"one of the few elite American Airlines customers"?
Sep 24, 2008, 8:07 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: DL 0.22 MM, AA 0.34 MM, PC Plat Amb, Hertz #1 GC 5*
Posts: 7,511
"one of the few elite American Airlines customers"?
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/09/late-to-the-air.html
Aside from the "style" of these Wired stories, this one line caught my eye:
Late to the airport? No problem, as long as you're one of the few elite American Airlines customers. Starting September 30th, American announced their best customers will be able to leap through select airports like a pre-trial O.J. Simpson in a Hertz commercial. American customers participating in the PriorityAAccess program will be whisked through special security lanes, given top priority at boarding time, and be told before any other passenger that their luggage is 700 miles away.
Seems to me, with AA's lifetime Gold/Plat elite status, that there's lots of elites out there. Are there any statistics floating around, as per what the percentage is for each flight, of elite vs. non-elite pax?
Steve B.
Aside from the "style" of these Wired stories, this one line caught my eye:
Late to the airport? No problem, as long as you're one of the few elite American Airlines customers. Starting September 30th, American announced their best customers will be able to leap through select airports like a pre-trial O.J. Simpson in a Hertz commercial. American customers participating in the PriorityAAccess program will be whisked through special security lanes, given top priority at boarding time, and be told before any other passenger that their luggage is 700 miles away.
Seems to me, with AA's lifetime Gold/Plat elite status, that there's lots of elites out there. Are there any statistics floating around, as per what the percentage is for each flight, of elite vs. non-elite pax?
Steve B.
Sep 24, 2008, 8:12 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,079
i am beginning to believe they out number the non-elites.
Sep 24, 2008, 8:14 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Posts: 1,124
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/09/late-to-the-air.html
, and be told before any other passenger that their luggage is 700 miles away. [/I]
?
Steve B.
, and be told before any other passenger that their luggage is 700 miles away. [/I]
?
Steve B.
How about AA fixing this??????
Sep 24, 2008, 8:17 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,967
We all know that there are plenty of elites out there.
However, many, many of those elites do not use their benefits on a regular basis. In fact, I would wager that 25% of AA elites don't even realize that they have status, and some might not even fly AA much at all. These days, it's very easy to get MM status via credit cards and other sources.
Remember, it's easy to be lulled into a sense that "everyone" is elite when you fly LGA-DFW, AUS-SJC, and other super-elite-heavy routes!
However, many, many of those elites do not use their benefits on a regular basis. In fact, I would wager that 25% of AA elites don't even realize that they have status, and some might not even fly AA much at all. These days, it's very easy to get MM status via credit cards and other sources.
Remember, it's easy to be lulled into a sense that "everyone" is elite when you fly LGA-DFW, AUS-SJC, and other super-elite-heavy routes!
Sep 24, 2008, 8:40 am
#5
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
I highly doubt 1 of every 4 elites does not even know they have status.
Maybe they don't know exactly what benefits they have, but that's a big number to not notice any emails, letters, or boarding pass printouts.
Maybe they don't know exactly what benefits they have, but that's a big number to not notice any emails, letters, or boarding pass printouts.
Sep 24, 2008, 9:05 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: DL 0.22 MM, AA 0.34 MM, PC Plat Amb, Hertz #1 GC 5*
Posts: 7,511
Given how many benefits and/or removal-of-charges is tied to Elite, I figured everyone would want to be Elite (or be travelling on an Elite's PNR!). It's to the point that I'm thinking of MR'ing to be able to gift NW Silver/Gold. You can buy 3P on UA, and "earn" Gold on AA via 1,000,000 miles of any activity. There's so many ways to become any Elite level, you figure if you fly more then 2x-3x a year, it's worth it.
Steve B.
Steve B.
Sep 24, 2008, 9:10 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Given how many benefits and/or removal-of-charges is tied to Elite, I figured everyone would want to be Elite (or be travelling on an Elite's PNR!). It's to the point that I'm thinking of MR'ing to be able to gift NW Silver/Gold. You can buy 3P on UA, and "earn" Gold on AA via 1,000,000 miles of any activity. There's so many ways to become any Elite level, you figure if you fly more then 2x-3x a year, it's worth it.
Steve B.
Steve B.
Sep 24, 2008, 9:13 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP BA Gold, TK Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AS 100K, QR PLT, SAS Gold, IHG Spire, AMR
Posts: 5,898
I for one, just found out that I belong to an elite group of shoppers at a Mall where I get special discounts. Apparently have been for years and never knew it, or cared about it. DOn't know why I am on it, but I am sure to many women shoppers this is blasphemy.
Just like we can't comprehend somebody not joining Aadvantage and knowing if they are gold or plt
Sep 24, 2008, 11:19 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
This year she will end up being around 1,000 short of Gold, but doesn't want to have to take the odd connections we did last year just to retain the status. She'd rather have a more direct flight back to the UK.
How many of us on this board would take the odd routing to score the extra 1,000 EQMs/EQPs? I know I would, but I'm not sure that the general population place this much value on Elite status...my other half certainly doesn't!
Sep 24, 2008, 11:46 am
#10
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I know a number of people who will merely call their agent and go - regardless of which airline, etc. - in J or F. FFP? AAdvantage elite and its reciprocal agreements for treatment by oneworld airlines? They don't care, they just fly what their agent recommends or what's most convenient.
I disagree with you. Not many people share our passion or obsession for travel. There are quite a few people out there who travel a bit who are NOT members of any program.
I for one, just found out that I belong to an elite group of shoppers at a Mall where I get special discounts. Apparently have been for years and never knew it, or cared about it. DOn't know why I am on it, but I am sure to many women shoppers this is blasphemy.
Just like we can't comprehend somebody not joining Aadvantage and knowing if they are gold or plt
I for one, just found out that I belong to an elite group of shoppers at a Mall where I get special discounts. Apparently have been for years and never knew it, or cared about it. DOn't know why I am on it, but I am sure to many women shoppers this is blasphemy.
Just like we can't comprehend somebody not joining Aadvantage and knowing if they are gold or plt
Sep 24, 2008, 12:05 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 325
I wonder whether the new baggage fees, and particlurly the exemption from those fees for elites, will get more people looking seriously at trying to achieve elite status. I know a lot of flyers who see little value in FF miles because of their perception that they are impossible to use. On the other hand, not having to change your flying habits (ie checked bags) and not having to pay for that privilege, is worth real $$$ (at least until the rules change agian). -- Suzanne
Sep 24, 2008, 12:09 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,177
Or when you hang out on FT! Judging by many flights I take from ORD and LGA it seems to me that most of the passengers still board in Group 2 or later, ergo, most passengers are not elite. Other people's observations may be more accurate than mine.
Sep 24, 2008, 12:12 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
I wonder whether the new baggage fees, and particlurly the exemption from those fees for elites, will get more people looking seriously at trying to achieve elite status. I know a lot of flyers who see little value in FF miles because of their perception that they are impossible to use. On the other hand, not having to change your flying habits (ie checked bags) and not having to pay for that privilege, is worth real $$$ (at least until the rules change agian). -- Suzanne
Last edited by GTITAN; Sep 24, 2008 at 5:10 pm Reason: clarifying fix of typo post. Thanks FWAA!
Sep 24, 2008, 12:14 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
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IIRC from some other threads on average the number of low tier elites is around 10% of the programmes members, with mid tier around 3-5% with top tier around 1%.
The top tiers are just more visible as they theoretically fly 4x as much.