My Bizarre Interaction With An American Airlines Employee At JFK

The airline industry is incredibly complex, and airlines deserve a lot of credit for how well they function, all things considered. However, sometimes you have a customer service interaction that makes you wonder what someone’s deal is, and that makes the DMV look like a Four Seasons, by comparison. Well, I just had one of those…

My weird American check-in experience at JFK

I was recently taking an American flight out of JFK (after landing from Tokyo in Japan Airlines’ A350 business class). I had forgotten to change my frequent flyer number from American AAdvantage to British Airways Executive Club, but had already checked in. So I went up to one of the self-service kiosks to do that, but the kiosk wouldn’t let me change the number.

More from OMAAT American Airlines’ Most Senior Flight Attendant Retires After 63+ Years Read more

Therefore I went to the priority check-in area (not Flagship First Check-In, just to be clear) — which I was entitled to use, both based on being confirmed in first class, plus being an Executive Platinum member.

The check-in area had one of those line “guards,” who is supposed to point you in the correct direction. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: “Hi, I’m in first class, but I just need to see an agent to change the frequent flyer number on my booking.”
Employee: “You have to use one of those kiosks.” (he pointed to the bag drop kiosks)
Me: “I actually just tried to use a kiosk, and it wouldn’t let me do it, so I need to see an agent, please.”
Employee: “Then you have to see an employee in that area.”
Me: “Sir, that’s the bag drop area. Sorry I if I wasn’t clear, but I’m in first class, so I’d like to see an agent here.”
Employee: “Then you have to go to check-in zone three.”
Me: “I don’t understand, isn’t that the economy check-in area? Why can’t I use this area, I’m in first class?”
Employee: “Go see that guy over there, you need to use those kiosks” (he pointed to the person supervising the bag drop kiosks)

I had no clue what this guy’s deal was, but I played along. So I went up to the other employee (who was very nice). I explained that I had already tried to use a kiosk unsuccessfully, but said I’d do so again, just so he could see it. He watched me go through the process of trying to change my frequent flyer number on the kiosk, and he agreed with me that it didn’t work. He said I should go back to exactly where I previously was, and see an agent in the first class check-in area.

The line guard was surprised to see me again. At this point the nice guy who was trying to help me yelled over to the line guard saying “he needs to see an agent, he’s right, it’s not working.” The line guard once again said “you can’t go here, you need to go to zone three.” Without saying it, the other guy very much gave his colleague a “WTF is your issue” look.

At this point I politely confronted this guy (and to give myself some credit, I’m good at controlling my emotions when I’m frustrated in customer service interactions, because I have a lot of practice over the years). 😉

Me: “Sir, I don’t understand why you’re giving me such a hard time. I am in first class, and I should be able to use the first class check-in area. What am I not understanding?”
Employee: “I’m just doing my job.”
Me: “But you’re not. I am in first class, and should be able to see a priority check-in agent. Instead you’re directing me to the bag drop area and to the economy check-in area.”

At this point he yelled over to one of the people working the priority check-in area, and said “he’s trying to change his frequent flyer number and he says the kiosk won’t do it.”

She responded “no problem, just have him come over here.” The priority check-in agent was of course lovely, and solved my problem in less than a minute. The wild part here is that there wasn’t even a wait in this check-in area, so it’s not like he was trying to control the length of the queue.

I don’t even understand what happened here

I’d like to think that I have reasonable expectations of service at US airlines. Most airline labor groups work really hard, don’t make that much, and deal with the wrath of the traveling public. That being said, sometimes you have an interaction that makes you wonder if you’re just on a different planet.

In the case of this guy, he has one primary job — he’s supposed to direct people in the correct direction. Now, he’s the first airline employee that most premium customers visiting the check-in facility will interact with, so ideally he’d also be friendly and welcoming, but maybe that’s a step too far.

But I honestly don’t remember the last time I’ve interacted with an airline employee who just had such bizarre disregard for what a customer was saying. Let me be clear, there was nothing lost in translation here, and I’m not omitting any details.

I repeatedly told him I was in first class and needed help with something, and he directed me to bag drop kiosks (when I already told him that didn’t solve my issue) and even to the economy check-in area. And then when his colleague told him to let me see an agent, he still argued.

I’m trying to come up with any possible explanation for why he acted the way he did… but I’m coming up with nothing. Why did he make his life harder than it had to be? He could’ve just said “welcome,” and that would’ve been the end of it…

Bottom line

I’m a frequent American flyer, so it’s unusual for me to be fazed by a negative customer service interaction. An exception was while recently trying to go to the priority check-in area at JFK, where the line “guard” kept trying to reject me for reasons I couldn’t figure out. I’ve never had an interaction quite like this before, and I’m still not sure I can make sense of why he was so insistent, and why he had such an attitude.