Why are we reading this when oil is down 38% from its high??? It is trading at < $88 / bbl as of 08 October 2008. With the economy slowing down and airlines chasing fewer paying travelers, this seems like exactly the wrong time to do something so customer-unfriendly as introducing reduced- or no- EQM fare classes. If AA takes the AC approach, it may just push me all the way to always just flying the cheapest carrier regardless of affiliation (which would mean a lot of WN - but I would take them of only to spite AA).