sbrower

I know this thread will go off track soon, but talking just about customer experience (not cost, not competition) these are things that I miss that used to be part of the AA experience:

1. Seats blocked next to premium members - There was a time when they actually blocked the seat next to you and it was only released if they needed the space (and that rarely happened because loads were lower).

2. Award tickets were all like anytime - They were paper certificates which you ordered in advance. And once you had one, it was as good as a "Full Y" ticket, which meant that you could take any available coach seat on any qualifying flight. You could even walk into the airport and say "I want to take the transcon in an hour," hand them the award certificate and get your ticket.

3. Award tickets could be upgraded by "paying the difference" - And this was really valuable. Because award tickets were valued as "Y" and the redeyes (there were lots of them) had "Fn" (First night) fares. So, for our honeymoon, we were booked on the 747 from LAX-JFK on award ticket in coach. Day of flight I changed it to paid Fn. Cost $25 a person.

4. Real food, in all classes, on most flights. (You can debate quality all you want - I flew more than any of you (500,000 BIS/yr without leaving the US) and I cared about getting a meal.

5. Napkins with a button-hole.

6. All glass service items (plates, glasses) in F.

7. A feeling that AA cared about its best fliers. (Admittedly, I still fly, but I don't fall into that category any more - but I was invited to spend the weekend, with my wife, all expenses paid to fly F to Dallas for the weekend, stay in a hotel, enjoy meals and golf with other AA customers and executives).

8. Stopovers were free on awards.

9. When Mike Gunn sent me a letter, and said my legacy miles would never expire and could always be used on the old award chart, I believed him. (Of course, 14(?) years later AA told me "never mind, we changed our mind").

10. When I showed up at LAX, even before I was Platinum, a red coat (Anna) would personally walk me onto the DC-10 transcon and give me a first class seat.

11. The old upgrade system where, even as a Platinum, I was almost 100% for upgrades because I knew ALL the tricks and I was willing to be persistent. (I realize this one is a little controversial, but this is my thread.)

I am sure I am leaving out a bunch of others. Contributions welcome.