American Spectator Op-ed on AA Domestic First Flights

TxH2O · May 18, 10, 10:55 am

Article specifically regarding AA long-haul first-class flights by Ben Stein. Although this is in an ideological publication, definitely not a political article:

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/0...n-american-fir

**JDiver** · May 18, 10, 11:06 am

Be aware this site also has occasional popups many popup suppressors will not handle.

In part, "On American, though, I am a king. I take my seat and a flight attendant asks me what I want to drink. I fall asleep listening to Bob Dylan and no one wakes me up as my son routinely does in Beverly Hills. When I awaken, there is a selection of yummy things to eat. When I want to see a movie or a TV show, there are movies and TV shows on a little player.

Better than that, in many airports, when I am getting ready to board, there are young men and women who help poor ancient staggering me to get to my seat. There are helpful, bantering clerks at the gates.
At some airports, there are even young people at the gates themselves to get me through the long security line before I die of thirst."

Which flights are these, since he says he often flies through DFW, and which airports and gates are the young people who help us past security and to our seats? I have to admit, he kinda lost me with the part about the "selection of yummy things to eat".

(Parenthetically, I can only say, "what a puff piece!" Maybe even expands the daffynition of "AApologist"!)

FWAAA · May 18, 10, 11:11 am

Not a single popup ad for me, using IE8.

Ben Stein has written about his love for AA First Class for 20-some years, occasionally devoting an entire column in the American Spectator about his experience. When his parents were still alive, he was a regular LAX-IAD AFS First passenger, as they lived at the Watergate in DC.

videomaker · May 18, 10, 11:15 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDiver

Which flights are these, since he says he often flies through DFW, and which airports and gates are the young people who help us past security and to our seats?

CK?

FWAAA · May 18, 10, 11:19 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by videomaker

CK?

More like Five Star Service that mere mortals can purchase at LAX and JFK but that is provided by Premium Services to celebs and notables at other stations as well.

**JDiver** · May 18, 10, 11:22 am

No wonder I feel left out! Like Paul Harvey was wont to say, that must the "...the rest of the story!"

(I still don't see that much "yummy" food in the air.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by videomaker

CK?

Quote:

Originally Posted by FWAAA

More like Five Star Service that mere mortals can purchase at LAX and JFK but that is provided by Premium Services to celebs and notables at other stations as well.

Microwave · May 18, 10, 11:23 am

Before I brought all of my travel business to AA (a mix of paid F/xUP fares and discount coach tickets), I took a "trial" trip in F to between Seattle and Miami. I have to say that the experience I had on these four segments put me over the top, and I agree with Ben 100%. Having flown UA and AS most recently, I got the feeling that the AA FAs really cared, and wanted to take care of me. I had great experiences in the ORD and MIA ACs, and nothing but good things to say about the GAs and TAs I spoke with along the way as well. As a former AS MVP/MVPG, I have to say that I never really felt taken care of in F in the last few years; F was really just a wider (yet still pitch-limited) seat with a few free glasses of mediocre wine. I was much happier with AA's F product, and am even willing to accept sometimes less favourable routings now that I've swapped to AA (DL fly many times a day to JFK while AA fly only once, AA don't fly non-stop to Europe ex-SEA, etc. etc.), but to feel appreciated and taken care of is worth it for me.

**JDiver** · May 18, 10, 11:25 am

I agree AA hard product up front is better than AS - and generally the soft is as well. Then again, there is often a significant difference in AA and AS ticket prices on at least some runs. But IMO it's still not as described, unless one has some very special attention-getting status beyond what most of us here have - I have been flying AA since the 1940s and haven't seen all of this up-close-and-personal escorting, etc. Fame must have its perks...

videomaker · May 18, 10, 11:26 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDiver

No wonder I feel left out! Like Paul Harvey was wont to say, that must the "...the rest of the story!"

Stein does make it sound like everyone in F gets the escort service. Not!

CaptainEasychord · May 18, 10, 2:18 pm

One of the least interesting things I've ever read.

AMA · May 22, 10, 9:33 pm

I've never understood why anyone would wanna even listen to this deadhead, much less follow any of his 'advise'. Like being a two-bit actor and having 'economist' next to his name makes him any more worth listening to than other talking heads.

For a 'humble servant'(per opening line in article), he just ain't too smart - witness his little fiasco a year or two ago when he started endorsing a credit reporting service:

http://trueslant.com/matthewgreenber...t-him-his-job/

http://gawker.com/5331835/pitchman-b...new-york-times

Not what I'd call the brightest light bulb in the drawer...

All American Flyer · May 22, 10, 11:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMA

I've never understood why anyone would wanna even listen to this deadhead, much less follow any of his 'advise'. Like being a two-bit actor and having 'economist' next to his name makes him any more worth listening to than other talking heads.

For a 'humble servant'(per opening line in article), he just ain't too smart - witness his little fiasco a year or two ago when he started endorsing a credit reporting service:

http://trueslant.com/matthewgreenber...t-him-his-job/

http://gawker.com/5331835/pitchman-b...new-york-times

Not what I'd call the brightest light bulb in the drawer...

Not that I don't like hearing good things about AA but his article just seemed so fake (just like all of his work). He really does enjoy bragging. I don't know why anyone would give the guy a column

fixedwingflyer · May 23, 10, 9:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainEasychord

One of the least interesting things I've ever read.

While I like Ben Stein, I have to agree. What's next, "How I was treated at the Ritz London" by Brad Pitt? This article has no utility to us, unless there are some celeb lurkers in the Flyertalk crowd

OrvilleWright · May 23, 10, 11:17 pm

Reminds me of the article in the current "Travel and Leisure" magazine, by a guy offering travel observations. Even though he has a home in Beverly Hills, he stays at the Beverly Hills Hotel, because "they have everything I could possibly need...they always make sure to have a room available for me, even if I'm arriving the night of the Academy Awards." And, of course, he always plays a round at Trump National Golf Course in Palos Verdes.

Of course, since the observations are from Donald Trump himself, they do put a spin on it that nobody else can emulate.

edwin_p_morales · May 24, 10, 8:32 am

It's no secret that AA has pretty significant resources devoted to escorting and otherwise managing "celebrities" of various definitions flying in/out of LAX. I have to assume most frequent AA fliers that pass through LAX have had someone so designated on their flight at least once, and seen the phalanx of people (not all of them AA I assume) that can get a celeb type their bags, through the mob of papparazi and into a waiting car on the curb.

I can't imagine he gets much papparazi but as a person who's been in films and is on TV regularly plus a weekly columnist for the NY Times I have little doubt he's on their radar as well.

Though despite his tediousness, I can't help but agree with him on this one. AA F, especially 3-class, is nothing to complain about. It's not Emirates but who is when you're flying coast to coast?