richarddd

As I recall, AA was not charging triple the price during the MRTC era and it is not currently charging triple the price for MCE seats.

Given many flyers penchant for choosing airlines based on price, I don't see a general return to extra legroom either.

PUCCI GALORE

I have thought since the beginning that the Capt was as assertive and as authoritative as a bag of marshmallow. The cabin of his ship is in uproar and he did nothing. I take the point that standing the FA down is a big issue - I am not sure what the minimum crew members are in the USA for this type of aircraft.

What is so unfortunate is that we only have hearsay as to what triggered the whole incident - and although the behaviour of the FA beggars belief - we may be judging guilty without knowing all the facts. That he should never have kicked off like that goes without saying and he should be reprimanded for that. Indeed, I would have him into a training school and under supervision. He should just have ignored the passenger in F - whereas he chose to shout back. The Captain does - nothing. What leadership is that.

Evident

All i see is an aggressive flight attendant, and a crying mom... all airlines are the same.

GoPhils

There is actually one report that doesn't agree, but seems most are skeptical of that. And according to one article I read, apparently the "witness" said he was sitting across from the woman filming the video, except the person that filmed the video was a man (I guess there could have been multiple people filming).

That is pretty much what he did (while the FA was not present). It's not clear whether the crew gave it to him or planned to later, but he did calmy return to his seat. (It's also not clear whether he did actually witness the stroller hitting her.). When the FA returned the passenger made the statement that some are interpreting as a threat, but he did not approach him until the FA's angry response.

DenverBrian

Unless it was mandated by the government for all airlines, the same way FA levels are mandated or oxygen masks are mandated. @:-)

I wish people would actually read my posts. I never said that only American should go back to MRTC - I proposed that ALL airlines be required to have a minimum seat pitch.

If we require all airlines to do certain things because of safety and security - well, in 2017, it's time to realize that a minimum amount of space per passenger is a safety and security issue.

Annerk

I was CP on US. I'm now A-List on WN. I do have to compare pricing when flying per company policy, and as long as they are "close" I can choose to fly on whatever carrier I please. 95% of the time, WN is the less expensive option. When AA is lower, it's seldom by more than 10%. I have been flying WN for the past two years because the planes are MUCH cleaner, most planes offer USB power ports, they offer IFE on most flights, and the FA's and GA's are much more pleasant. No, I don't get a cushy seat in F, but at 5'6 and even with long legs, I still have enough room as WN has greater pitch. They offer 125 ml bottles of Champagne, which when mixed with OJ makes a nice mimosa, and they send me more drink coupons than I can use, as the FA's seldom take them from me.

I still have over 500,000 miles on AA and took an AA flight a couple months ago to keep them active. I'll use them on BA flights to Europe, which is the only thing that I don't like about WN.

I am the customer that AA should have reached out to in order to see what they did wrong, but it's been crickets. I am sure I'm not the only top-tier passenger who has walked away from them. At some point, you'd think they would take the hint. instead they are in the race to the bottom with UA.

Annerk

She was injured enough that from 20' you could visibly see a large bump forming on her forehead. Big difference between that and the buffoon with an giant backpack who keeps turning around to talk to the person behind them and sideswipes you repeatedly in the process. It's annoying, but it's never caused an actual injury.

Justin026

Of interest is the incident last week where a passenger pushed a (AA?) pilot in the Kansas City airport and was cited by the police. The passenger was angry at how the pilot, who was apparently deadheading, had spread out of his space on the inbound plane. The passenger was trying to get the pilot's name tag on a photo, the pilot was trying to stop the passenger, and the passenger then pushed the pilot down, injuring him.

It hits on two themes in this thread: (1) how an employee should handle a customer that wants to file a complaint and (2) the lack of on-board space. It also shows a disturbing breakdown of civil order on our planes and in airports.

GUWonder

Indeed. Even my spritely self has to contort my body carefully to get in and out of a row of economy class seats when assigned to a window or middle seat; and even with an aisle seat, it's much harder now to do so without knocking the seat in front -- and that is when the seats are upright and there is no emergency evacuation order. In an emergency things would be worse now than they used to be a decade ago -- due to the overcrowding of the main cabin. That kind of cramming isn't without consequences even when an emergency is not in play.

pinniped

I'll give Spirit credit for one thing: they are incredibly transparent about what they are. You can't buy a ticket from them and *not* know what you're getting yourself into. They don't promise to treat one group of people like "elites" and everybody else like crap. It's clear on their website: this is going to equally suck for everyone, unless you buy the Big Front Seat.

I fly Spirit about twice a year. Last year was two $16 flights and two $40 flights, total all-in fare+fees, plus $20-30 per segment for BFS. They are what they are...I have no problem with them continuing to offer that product, because they are extremely clear about what it is. (Their main product, which I have no desire to experience, is a 28" seat.)

The issue with the legacies is that people are paying ever-increasing fares on many routes and getting less than what they once did. Add in the fact that the legacy marketing materials continue to focus on having a great experience, and stratifying people into "elite" classes, and it's easy to see why people are frustrated and disappointed in a way they aren't with LCCs.

Even Southwest, which is no longer an LCC and no longer provides what I'd consider "great" customer service, soft-plays the elite stratification and seeks to deliver a fairly consistent experience to everyone. They seem to be regarded a little more positively than others, even though I now think of them as every bit as much a part of the broader U.S. airline cartel as the legacy 3.

txpenny

Elephant in the cabin?

Annerk

They do soft play with elites. About the only thing I get is guaranteed boarding in the first 15 numbers. I don't fly enough with them to earn the annual buddy pass, and even if I did, it wouldn't be much use as I rarely fly with anyone else. That said, clean(er) planes, happy FA's, and a pleasant experience gives them a leg up.

TWA884

An AA flight attendant friend saw this message posted on Facebook (in a closed group) and forwarded it to me:

4aks

The regulators (and to some degree the consuming public) have failed on the space per person situation

ckendall

This should go into a wiki for the Thread!