Originally Posted by LLZ
But, try to upgrade CO on an int'l flight...try to get a coach ticket at the 25K level, or a first class ticket at the 45K level, try to get EQM's when your corporate travel office has to buy your ticket next year. No problem on AA, trying it with CO will leave you in fits.
Agreed, agreed, agreed, agreed.
But focusing on the narrow topic at hand "beverage service in Y" CO runs circles around AA.
Expanding the topic ever more slightly to "quality of the basic coach product" CO again is running multiple circles around AA. Consider:
1) The CO planes in which I flew were immaculate and featured live in-flight entertainment; most of AA's narrow body planes feature erratic cleaning and on IFE.
2) The "Elite Access" program, which features premium baggage handling for top tier members that really works (even on RJ flights);
3) Consistently enforced delivery of other priority benefits (check-in, boarding, service, etc).
Now I agree that CO's FF program truly sucks when it comes to award redemption, and I've been as guilty as anyone when it comes to chasing the miles, but I'm starting to wonder... AA's service is becoming so truly crappy and awful. And, even on AA, I've noticed increased difficulty with award redemption in the last couple of years (still, much, much better than CO, however).
My sense is that a lot of really heavy fliers would gladly trade a better base product for more difficulty in award redemption.