in time!

Airprox

So no preCheck anyway then (yet), and I assume AA CK would only have any interest if you were departing on AA. I don't think I've seen any reports of any CK/PS handling of GGLs at MIA anyway, on any flights, does anyone have any experiences?

Where did you arrive from on AA? (Intl?)

newbyuk

I recently flew LAX-MIA-LHR first class connecting from AA to BA in MIA for the flight home and had special services met me off the plane and take me to the BA "premium lounge" on a golf buggy (which is some walk I can tell you) but that was only because my AA issued ticked would not let me check in online or even with AA staff at LAX for the MIA/LHR leg (for the usual AA/BA ticketing software glitch reasons) and AA staff in the LAX flagship lounge were worried that I would arrive into MIA and miss my check in cut off time and be stuck in MIA at their expense so arranged a meet and greet! Other than that no other experience at MIA

golfmad

I've had BA special services come and see me a couple of times in the premium lounge in MIA in the last 6 months.

Airprox

Yes I was talking about AA's Concierge Key/Premium Services staff, which is what this thread is about.

Airways45

I flew on an AA ticket in economy from CLT - LHR a few months ago. A guy (AA staff but could have been CK) was waiting at the top of the jetbridge (as you enter LHR T3 rather than by the aircraft door) with a iPad with my name on it. He said I was a BA VIP and wanted to make sure everything was okay on the flight. I said yes. He said good and that was it. He put his iPad down and went to the aircraft. I was thinking a buggy was going to be hiding but it wasn't and no escort. Kind of nice but odd.

As a CCR/GGL very regularly in JFK (in all classes) I've never once been spoken to by the SS team even though SS must by now recognize me as I come into the lounge and at check-in. The other CCR staff do... always seems a bit odd to me that SS hasn't said hello by now. Doesn't matter, I know my way around.

I fly paid AA domestic F tickets regularly and get treated as an Exec Plat (though I'm earning points as BA). However, never had any CK treatment (including at hubs where they are). So it seems to be random and the luck of the draw.

orbitmic

I must say that some of the JFK CCR staff are particularly nice and attentionate. Some of them have recognised me ever since my second visit and seem to remember what I ate last time more than I do, and that I am partial to their Champagne cocktails and decaf macchiato!!

Like you, special services at JFK do not seem to care that much about me or my partner (not that I mind) and probably do not recognise us (possibly a good thing on the whole as people can be remembered for good but also bad reasons!) even though I certainly recognise them! Last time, though, I did go to the check in desk just to get the escort to the front of the security line as it was stretching till the sales counters!