Originally Posted by
arlflyer
Fair enough, though I feel like on some routes they are losing money with blocked seats. But I suppose the flexibility to use the aircraft across more routes (some being less profitable) might outweigh losses on individual flights.
You know which group hated More Room Throughout Coach the most? Yep, the employees. In their view, those two rows of seats were the ones they most often occupied. For Free.
Under AA's pre-bankruptcy cost structure, that fourth FA easily cost AA something in the neighborhood of $75/hr (not their W-2 wages - but their all-in employment costs). If AA could fill the blocked seats fairly often on a 300 mile route, then the extra FA doesn't look so costly. Thing is, 738s don't do all that many 300 mile flights.
On a six hour transcon, on the other hand, that fourth FA cost $300 plus per diem plus a hotel room. And like I said, hardly worth it if he or she was onboard merely to serve/watch over some fellow freeloadin' employees.
If the blocked seats were often filled with fare-paying passengers, then probably worthwhile to unblock those seats even if you have to pay for an extra FA.
If the typical AA 738 flight features 148 fare-paying customers plus 5-10 NRSA employees, then that extra FA is wasted money.