American Airlines To Introduce PriorityAAccess Privileges For Its Top Customers
AA.com, 9/22/2008 (excerpted)
Privileges Ease Check In, Security, and Boarding for AAdvantage Elite Status Members, First and Business Class Travelers, AAirpass Customers, and Passengers Traveling on Full-Fare Economy Class Tickets
FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines will soon introduce to its top customers PriorityAAccess SM privileges, which are an array of enhancements designed to make the airport process and overall travel experience more convenient.
American's AAdvantage® elite status members, First and Business Class travelers, AAirpass customers, and passengers traveling on full-fare Economy Class tickets will receive more control and be offered an easier journey when they travel with dedicated PriorityAAccess check-in, security screening lanes (where available), and exclusive boarding lanes at the gate.
American will introduce PriorityAAccess privileges on Sept. 30 and expects to complete the rollout by the end of October.
Following is a summary of American's PriorityAAccess benefits. These benefits will be available to First and Business Class customers; AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum®, and AAdvantage Gold® members; AAirpass® customers; one world® Alliance Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby members; and customers traveling on full-fare Economy Class tickets, which are booked in American's “Y” ticket category.
PriorityAAccess Check-In
PriorityAAccess customers will enjoy their own dedicated check-in area at the ticket counter with distinctive signage clearly identifying PriorityAAccess lines. In addition, “PriorityAAccess” will be printed on boarding passes, designating travelers as American's top customers. American will offer PriorityAAccess check-in areas at all of the airports it serves worldwide.
PriorityAAccess Security Screening
Where permitted by airport policy and government security regulations, American will offer exclusive PriorityAAccess security screening lanes. Like the dedicated check-in lines, PriorityAAccess screening lanes will be clearly marked with special signage. Currently, American plans to offer PriorityAAccess screening lanes in its 10 largest airports, as well as in other airports where permitted by the TSA.
The airports that will have exclusive PriorityAAccess security screen lanes are: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Miami (MIA), Los Angeles (LAX), New York JFK (JFK), New York La Guardia (LGA), St. Louis (STL), San Francisco (SFO), Boston (BOS) and San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU).
PriorityAAccess Boarding Lanes
To further enhance convenience for its top customers, American will offer dual boarding lanes at its gates – one for PriorityAAccess customers and one for general boarding. Customers with PriorityAAccess privileges will be invited to board first or board at any time through their exclusive PriorityAAccess lane, which allows them to bypass lines after general boarding has begun.