American Airlines Places New HP PCs in Admirals Club and Flagship Lounges
New Technology Deployment Further Demonstrates American's Commitment to Customer Experience and Technology Leadership
Press Release Source: American Airlines On Monday September 20, 2010, 10:00 am

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines is taking another step in implementing its customer experience vision by outfitting its Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge facilities with brand-new HP personal computers (PCs) to offer members and guests the latest technology for their professional and personal needs.

Built with comfort and convenience in mind, American's Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge facilities offer amenities designed to help customers relax or work in a secluded environment before, between or after flights.

Travelers visiting lounges today will find the new HP PCs at clubs in New York, Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth – three of American's cornerstone markets. These rank among the most important cities for travel in the United States and are key connecting points to the oneworld® international network. Lounge facilities in Atlanta, Boston, Raleigh/Durham and San Francisco are also equipped with the new HP PCs. The company will continue to install new PCs in its remaining lounges throughout this year.

"In this 'always connected' day and age, it is critical to have an updated and easy-to-use technology option available for our lounge guests," said Nancy Knipp, American's President – Admirals Club. "This effort with HP is a continuation of the Admirals Club's commitment to reinvest in our products and services to improve the travel experience for our loyal customers."

Upon completion of the installation rollout, Admirals Club Business Centers and Children's Rooms will be updated with HP Compaq 8000 Elite Business PCs, designed with the needs of business people in mind, and allowing customers to check e-mail and conduct business on a highly-secure, stable and efficient device. The Cyber Cafes will also include HP TouchSmart PCs, boasting built-for-touch applications that allow customers to experience music, photos, games and video in a visually-engaging manner beyond what a mouse or keyboard can do.

"The HP technology in the Admirals Club provides guests with innovative and reliable solutions to make the most out of their journey," said Stephen DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Personal Systems Group, HP. "Our premium products ensure that members can stay connected and have an enjoyable entertainment experience in the Club, whether they are on the road for business or pleasure."

The delivery of new HP technology to the lounges complements American's ongoing and numerous initiatives to invest wisely in technology. American is leading the industry by utilizing technology to make travel better for customers, using tools such as YADA, Vantage Point and T-Link, which enable employees to make better operational decisions – from on-time arrivals to baggage transfers.

"American Airlines has spent the past decade implementing technology solutions to transform the airline from the inside out – innovative approaches that change the way both customers and employees interact and travel with us," said Monte Ford, American's Senior Vice President – Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. "As technology solutions improve the airline, the primary beneficiary is the customer – and this steadfast focus on customer experience is what drives our technology decisions."

American operates more than 40 Admirals Club lounges and five Flagship Lounge locations in airports throughout the world. The company continues to reinvest in its products and services with new technology and lounge refurbishments. For example, American finished extensive renovations to its Boston Logan Admirals Club in July and completed major refurbishments to its London Heathrow Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge facilities in May.

Individual Admirals Club memberships for new members range from $350 to $500 annually. AAdvantage miles can also be used to purchase Admirals Club memberships. One-day passes are available for $50 and may be purchased online, at self-service check-in machines, or any Admirals Club location. For more information on Admirals Club lounges, including Admirals Club membership and one-day pass information, log on to www.aa.com/admiralsclub.