An intoxicated American Concierge Key member reportedly started assaulting other passengers and employees, but was largely excused, on account of his elite status. If there’s any truth to this incident, then American Airlines needs to be a little bit less coddling of its elite members…
Continue reading: American Concierge Key Assaults Others, Staff Do Nothing Due To Status?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Super odd take to suggest recording and publishing. Not everything is for clicks (for most people, at least).
Those who seek “Status” and expect respect have much to learn. Respect has to be earned and should not be expected.
‘Slapping down’ those who act abominably because they believe themselves to have ‘status’, has long been an act which gives me a great deal of pleasure.
So, a belligerently drunk man had a melt down in the club because he couldn’t watch pasture pool, and the club representative did basically nothing about it. Extrapolating that lack of any action on AA’s part would indicate to me that at some point he left the club to stumble off to his gate to then become the flight attendants problem. Well done AA, well done…
Why are you citing Reddit as a source? Reddit is filled will delusional people who have an loose association with the truth. It has become literally a place where group think takes hold and people are rewarded for lying via Karma points. Come on OMAAT, you are better than this.
Look which anonymous “guest” user is back..
“ ‘Slapping down’ those who act abominably because they believe themselves to have ‘status’, has long been an act which gives me a great deal of pleasure.”
Which makes you just as haughty, nasty, and entitled as the one you’re slapping down
We had a Marriott Platinum member (or highest status at the time) at a hotel I worked at in Hollywood who was strung out on drugs and would trash the suite during their stay. They would never call the police .
If I ever saw someone harassing a gay couple in public I’d get in their face that’s not ok.
Throwing a scene and dropping a slur because your elite status didn't entitle you to have the TV changed to golf? Wow! It sounds like a fake FT thread from 2011.
Rest assured this will be escalated internally and handled by the AA executive team. I say the lounge team did the right the thing.
"All of our passengers have tablets, so we're ripping out IFE" - Doug Parker.
One would think Mr. Rich CK would have his own tablet to watch his golf...
Heck, last time I was at the ORD flagship none of the TVs were working. I didn't throw a fit, instead I streamed game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals from my ipad
I once saw this guy yelling at a LATAM airport agent in Sao Paulo. He was asking her “do you have an idea of who I am?” in reference to his alleged Delta status. This is so stupid. Airline status doesn’t give you the right to harass other people.
Where are the "kids running around" when you need them? That's many people's go-to move when complaining about poor lounge behavior, right?
The biggest act of stupidity here is going into an airline lounge IN CHICAGO and thinking you can turn off a Cubs game. Talk about bad choices...
Impressive to already be drunk as a skunk before even walking into the lounge. Maybe he had too many mimosas in the terminal first?
This guy will pick on the wrong person one day and he will not get fi**erred, he’ll be royally f**ked.
“Look which “guest” troll is back”.
It bumps its gums like a demented little juvenile who needs putting back in its pram. Whomever gave it an electronic device on which to spread its pathetic venom has much to answer for. Still, the entertainment value is immense and good for Ben’s click-count. Not to mention the “Great deal of pleasure” one enjoys when “Slapping” it down verbally.
When some unfortunate people read a word like “Slap”, they immediately go into overdrive believing it to mean a physical violent action. Little do they realise that many English words have different meanings depending upon what one is wishing to convey. Little people with little understanding of the English language do tend to make fools of themselves by jumping to the wrong conclusion …. right Plain Jane?
The troll accuses one of being “Haughty, nasty and entitled”, however, it is quite obviously referring to those who demand unearned respect because they believe that they have status. Status is one important factor in Ben’s article, something the troll fails miserably to acknowledge. Putting a vile creature back in its box can never be described in the manner the troll attempts to indicate, yes?
I never assumed you were physically slapping anyone. Simply an observation that your "great deal of" enjoyment at the humiliation of others, regardless of their actions, puts you in the same league as those you dislike.
Only pompous a**holes take great pleasure in the demeaning of others, whether that person is a CK at ORD or a comment troll pretending to be British and constantly using other login names to feel important to demean others while using a guest profile over and over.
But thank you for your lesson in the English language based on a comment you did not understand or self-awareness you don't possess.
One makes no apologies whatsoever for standing up to the bullies of this world. One makes no apologies whatsoever for defending those who cannot defend themselves against others who wish them harm. One makes no apologies whatsoever for verbally “Slapping down” the rude, crude and revolting people who think that their ‘status’ entitles them to treat others badly.
Some might think that by standing up to such bullying, such antisocial behaviour, or, the terrorist like actions of those obnoxious self-proclaimed ‘status’ entitled individuals, is wrong. Some might accuse a person with a social conscience of being a “Pompous a**hole”, “Haughty”, “Nasty” or “Entitled”. Those who have been the victims of the bully, suffering physical violence, etc, or, have witnessed the abominable actions of these entitled individuals, rather than revulsion, they show eternal gratitude for the actions of those who stands up for them.
As an Englishman who is accused of not being such by a demented website troll is shocking, pathetic, demeaning and outrageously disrespectful. Such an attitude displays the levels of contempt and hypocrisy one only expects from those who inhabit the sewers of this planet. A truly lowlife contributions from one who would not survive beyond infancy in the real world. One who is insignificant and incapable of standing up to be counted.
Was at the flagship lounge the same day after first missing my flight the night before and then sitting on the rebooked flight on the tarmac for 5 hrs watching a huge thunderstorm passing right over ORD shutting down the airport until the crew timed out.
Overheard another CK member on her phone with customer support after learning her flight to PHL for canceled. After being told that all remaining flights of the day were oversold already and the earliest flight out would be next day she demanded to kick off some lesser status passengers to make room for her husband and herself. She got quie angry with the agent when this didn't happen citing her status in every second sentence and complaining that it is not right that somebody else got to travel and not her having CK status... Not sure if this is an official AA CK perk but the sense of entitlement was mind boggling...
I don't even necessarily think this was a gay couple. I'm pretty sure this CK member is just someone who uses homophobic slurs as a way insult people generically because they think it's a way to demean someone.
He might have Delta SkyPESO status, but in Brasil the currency is the 'Real' !! First class A-hole !
Sounds like negligence by the lounge staff, assuming they didn't all the cops to have him ejected for drunk/disorderly conduct.... Alleged 'victims' should have done likewise when it was evident that lounge staff was not requesting law enforcement assistance....
But I imagine the lounge staff are minimum wage contracted non-AA employees so what can one expect ? And I wouldn't expect much from the so-called 'AA excecutive' team either...
So I take it we won't be rubbing shoulders at the Royal Ascot, Trooping the Color & other demanding social obligations, ole chap ?
...lol
Spot on Bossa, you will never see me in Ascot, sorry mucker.
Firstly, I’m not into any donkey-walloping sports.
Secondly, I only turn right onto the A30 London Road, towards the M25 car park. A left turn would take me away from LHR into Ascot, which is to be avoided at all costs.
As for the spit, polish and marching game, again, that is definitely a No! No! Real soldiers have no taste for that nonsense, don’t you know Bossa. Besides, the only use I ever had for the Horse Guards Square was to land a Woka on it. The Brass in Horse Guards hated it when we had a shout as they had to supply a landing party and Cab guards. Furthermore, they had to organise for all the windows to be cleaned after a dry sortie …. such fun.
Thank you for putting a smile on my face.
Maybe its time you took your racist bullshit elsewhere, Waitress. You bring nothing to the table.
I fly both delta and American enough to be top tier elite… but not 360 or CC.
In my experience, AA CC are obnoxious and entitled. DL 360s only seem to be obnoxious about boarding.
@John +1, and also citing VFTW, the dubiousness and sensationalism is not what we're here to read. OMAAT, you can do better.
and the anonymous guest user is back in despite berating others with "guest" profiles.
What a surprise... You sure do enjoy opining on US airlines and incidents
The biggest act of stupidity here is Cubs fan IN CHICAGO thinking you can eject Billy the CK off the lounge, another 76 years isn't too long? Talk about bad choices...
Interesting that nobody has commented yet about your ending comments. Your bottom line is for someone to record it and post it online. Your bottom line says nothing about how it should have been handled by the staff or other passengers or what could have been done to control the man. Agree that the lounge attendants were correct about not letting him change the channel and about status does not give him more rights, but they should have done more to control the situation. I also think there is more to the situation than just that. ....
I think it is beyond absurb if this jackass was allowed to board another flight in that condition. I don't care what status he has - a belligerent drunk on the ground is going to become a major problem in the air.
Shame on AA for boarding him, if indeed they did.
Your'e welcome 🙂 ... So you turn right @ the A30 but left @ the "World's Favourite Airline's" boarding door ? ... lol
And I sincerely appreciate your defending those of us who are verbally attacked by bigots !
Lounge agent should have notified (a) his supervisor, (b) gate agent for belligerent passenger’s flight, (c) AA station manager, and (d) airport police. Probably more to the story, as is usually the case here at OMAAT. Go Cubs!
There are some people who are terrible people regardless of their status or experience levels, and if it's the intersection of those people with those who ALSO can't handle their drink, the outcome is pretty bad. Hopefully he gets banned or arrested- we don't need that kind of energy in the lounge, and I'm sure AAL employees would agree...
I’m always puzzled while so many [supposedly] straight harassers spend so much of their brain capacity imagining homosexual acts. Hmmm.
Interesting ... Maybe because it's more 'acceptable' by society to use homophobic slurs versus racial ones these days ... Especially now with the current administration vilifying trans people and denying their medical care, getting hysterical over 'proper' rest room selection and attempt to 'erase' them from history.... Very sad .... Wonder what group will be next ?
Thank you once again Bossa, my facial muscles are being exercised nicely this morning, reading your missive has made me smile.
Thinking about your BA comment, chances are that my left turns will be few and far between on BA from now on. Full time retirement means no more flights at the behest of my ex-masters.
‘She who must be obeyed’ has her own ideas about our destinations and which airlines we should spend our pennies on. An AF CDG-SIN trip is booked but nothing else is planned for the rest of this year.
My little furry friend insists that I should not be more than a few metres away from her now. She is a real darling who absolutely adores her woodland walks …. and brings most of it back home too. Domestic bliss has never been more enjoyable.
As for the bigots of this world …. one will simply have to learn to ignore their gross ignorance …. 🙂
@Lucky - DID THIS REALLY HAPPEN?
No one else reporting it...
No video...
People record everything. If this person really did all this surely someone would have pulled out a phone.
Highly suspicious.
One of two things is true...
1. This happened and no one else in the lounge posted about it or recorded it.
2. This is another 'fake outrage' story found all throughout the internet.
If one was totally honest having a zillion air miles may mean you’re not important enough to have people come and see you. Obviously there are exceptions.
Did it happen?
Two days later... no confirmation that this even happened. No pictures. No videos. No AA comments.