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Old Dec 6, 2014, 4:43 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
Transcontinental Nonstop Flight Class of Service Based Lounge Access



AA Transcontinental Class of Service Based Lounge Access Policy


On nonstop transcontinental JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX routes
all Premium (First and Business) passengers (paid and upgraded) have lounge access.


Traveling on a Non-Stop Transcontinental Flight?

If you are traveling in the First or Business class cabin in one of the following non-stop markets, we welcome you to visit the lounge as indicated below.

Code:
JFK-LAX  /  JFK-SFO  /  MIA-LAX

			Admirals Club	Flagship Lounge

Two-Class Flight	 	 
First Class		     √

Three-Class Flight	 	 
First Class		     √		     √
Business Class		     √	

Chart adapted by dstan
Link to
Admirals Club & Flagship Lounge Access For Transcon Customers Beginning September 1, 2012.


On nonstop transcontinental JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX three class and two class premium routes, all Premium (First and Business) passengers, paid, award travel, and upgrade) qualify for lounge admittance.

LAX-JFK, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX First class (three class aircraft) passengers receive access to the Flagship lounge at JFK or LAX. There is no Flagship Lounge at MIA or SFO at the present time; access is to the Admirals Club. (MIA Flagship Lounge has been announced.)

See All About AA Flagship Check-In at JFK, LAX, MIA, ORD; DFW coming? (consolidated) for Flagship (premium) Check-In.

Updated 27 Mar 2016 by JDiver

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Nonstop Transcontinental Flights Lounge Access (master thread)

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Old May 29, 2012, 7:06 am
  #1  
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Arrow Nonstop Transcontinental Flights Lounge Access (master thread)


AA Transcontinental Class of Service Based Lounge Access Policy



On nonstop transcontinental JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX routes
all Premium (First and Business) passengers (paid and upgraded) have lounge access.



Lounge Access by Transcontinental Class of Service - Flagship Lounge or Admirals Club

Traveling on a Non-Stop Transcontinental Flight?

If you are traveling in the First or Business class cabin in one of the following non-stop markets, we welcome you to visit the lounge as indicated below.

Code:
JFK-LAX  /  JFK-SFO  /  MIA-LAX
			Admirals Club	Flagship Lounge
Two-Class Flight	 	 
First Class		     √
Three-Class Flight	 	 
First Class		     √		     √
Business Class		     √	

Chart adapted by dstan
Link to
Admirals Club & Flagship Lounge Access For Transcon Customers Beginning September 1, 2012.

Last edited by JDiver; May 24, 2015 at 5:52 pm Reason: Update
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 9:40 am
  #2  
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New transcon lounge policy for class of service as of September 2012 (consolidated)

Thread title says it all. Ironically, on the three remaining routes, all F/J passengers regardless of paid vs. upgrade are allowed in.

to a change that alienates AA's most profitable customers.

Last edited by JDiver; Dec 6, 2014 at 4:52 pm Reason: relo mod note to wiki
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 9:42 am
  #3  
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Seriously? I'm guessing that someone, somewhere has an explanation for this, but it seems monumentally stupid to me.

How many of those people are there? Not a whole lot, and they're paying a bunch of money. It's not like AC access is so exclusive or expensive that this move has any apparent value.

Is this bright move published somewhere?

Cheers.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 9:45 am
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So they're basically shafting west coast to WAS/BOS flyers? Seems like a small group relative to the others, and I don't see how letting paid flyers on these routes into the AC (or not) significantly hurts AA's bottom line. Dumb move, unless it's the start of a larger-scale phase-out.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 9:58 am
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I think AA probably decided that the clubs have a certain capacity and that they'll have better luck stealing premium flyers on the three routes left by offering even discounted/upgraded pax access than maintaining access for LAX-WAS, SEA-JFK, SFO-MIA, LAX-FLL, LAX-MCO, LAX-BOS, JFK-SAN and the returns. If AC access is how you convince pax to pay $2,000 for r/t tickets on those three routes on AA vs. DL, UA or VX then it's a worthwhile decision, particularly as the other routes have fewer options (or are dominated by other carriers).

I also wonder, as I have before, if this indicates the elimination of sticker upgrades on transcon flights, a la UA...
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:02 am
  #6  
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I wonder if they determined that the number of full F/J passengers who aren't already members, or don't have an AMEX Plat/Cent is low enough that they can be alienated with minimal backlash....

But...a link or some other reference to this announcement would sure be helpful...
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:04 am
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Does this apply to award reservations booked in F and/or Z?
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:05 am
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Originally Posted by PHL
I wonder if they determined that the number of full F/J passengers who aren't already members, or don't have an AMEX Plat/Cent is low enough that they can be alienated with minimal backlash....

But...a link or some other reference to this announcement would sure be helpful...
Perhaps but the internal Q&A below suggest they did think about the backlash. Furthermore, the fact they think alligning themselves is good. How about providing your $2K r/t F passengers a reason to choose AA over other customers.

From the Q&A....

I have a regular customer who travels full fare First Class (F/Z) between JFK-SAN on a two-class non-stop flight. How do I explain to him that he no longer has access to the Club?

This change was based in part on customer feedback regarding the complexity of our Club and Lounge access rules. Customers are no longer required to travel in a specific inventory, which supports a more simplified access policy and smoother guest registration process. The new policy is also more closely aligned with our competitors.

This is a great opportunity to sell a new membership – remember, we offer discounts on annual memberships based on Elite Status, or you can suggest a 30-day membership or one-day pass based on your customer’s travel needs.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:07 am
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Originally Posted by sts603
This is a great opportunity to sell a new membership – remember, we offer discounts on annual memberships based on Elite Status, or you can suggest a 30-day membership or one-day pass based on your customer’s travel needs.
Oy, talk about a double slap in the face to a frequent transcon flyer: "Sorry, we're no longer giving you complementary club access... but let me tell you about our great AC membership plans!"
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:08 am
  #10  
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Originally Posted by MaineFlyer16
Does this apply to award reservations booked in F and/or Z?
All F/J customers will get access in the three remaining markets. NO F/J customers will get it in the others. Upgrade vs. award. vs. paid distinction eliminated.

Internal announcement only - working from internal docs. Not public yet.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:11 am
  #11  
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I suspect that the change is designed to highlight the fact that the remaining transcons offering lounge access (JFK-LAX/SFO on 762 and LAX-MIA on 772) are the ONLY remaining transcon flights sold with three classes of service. (not sure how the new rules will apply for the daily 763 turn on JFK-SFO-JFK, or the other LAX-MIA turns which I think are a mix of 752/763/738 equipment)

American Flagship Service used to be just that...a flagship product that was distinguished by having three classes of service. Maybe AA is trying to reassert the "flagship" aspect of it by downgrading the experience a bit on the other transcon routes that offer only two classes of service.

Furthermore, I suspect the JFK-SEA and JFK-SAN premium cabins have nowhere near the amount of paid F traffic that JFK-LAX has.

I actually like the idea of standardizing the lounge access (instead of requring F/Z/J/U inventory). Makes it much simpler to understand, and frankly, most of the J cabin is probably elite upgrades where the elites are members of the AC anyway, or have AMEX Plat.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:12 am
  #12  
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Any change to Flagship Lounge access for transcons? Still full fare F and Z, or would A on three-class flights get access?
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:13 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by PresRDC
Any change to Flagship Lounge access for transcons? Still full fare F and Z, or would A on three-class flights get access?
Flagship lounge access is available to ANY F passenger on the three remaining markets.

Two class aircraft on JFK-SFO/MIA-LAX are covered by the policy as well. All F passengers will received access.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:16 am
  #14  
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We've been enhanced.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 10:18 am
  #15  
brp
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
We've been enhanced.
What's most amusing is that it seems they're really trying to sell it that way. The process has been "streamlined." See all the good things we do for you?

Cheers.
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