AA is allowing all non-elite, non-credit-card AAdvantage members (e.g. Ma and Pa Kettle) to board Group 6 for all tickets, including Basic Economy. No changes to boarding numbers for elite/CC holders.

Seems like a fairly straightforward move, with little relevance for most on this forum who can board above 6 thanks to elite status, ticket class, or having an AA CC, but I think it does bear some discussion for 2 reasons:

1) It's a minor devaluation for those on a OW account. Anyone booking Y tickets with non-elite Avios number is now boarding group 7 at the earliest, making it a change from their Joint Venture claim of little difference whether flying BA or AA

2) The bigger implication is BE and Main Cabin fares. It's yet another difference between the two erased and the only major difference between the fare classes for someone who doesn't care about elite status is seat assignments and flexibility (after the COVID waiver is over). It's making me think that BE will either go the way of the dodo or, once business travel recovers, become like the non-flexible/flexible fares of yesteryear were in price difference: The typical $30-$80 gap each way (unless competing with Spirit) that we have today could become hundreds of dollars, knowing that a once/year flyer won't care but those chasing elite status and travel paid by the company will.

Am I wrong and this is just a true enhancement to get more people to join AAdvantage, or could this be a sign of what's to come for BE?