A visibly drunk American Airlines Concierge Key member used his status to demand changing the TV channel in the Chicago O’Hare Flagship lounge, hurled homophobic slurs at passengers, and assaulted the staff. Reportedly, nothing was done, because ‘he has high status’.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago
The customer reporting the incident was traveling with another male companion. He described the intoxicated Concierge Key as wearing a Ritz-Carlton hat and repeatedly invoking his status to justify his behavior.
- The man entered the lounge and demanded the TV be changed to golf. Several passengers were already watching the Chicago Cubs game and objected. Lounge staff sided with the group, saying the TV would remain on the game. He grabbed the TV remote from a staff member, forcing the employee to move away.
Media Room, American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago O’Hare - The man insisted that his status gave him authority, and took photos of employee name badges to intimidate them and report them. He then mocked those watching the TV, saying they shouldn’t watch “little kid baseball.” (He may have thought this was little league, or that Cubs vs. Pirates is for kids but golf is for grownups?)
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago - As the Cubs game went on, he threw a beer cap at those watching. Later, he declared “Why don’t you go f*** your boyfriend, you fat f***.” That’s when a customer demanded the man’s removal from the lounge. A front desk agent, though, reportedly responded that the man was a ConciergeKey “very VIP” and would not be removed.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago
Only after insisting he, too, was important – a 15-year customer who has earned Executive Platinum
several times – that a manager came to intervene. So what’s the right follow up here?
- File a police report
- Record and post the behavior on social media since that will spur the airline to act.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago
The man’s status could be revoked if escalated high enough. This was not just harassment but a potential safety-of-flight issue—a drunk passenger in the lounge could easily become a danger in the air.
ConciergeKey is the status that American Airlines gives to its top spending customers and top corporate travel influencers. It’s the status that George Clooney had in Up In The Air.
I had the status briefly and it includes top priority for upgrades;
While the time and date of the incident wasn’t reported, based on watching the Cubs vs. Pirates game on TV it appears that this took place on Sunday, August 17. The Cubs edged the Pirates 4–3, with Dansby Swanson delivering the game-winning sac fly in the 8th inning. This game also coincides with the timing this was shared to social media.
This is nothing. You should see the conduct Caesars Seven Star and MGM Noir customers get away with
Golfers can be like this….
Bad behavior is the problem; not groups of people, whether it’s status, or any other background or identifier.
What’s sad here is that a CK should know better, and should not get away with this nonsense, much less any other passengers.
We need to stop enabling bad actors; good behavior can be contagious, too.
They have to get Paul Skenes some help in Pittsburgh.
I thnk, when you are a shareholder, even a tiny one as I am, you may view things from different perspectives…you don’t want to antagonize a good customer supporting your business…however, this is in other places what would be considered very socially unacceptable behavior, and disturbing to a majority of others entitled to the perks of their status, and as mentioned, drunk or not, presenting a safety issue once airborne. My thought would be that since some adults clearly need to be told how to behave because they don’t have the ability to do that on their own, would be that the status, however noted to a customer be sure to include an agreement, and possibly go so far as to say the status will not be activated until such agreement is signed off on. And make clear the consequences could include losing the privileges.
@Robin, I think this unacceptable behavior anywhere.
And no, we don’t need people to sign off on not being douchy. That’s also expected of all grownups. Lounge agents should also be disciplined for giving such a flippant reason for not kicking him off.
Was he trying to watch the BMW championship? Because that was epic. Scottie struck again! (Having said that, obviously completely unacceptable behavior.)
@ATX Jetsetter — For real.
Also wonder when @Gary took that photo of the lounge. Everyone is all dressed up, fancy.
Based on this report, staff clearly mishandled the situation. Period.
If “VIP” means one gets one’s way, and can offend and insult your other customers, where does it end?
So, you tolerate the CK tossing homophobic slurs, OK…. What if he moved to anti-Semitic slurs, do you stop him then? What about anti-Muslim slurs? What happens when he drops the “N” word? At what point do you stop, and in essence say it’s OK to insult people who are A, B, and C, but not OK to insult customers in group D?
I understand not wanting to anger the drunk CK further, but the staff person with the best social/clinical skills should have pulled him aside — even sat down together with him somewhere else in the lounge and simply humored his drunk a** in private area (cordoned off if need be — if you’re that concerned about offending him) until it was time for boarding. And use the time to bring in a senior person to deal with denied boarding, if necessary.
I wonder what American could do to a customer who reported the offender?
Gary mentioned recording the behavior and filing a police report. A great step too is filing complaints with the governing liquor control board or that state’s equivalent for overserving someone.
But do they then ban the person who reported it for causing trouble by booting them for taking photos of employees/other passengers without permission, violating the contract of carriage?
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
It’s amazing what some people can get away with under the guise of privilege. Equally amazing what some people will let others get away with in the name of said privilege.
@Robin Rosner where do you draw the line on what’s acceptable behavior in the name of a dollar? Clearly drunken homophobia slurs is not enough. If he was racist would that have crossed the line? What is he took a swing at someone? What if he got handsy with another passenger? Does that cross the line? Seems a dollar is more important than the comfort of the customers IYHO.
Please stop this excusing despicable behavior that is being normalized by people who think they’re entitled to do whatever they damn well please.
Police should have been called, his face and name and intoxicated actions should have been videotaped while he was arrested for public intoxication.
And should have been denied boarding. Did the CK Rep sugar coat this drunk by escorting him to the aircraft talking the crew into violating Federal Law by boarding an intoxicated passenger?
Don’t care what status he was.
I hope AA isn’t that desperate for business.
That said, without video I question the whole incident. There **are** times to pull out your phone and film.
I would have simply told the staff either you call the police or I’m going to drop this guy right here on the floor. Your choice. Done.
Was the person who wrote it on Reddit, assuming it’s real, a fat dude? Cause then the other guy was being accurate.
@Thing 1 — So, following our earlier convo on a separate post, are we a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down for a ‘slap’ here?
American seems to be on a par with Ryanair or Frontier, and well behind Spirit, if they tolerate this kind of behavior.
I too am a Concierge Key and if I witnessed this moron acting this way I would have had no choice but to intervene. Status does not condone in any way rude, discourteous or obnoxious behavior. I am truly ashamed for this person and think his status should be immediately revoked.
This idiot is just copying the behavior of his Big Fat Orange Dear Leader.
@Gene — ‘When you’re a (Concierge Key), they let ya do it… grab ‘em by the…’
Wow an entitled piece of shit that only cares about himself, wonder who he voted for
Are we sure it wasn’t Sacha Baron Cohen?
‘Flagship Lounge’ looks like a school cafeteria.
I love the baseball connection and thanks for researching the game!
Hilarious calling baseball boring, and for the most part that drunk was right. The only sport more boring to watch than that is golf. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Why is anyone putting up with public intoxication? That is a crime and especially dangerous at an airport. If he were in the lounge, he was probably connecting so all these lounge people did was pass the problem on to the gate agent and closer to a plane and a flight.
Most CK’s are very kind and actually chill, but when they’re bad, they’re HORRIBLY bad!
2 articles today about ultra-elites who have alcohol problems. Do they earn all their miles on rum-runs??
The common denominator in several VFTW is 2 groups that should be controlled, or restricted from flying:. Intoxicated (or under the influence) and the obviously mentally ill, Just what you need in a metal tube at 35K feet.
This is easily solved. I’ve posted this many times, and I’ll do so again. Certain penalties are already in place as per 49 U.S. Code § 46504. These are evidently insufficient. Therefore, they shall be modified as such: When a pax creates a disturbance under 46504 on an aircraft or airport the following shall apply, without regard to race, creed or religion:
1. Mandatory 14 days in jail. No bail.
2. $7500 fine, payable instataner upon release from the mandatory jail term. Failure to pay results in an additional 30 day jail term.
3. After the non-bailable mandatory jail sentence is served, an additional sentence not to exceed 20 years, may apply.
4. All current and future government benefits shall be terminated, including, but not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security benefits, disability payments, CHIP, SNAP, WIC, student loan forgiveness, state & federal pension benefits (if applicable), stimulus payments, and any other federal or state issued payment.
5. Placed on a permanent no-fly list
6. Prohibited from being on the premises of any commercial airport in the USA. Violation will result in up to an additional 10 additional years in jail.
This shall apply to any passenger regardless of religion, color, sex, creed, or VIP/program status. Implemention of the above will, over time, result in a more civilized travel experience for the rest of us.
If this guy pulled this stunt in a food court of an airport, he would have received a much quicker and stronger response .
Apparently airline lounges are like prison. If you don’t have high status you can be subject to abuse while the guards look away.
I’ll take my chances in a food court first.