New Diamond Meet & Greet @ JFK International Arrivals

Saturday, got off DL211 from Prague. There were 3 customer service representatives at the Jetway exit each holding a sign with names on them. One was mine, one was the guy across the aisle from me-both Diamonds. This was the first time since I began flying commercially in 1965 that someone was there with my name displayed. Possibly this is a frequent flier record.

The agent assigned to me explained that this was a new service to expedite Diamonds through Customs and Immigration. Next came the disconnect from reality. C&I and Delta have not reached an agreement on how to do this, so each agent would walk us to the entrance and leave us to deal with the normal entry requirements.

Wake up Delta!! Why waste money that could be used in other places: for example make the award calendar functional, publish a world-wide award chart or make the web-site functional 100% of the time. I do not need my ego stroked by misguided marketing nonsense. I travel enough to know how to navigate through arrivals. I even believe that I am literate enough to read signage in English. One exception is the sign that reads, "exit" at baggage claim that is above the head of the dragon who rudely points out that the correct exit is way on the other side of the hall. But, that is another conversation in respect to government stupidity.

 

First, this isn't an overly new service.

Second, you are probably the first person who doesn't like the service. I used it once, and found the service quick and easy. Saved a ton of time, and would be invaluable to those with ongoing connections. Usually there is only one agent per flight, so the fact that you each had one agent assigned to you is a bit unusual. The point here isn't to "guide" you through C&I. The point is to get you through fast.

 

Welcome to FlyerTalk....

Wait. Wrong site

On topic, the Diamond meet & greet is supposed to be rolling out at other stations. From that we can infer that it's popular enough with the customers.... I don't personally need it (I have Global Entry) but it will be useful when traveling with my partner who doesn't.

 

Are there Diamonds who CAN'T navigate their way through C&I?

 

On the Meet and Greet that we enjoyed, the agent was able to take us right up to the front of a line that was set up for airline personnel and VIPs (I guess that was me ). We were through Immigration in not much more than five minutes from the time she met us in the jetway (and that five minutes included the walk in).

 

It's not that they 'can't' but more that the escorts help speed the process through C&I and security up significantly by allowing line hopping.

 

But is it faster than Global Entry? I continue to be impressed with GE.

 

Not really (it's close to a wash)... BUT they do give you an escort through security which speeds it up...

 

Back in the mid 90's, shortly after the SkyMiles Platinum level was introduced, DL had a very similar Meet and Greet program. I used it on a couple of occasions and found it quite helpful.

It quietly went away a few months later and I believe there was another try at it in the early 2000's.

Hopefully this new benefit will have more staying power this time around.

 

Interesting. I suspect that would be a LOT more value at ATL than JFK (personally speaking). I've never had a significant security wait at JFK, either from the screening stations downstairs by the recheck desk, or slipping up the elevator to the hidden little security area upstairs (my favorite 'cause it's not well known). ATL, however, is always a problem.

Cholula: I remember when DL said they were going to offer the service to PMs, but I never, ever saw it happen - even when I was a PM flying on an M+ fare or regular business fare. Guess it only happened at airports I didn't fly through.... I do hope this lasts.

 

A co-worker recently returned through JFK and related his experience with this. I have yet to experience it myself, but whoever is assigned to meet me had better be wearing sneakers! I move pretty quickly from plane to C&I (where admittedly, I come to a screaching halt). When will Delta spring for an expedited SkyPriority processing lane at C&I?

 

Meet and Greet is supposed to bring you straight to the front of the line at C&I.

 

That, I could get used to!

 

You guys seem to have missed the point. The airline and C&I have not reached an agreement so we were dropped at the entrance of immigration. No speeding through, not that it was needed, since we were in business and the hall was empty.

Since I am pretty much egalitarian, I do not need stroking or special treatment to do something that I have mastered. Save it for the people who want to feel special.

Personally, "specialness" occurs when an airline delays and cancels a flight due to low ceilings and gets you where you are going in a timely manner. Canceled, of course, when the ceilings were acceptable but the aircraft was needed somewhere else and you are told to wait 9 hours for the next scheduled flight that may or may not operate. Now since there is a perfectly fine airport less than 50 minutes away that can land aircraft in any weather and has multiple convenient flights would it not make sense to drive us over there and fly on "Star Alliance"? This is where specialness and persistence comes in.

Thank you Bratislava, a Czech Air station staffed by contract people who finally saw reason to the argument. Four of us made it directly to Prague while others were sent via Paris. The Vienna check in agent got great delight over the idiocy of the whole thing.

 

The JFK Meet-and-Greet has been running for quite a few months now and depending on when you arrived at JFK (either Terminal 3 or 4), it was a godsend when the lines were long (e.g., summer time around 530pm when flights from PSA, BUD, ACC, ZRH, SDQ, IST all get in around the same time). The problem with C&I only manifested itself since early February (I don't know what exactly triggered it as the agents had been bringing Diamonds up to the front of the line for a while now) and since then, the agents have been forced to leave you in the regular line, and then meet up with you again after you clear immigration. They will however wait with you for your luggage, and escort you through the connection process (if you're connecting) all the way to the SkyClub. For passengers ending their journey in New York, they are supposed to escort you all the way to your ground transportation.

Sure hope they fix the issues with C&I soon as I do find this to be an excellent service (and have written to Delta several times about it).

 

My recent trip to DUB I scheduled the return thru JFK just to experience this -- but nobody told me you preclear in DUB so no meet and greet.

My next trip is on AF so no JFK. The one after that is CPH (on the mistake fare) and try as I could, I could not get a routing back thru JFK without paying the non-mistake fare

I want to be special, too! I want my name on a sign. I want to be liked

 

I'll be honest. In my opinion the only valuable aspect of the Meet & Greet service is the agent taking you straight to the front of the C&I line. Otherwise, I'm quite sure I can walk there myself, wait in line myself, get my bags myself, etc.

Honestly, DL needs to work this out with C&I. More importantly, I think DL is testing this to make it a revenue stream. They can charge $50 to $100 per person who wants this handholding because Diamonds sure as heck don't need it unless it gets us to the front of the C&I line.

PS - I have heard this started in ATL in January. I've got 2 inbound international flights via ATL in March so I'm hoping the service is alive and well and I am brought to the front of the C&I line. After all, the 530am arrivals with 1000 people in queue for immigration is NOT fun.

-RM

 

I have not had it, but I too would like to have it at ATL and other congested places. Zero use for it at JFK.

 

Got the scoop from one of the JFK agents this past weekend. Apparently, a Meet-and-Greet agent took around four Diamonds through and a diplomat in line got upset that he had to wait. He complained and got it escalated to Washington....and since then, the agents have been forbidden to even show up anywhere in the line with the DMs.

 

AA offers this to any passenger at LAX and JFK for $150. They will event take and preboard you on the connecting flight AND lift your bags into the overhead compartment. Includes club access for the day.

 

Its my understanding that this is more of a T4 issue than a T3 issue.

 

Welcome to MP. It's nice to see you here.

 

Just arrived in ATL from LHR and no Meet & Greet service here at all.

 

Contact Delta

 

Good to be here, thanks. BTW, one Q, I joined when it was Beta, got an e-mail calling me an original member, but I am still listed as 'new" member???