keitherson

I know many people like to say it hasn't, because it feels that way, but I believe it has. Routes with "unbundled" carriers like Spirit or Frontier have driven prices down dramatically. Not as much as JetBlue and Southwest, which are relatively full-service, but still down a lot. Just look at markets like SEA-DEN, LAX-IAH, etc. These flights are all under $100 on many days.

JDiver

If you had Emerald or Sapphire status on a oneworld airline, e.g. BAEC Silver or Gold, you'd have been admitted. But in the U.S., AA doesn't afford access to domestic, Caribbean, Canada or Mexico (other than MEX) to First or Business flyers unless they're flying on a three class transcontinental (773 or A321T, NYC and LAX, SFO or MIA-LAX.

Or you could be an Admirals Club member, or purchase one day pass. Next time, read oneworld lounge access rules before you assume too much. link

oneworld lounge access for First Class or Business Class customers (extract)

The following exceptions apply:

1. First and Business Class customers who do not hold Emerald or Sapphire tier status are not eligible to access American Airlines lounges when travelling on solely domestic flights within the U.S. or between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico [except Mexico City], the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean; customers travelling in First or Business class on U.S. transcontinental flights between JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX (and vice-versa) are eligible for lounge access.

At least you had vastly better seats than the joke Club Europe affords. (MUCH larger seat, significantly greater seat pitch.)

DoTheBartMan

It could be worse. You could be flying on BA with their block-the-middle-seat economy class seats in "Eurobusiness". How much extra room do you get in that seat? For some reason, I can't find any post by you complaining about the BA "business" seat situation for European flights.
Yes, back at MCO, leaving the hellhole of "happiness".

enviroian

While I agree the European business class model is a joke overall except if you get a bulkhead and get the legroom plus a meal on short flights. Let's face it on today's US domestic F there isn't any legroom to speak of especially when the person in front of you reclines. That being said if you don't score a bulk head on a european carrier's business class your screwed.

rjw242

Yes, very much so. Airfare is around the cheapest it's ever been, and a lot of that trend came with unbundling.

s0ssos

It is due to competition. But the only new airlines have been LCC, I do not know of new full-service carriers.
Did that all business class airline flying from NYC to CDG cause business fares to come down? I think QR did

USFlyerUS

I've been flying regularly for 20 years, and a U.S. domestic first class ticket has never gotten one access to an airline lounge on AA, UA, DL, NW, CO, US, and so forth, unless I'm mistaken. This is documented quite openly on the airline web sites. I wouldn't call the OP stupid, but one should always research before buying. I still do this today given rules change, certain clubs have different rules, etc.

Bowgie

Unless flying Alaska Airlines, which is the lone exception to JonNYC's rule.

rjw242

"Major" wouldn't include Alaska (or VX which had a similar lounge policy before their merger).

Ber2dca

No matter what you think about the rule, it's a rule that's been around for ages and applies to pretty much every airline in the U.S.. There's little merit in expressing shock and outrage about something like that. It's like an American writing a rant on the UK sub-forum about the fact that they drive on the 'wrong' side over there.

In my experience, U.S airline lounges are already often overcrowded and without any sense of exclusivity, so one can hardly accuse them of making it all that hard to access those lounges. It's just that they prefer certain credit card users over domestic F flyers.

s0ssos

Actually, just because something has been that way for "ages" does not mean it cannot be ridiculous. There are many ridiculous things things US airlines do that are just accepted here, which, if you take a step back , are simply ridiculous. Like flight attendants treating passengers as "cattle" and yelling like drill sergeants. Or defining certain nearby countries as not international and taking away benefits on those flights (what if LH defined Poland as not international cause it is so close?) Is it not ridiculous you have to look at which airline you are flying and which part of Latin America it is before you can determinr if you are on an "international" flight?

AAExecPlatFlier

So because u don't want to pay for AC membership or one day pass or get the correc AAdvantage cc it is ridiculous?

I

s0ssos

Because all the rest of the countries do stuff differently, and you are the US, means you are right?

wolf72

Think they have a different model to the rest of the world sadly. I get your fustrations and anger though.

AAExecPlatFlier

Business models. Simple as that. Just like the US carriers implemented complementary upgrades on many routes. Other carriers/countries didn't have that. And SWUs. Is it ridiculous that other countries/carries don't have these?

differ business models. Different "amenities". The advent of the alliances helped to bring allot of differing business models and amenities together under the umbrella of simplified/more seemless international travel. The key being international travel.