Qantas First Class gets AA Flagship Check-in treatment at JFK
By David Flynn, May 1 2013
The travel experience for Qantas First Class passengers will get that little bit ritzier this week with this week's opening of American Airlines' Flagship Check-in service at New York's JFK Airport.
Already operating at Los Angeles and Miami, Flagship Check-In is AA's attempt at a personalised 'concierge experience' for the VIP set.
This includes first class travellers on an AA international flight or those of oneworld partners such as Qantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific – as long as you're on your way home from JFK, not just nipping elsewhere in the US.
If that's you, then head to the AA Flagship Check-In desk on the departure level of New York's JFK Airport where you'll enjoy access a set of dedicated self-service kiosks.
(And here we were, thinking that the human touch was paramount to a premium service!)
At least there are AA staff on hand to assist with your baggage check plus a designated premium security line so you can get into the Flagship Lounge that bit sooner.
Keep up to date with the latest news for business travellers and frequent flyers: follow @AusBT on Twitter.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Aug 2012
Total posts 73
Platinum members of 1w can use the flagship lounges, can they also use the flagship check in?. It doesnt seem to say so here or related article.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
No they can't use Flagship checkin - this is for First Class only.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
The Flagship check in at LAX, JFK and MIA is not to be confused with the Flagship check in at LHR, which is open to First and Business customers as well as EXP and Oneworld Emeralds regardless of the class of travel!
Talk about confusing!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Quite right - maybe oneworld needs some consistent partner-wide branding of its premium services, a bit like SkyTeam's SkyPriority desks.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Jan 2012
Total posts 172
Qantas doesn't actually operate any "First Class" International services out of JFK.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
That's correct, but if you're ticketed on First Class through to the A380 out of LAX, you should still be able to use this facility.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 318
Is this American "First" aka "Business Class" in Australian Terms?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
No, it's international first class – not domestic first which, as you say, we know as business class.
22 May 2011
Total posts 86
so what exactly is the benefit to first class passengers here? a self-service kiosk to check-in (ie what you have been able to do with jetstar for a long time)? Confused as how this is personal, first-class relevant and flagship?
19 Mar 2013
Total posts 38
But isn't that typically American! Your very own self-service kiosk! At least the priority security lane is a plus.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
But CX, BA and QF operate out of JFK terminal 7, while AA operates from terminal 8. Presumably this facility is located in terminal 8? In which case the provision for CX, BA and QF pax only refer to their onward connecting AA flight from JFK?
It's rather confusing...
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