On a flight from LAX to ORD tonight, the person sitting next to me had a travel publication from Consumer Union. It looked like a monthly subscription service. I read the publication and its article about 1st level elite status for all the airlines. It was a good article but the thing that pissed me off was the fact that they published AA's Gold Desk number (plus all the other airlines 1st level elite numbers). As we all know, we cherish the "elite" numbers for their qucik answer and help. I think it was irresponsible of CU to print this information for the general public. Now granted, if you call and are not elite, I am sure the service center will either (1) not help you and reference you to the general number or (2) help you. But this puts those of us who have worked hard for their elite status potentially behind the eight ball.

http://www.ConsumerReports.org/

the publication is Consumer Reports Travel Letter---it is usually a pretty good unbiased analysis of aspects of travel.

On Delta, they request your FF # when calling the special elite numbers. I wonder what the reps answering the telephone do when someone dials using the elite number and their status is not elite?
I agree that it dilutes the elite status when non-elites dial in. Also, how about the check-in lines? Sometimes the elite check-in line has a longer wait than the regular check-in line.

The BA (US) phone system requires you to key in your membership number - even when you are phoning the 'blue' line. This is fine except when the computer gets itself into a loop or - as when I switched programs - when it doesn't recognise your ff number because you belong to a different geographical region. If MF were anything other than premier, he'd be better off phoning the UK numbers when trying to get service in the US... (there is a titanium-trimmed platinum telephone on Robert Ayling's desk that rings when MF so much has a momentary thought that requires attention from BA)

Although the customer service for the 'elite' lines is certainly faster and even more pleasant than for the blue line, I'm fairly certain that if you managed to get through & didn't have a valid gold/silver card, you would be politely but firmly given the number for the blue line!

Baobab: You really have got the do on with me today havn't you!

How about we do an expeiment... I e-mail you the BA Premier number and you see what the service is like?
MF

Merry - I have a duty to entertain Rudi and Catman... if you want to e-mail me the premier number, go ahead, and I'll test it out. I found the blue service pretty good, despite the problems with switching programs, but it was even better when I had access to the elite numbers again.

On second thoughts, perhaps it's Mr Ayling's titanium-trimmed cell phone number that you have!

all those US-numbers for UA 1K's etc don't help me a lot - because the person answering has to pass me (because of my international-ticket even when my next flight segment is only in US/Canada, not because of my poor english) to an international operator - and there I go waiting and waiting ...

As Aubie said, when you phone Delta you enter your FF number and pin. You are connected with a Special Member Services Operator if you are a Medallion level flyer. Thus it makes no difference if you dial the listed or unlisted number.

Air Canada works the same way. Call the number, enter your ff number and then your call is routed according to your status. Result: Calls from Elites get answered within 3 minutes, calls from non-elites take 20min+

Last year I was not Gold Medallion, and several times when I called that number, I got quickly transferred to the Silver Medallion operators.

Rudi, UA now has a 1K international desk. When you call the 1K service number you press 1 for domestic, 2 for international. No waiting!

I thought that was that 1K-number 3 weeks ago (but I didn't notice any choice 1)national 2) international).

Thank you.

Delta is interesting in that yes, you do enter your number and PIN if you know it, if not you get connected to an operator. Of course this might just be a test of sorts, because what elite level frequent flyer would forget his ff number and PIN (except for Emmett_s of course)?

But, note that they actually have three numbers, plain old SkyMiles number, Silver Medallion, then Special Member Services, which is for Gold and Platinum.

I admit that I DON'T KNOW MY FF-NUMBER(s)! (I can type them on the numeric board with closed eyes - but I couldn't tell/write them without looking into my notebook).

am I disqualified now for this board?