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Question:

My main route is PDX-ORD and I’ll enjoy the extra room in AA’s MD-80’s while it lasts. )-; Schedules were the main factor for my using United on that route (6 direct flights daily versus 2-3 for AA) due to scheduling.  But UA cut one flight each way while AA alterned its schedule.  For similar times and price, my choice is AA especially after my last UA return flight to Portland … Priceline customers were getting Economy Plus seats while I was on a ticket that was probably twice the price, with the counter agent unwilling to upgrade my rear seat assignment (but handing them out to Priceline customers who came after me). The agent’s response was precious … "The flight is very full."  Ummm … is that a Yes or a No? (-; gld

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They’re also now charging $250 per direction for upgrades with points (that means you’ve already forked over a fare + 50,000 points) to Europe & Asia (except for the outrageously priced B & Y fares).  And $5 for the pleasure of speaking with an actual agent on the phone to book your ticket.  They used  be soooo good – even with 2 million miles, we left Delta for them – now it’s time to go back or find another.

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> >Although the long-haul 777’s (at least the two AA ones I travelled on in the >last few weeks – have two separate economy sections – it would be very easy >to leave the front economy section as it is and squeeze a few more mores >into the back part. > Agreed. If you have to travel international coach, the AA 777 forward cabin is a > very good way to do it.

If only they had VS’s IFE system……

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>Although the long-haul 777’s (at least the two AA ones I travelled on in the >last few weeks – have two separate economy sections – it would be very easy >to leave the front economy section as it is and squeeze a few more mores >into the back part.

Agreed. If you have to travel international coach, the AA 777 forward cabin is a very good way to do it.

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> >Maybe AA should follow them and have an enhanced section, but not at BC >prices. > Don’t forget UA’s "Economy Plus" (aka "We don’t hate you *quite* so > much").

I still havent tried UA on Long haul. > Remember they’ve *already* removed it on some aircraft (A300s, and > 757s, as I recall).  But I suspect they may keep it (for a while) on > the longer-haul ones (i.e. 777s).

Although the long-haul 777’s (at least the two AA ones I travelled on in the last few weeks – have two separate economy sections – it would be very easy to leave the front economy section as it is and squeeze a few more mores into the back part. I must do a trip report about the brunch that wasn’t

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I’ll be very sorry if this happens.  When the low-fare carriers offer more legroom (JetBlue:  34" in about half of their seats; Frontier: 33" on their Airbus fleet), what’s the incentirve to fly AA anymore if they charge more? And, frankly, being in Dallas, I’d fly them more often, even at $5-$10 more for the convenience of their overwhelming schedules on most routes, but the fact is that they are more like $75-$100 more each way.  Last weekend I flew business class on AirTran between DFW and BWI for less than coach would have been on AA’s "Less Room" 757’s. Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Was in the Hallowed Halls of Power at DFW recently. > Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Everyone at the company has basically discounted the unannounced news > already. > It has been determined that while customers love the extra space, they are > not willing to pay for it. > A ticket price difference of as little as 5 or 10 bucks will make them go > with a low-cost > competitor rather than enjoy more room. > The success of adding the two rows back in to the 757 and A300 fleet > cemented the decision > to go fleetwide. > It was thought an announcement would be made some time this year but > turmoil at AA has kept > them busy fighting for their very survival. > At this point they probably won’t announce it until the beginning of next > year so as to not interfere > with the bu$y holiday travel sea$on. > There won’t be an extensive LRTC media blitz. <t-i-c> > ….Straight from the rarified atmosphere of the upper echelons of > executive power…..

Response:

> Was in the Hallowed Halls of Power at DFW recently. > Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Everyone at the company has basically discounted the unannounced news already. > It has been determined that while customers love the extra space, > they are not willing to pay for it.  A ticket price difference of > as little as 5 or 10 bucks will make them go with a low-cost > competitor rather than enjoy more room.

[snip]    I’m not surprised. I’ve always been a tad surprised by the level of price sensitivity of airline passengers.  There are signs though that this sensitivity may be artificial.  Folks buy "cheap" tickets to airports further away from their ultimate destination, and then pay more in ground transportation to get there.      I wonder on occasion if part of the problem is the way ticket search engines deal with prices.  They will order them, or display them, from lowest to highest price with the cheapest displayed first. However, as little difference as $1 with no other consideration will often cause one flight to be displayed first.  Some of the better engines will display nonstops first, regardless of price. Some of the best attempt to display them as a function of distance from the desired departure time.      I tend to be fairly schedule sensitive so I am forever checking search engine results carefully to see if there is a schedule that is desireable, even at a fairly large cost difference.  The result is that I also end up considering issues of convienence.  AA had picked up a few trips from me because of the MRTC schtick.  I also will pay more for direct flights.  WN picks up travelers because of this, especially between "odd" city pairs.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Is this a well thought out and logically calculated improvement, or is this > just a move to make it look like AA is taking steps (any steps) to cut costs ? > Adding seats to a plane increases costs for any flight which didn’t have 100% > occupancy prior to adding the seats (since you pay extra fuel to carry weight > of seats but you’re not carrying any more passengers). > What’s the percentage of front cabin seats that are actually paid for (instead > of given  out as upgrades ?) > Removing one row of premium cabin may in fact allow the addition of sufficient > coach seats to increase the capacity. > The increase in number of seats will only yield serous improvements if it > results in AA reducing frequencies enough to send some planes back to lessors > or if there were sufficient number of flights where coach passengers were > turned away due to insufficient capacity.

Why do you even bother responding to anonymous trolls?

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> Was in the Hallowed Halls of Power at DFW recently. > Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Everyone at the company has basically discounted the unannounced news already. > It has been determined that while customers love the extra space, they

are not willing to pay for it. > A ticket price difference of as little as 5 or 10 bucks will make them go with a low-cost > competitor rather than enjoy more room. > Well, there goes my only reason for flying American rather > than other airlines!  (Good thing I used up my credit with > them for my September trip to Paris.)

You fool.  This is obviously a troll.

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> Was in the Hallowed Halls of Power at DFW recently. > Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Everyone at the company has basically discounted the unannounced news already. > It has been determined that while customers love the extra space, they are not willing to pay for it. > A ticket price difference of as little as 5 or 10 bucks will make them go with a low-cost > competitor rather than enjoy more room.

Well, there goes my only reason for flying American rather than other airlines!  (Good thing I used up my credit with them for my September trip to Paris.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The success of adding the two rows back in to the 757 and A300 fleet cemented the decision > to go fleetwide. > It was thought an announcement would be made some time this year but turmoil at AA has kept > them busy fighting for their very survival. > At this point they probably won’t announce it until the beginning of next year so as to not interfere > with the bu$y holiday travel sea$on. > There won’t be an extensive LRTC media blitz. <t-i-c> > ….Straight from the rarified atmosphere of the upper echelons of executive power…..

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> Strange – BA and VS seem to make it work with their economy plus and world > traveller plus sections.

As have EVA, SAS,  SIA, Garuda and China Southern > Maybe AA should follow them and have an enhanced section, but not at BC > prices.

Indeed Keith

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> Right now, AA offers very reasonable upgrade prices to first class, $25 > for up to 500 miles. I often see some empty ones. This indicates that > customers aren’t willing to a little more to get more space.

What’s so special about AA that they can’t get somebody to pony up a relatively-small amount of cash for a first-class seat, while UA manages to fill E+, which offer 3-5 inches more legroom and nothing more (same seat width, same lack of food as E-) for $35 at check-in?  Granted that $35 is for flights anywhere from 1,000-2,500 miles, so it’s less-expensive than $25/500 miles, but you’re not getting that much either. –Mike–     Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Is this a well thought out and logically calculated improvement, or is > this > just a move to make it look like AA is taking steps (any steps) to cut > costs ? > Adding seats to a plane increases costs for any flight which didn’t have > 100% > occupancy prior to adding the seats (since you pay extra fuel to carry > weight > of seats but you’re not carrying any more passengers). > What’s the percentage of front cabin seats that are actually paid for > (instead > of given  out as upgrades ?) > Removing one row of premium cabin may in fact allow the addition of > sufficient > coach seats to increase the capacity. > Yes, and it might send quite a few frequent fliers to other carriers. > Right now, AA offers very reasonable upgrade prices to first class, $25 > for up to 500 miles. I often see some empty ones. This indicates that > customers aren’t willing to a little more to get more space. I am quite > sure they did study the issue and felt that they could add the seats back > without a loss of competitive advantage. The premium cabin sets them apart > for people that ARE willing to pay more or that choose them for the > frequent, occasional, or rare upgrades they can get.

Response:

> Was in the Hallowed Halls of Power at DFW recently. > Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Everyone at the company has basically discounted the unannounced news already. > It has been determined that while customers love the extra space, they are

not willing to pay for it. > A ticket price difference of as little as 5 or 10 bucks will make them go with a low-cost > competitor rather than enjoy more room. > The success of adding the two rows back in to the 757 and A300 fleet

cemented the decision > to go fleetwide. > It was thought an announcement would be made some time this year but

turmoil at AA has kept > them busy fighting for their very survival. > At this point they probably won’t announce it until the beginning of next

year so as to not interfere > with the bu$y holiday travel sea$on. > There won’t be an extensive LRTC media blitz. <t-i-c> > ….Straight from the rarified atmosphere of the upper echelons of

executive power….. Strange – BA and VS seem to make it work with their economy plus and world traveller plus sections. Maybe AA should follow them and have an enhanced section, but not at BC prices.

Response:

> Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near.

Is this a well thought out and logically calculated improvement, or is this just a move to make it look like AA is taking steps (any steps) to cut costs ? Adding seats to a plane increases costs for any flight which didn’t have 100% occupancy prior to adding the seats (since you pay extra fuel to carry weight of seats but you’re not carrying any more passengers). What’s the percentage of front cabin seats that are actually paid for (instead of given  out as upgrades ?) Removing one row of premium cabin may in fact allow the addition of sufficient coach seats to increase the capacity. The increase in number of seats will only yield serous improvements if it results in AA reducing frequencies enough to send some planes back to lessors or if there were sufficient number of flights where coach passengers were turned away due to insufficient capacity.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. > Is this a well thought out and logically calculated improvement, or is this > just a move to make it look like AA is taking steps (any steps) to cut costs ? > Adding seats to a plane increases costs for any flight which didn’t have 100% > occupancy prior to adding the seats (since you pay extra fuel to carry weight > of seats but you’re not carrying any more passengers). > What’s the percentage of front cabin seats that are actually paid for (instead > of given  out as upgrades ?) > Removing one row of premium cabin may in fact allow the addition of sufficient > coach seats to increase the capacity.

Yes, and it might send quite a few frequent fliers to other carriers. Right now, AA offers very reasonable upgrade prices to first class, $25 for up to 500 miles. I often see some empty ones. This indicates that customers aren’t willing to a little more to get more space. I am quite sure they did study the issue and felt that they could add the seats back without a loss of competitive advantage. The premium cabin sets them apart for people that ARE willing to pay more or that choose them for the frequent, occasional, or rare upgrades they can get.

Response:

Was in the Hallowed Halls of Power at DFW recently. Basically, it’s a forgone conclusion that MRTC’s end is near. Everyone at the company has basically discounted the unannounced news already. It has been determined that while customers love the extra space, they are not willing to pay for it. A ticket price difference of as little as 5 or 10 bucks will make them go with a low-cost competitor rather than enjoy more room. The success of adding the two rows back in to the 757 and A300 fleet cemented the decision to go fleetwide. It was thought an announcement would be made some time this year but turmoil at AA has kept them busy fighting for their very survival. At this point they probably won’t announce it until the beginning of next year so as to not interfere with the bu$y holiday travel sea$on. There won’t be an extensive LRTC media blitz. <t-i-c> ….Straight from the rarified atmosphere of the upper echelons of executive power…..

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