I posted earlier on a 1K's impression of flying AA from BOS - SFO in F

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=574765

Thanks to UA crew scheduling problems, I just got to do BOS-LHR in Y on AA. Here is comparison #2:


The history:
I was booked to fly BOS-IAD on UA 803 (6 AM) connecting to UA 922 (9:30 AM) IAD-LHR - my usual daylight run to LHR. Mr. EasyUpdate texts me at 2 AM and tells me 803 is delayed to 7 AM. I check on line and it says “crew”, so I know it’s not leaving early.

I get to Logan about 4:45 AM, having left home early since it was my first trip to the airport since the (expletive deleted) tunnel roof panel fell. I had done OLCI for the UA flights. I was in NF to IAD, and NC to LHR, using a SWU.

I go into the RCC when it opens at 5:15 AM, and one of the angels takes one look at my itinerary, and says “you’re not going to make it”. So she immediately bumps me over to the daylight flight on AA, flight 156. She tells me I’m “all set” and “AA has control of your ticket now, so just head over to them and get a BP.” I lose the upgrade of course, but I have hopes of using AA miles. I leave the RCC at 5:30 AM, and head off to terminal B.

Check-in: An unbelievable nightmare! In the OP I had used AA OLCI, so I never had to deal with the AA agents before. I’m still stunned at how terrible they were. First, the check-in area for AA in terminal B makes IAD look like a modern marvel. It’s the black hole of Calcutta. Endless lines snaking back and forth, and this is at 5:45 AM on a Sunday. Huge line for international check-in. Hoards of Carribean bound families.... I take one look at this mess and head straight to the business check-in.

I hand over my receipt, and say I need a boarding card and would like to see about an upgrade. The agent is very grumpy, no smile, no “sorry to hear about your trouble this morning”, sighs, and pulls up the itinerary. Then she says UA made a mistake and I need to go back to Terminal C. She says AA does not “have control” and I need a paper coupon. She won’t take any argument. I step back from the counter and call the RCC on the direct line and tell the angel what has happened. The AA demon is listening to what I’m telling the UA agent, and she yells at me that she had not “refused” to take me, but that “United made a mistake”. I offer, but she refuses to talk to the RCC angel on my cell phone. My RCC angel asks me to get the direct number for the AA check in counter, and tells me she will sort it out and call the AA demon in person. I wait for about 4 minutes and I hear a roar (I kid you not) from the AA demon. “DUB!” she yells. Not “Mr. Dub”, or “excuse me”, or anything. Just yells my surname. I go back over and she slides a BP at me and says have a good flight. There is a thread on the AA boards about these demons, and I thought they were exaggerating. Wow, is all I can say. UA BOS check in staff win by a long mile.

Admirals Club and Upgrades.

OK, I make it through security in quick time and make a bee line for the AC. I explain the situation, tell them I’m a 1K, but no status on AA, I want to use AA miles to upgrade. The AC person was an angel! It was like it was a different company she worked for. First she said there was plenty of room up front and it should not be a problem. She tries calling AAdvantage for me, but can’t get through. It’s getting busy, so she invites me into the AC (no charge!) and says I should try to call myself. I get through to three different agents and get the same story from each: since it is a UA ticket I can’t use AA miles! I want to give them $250 and 25,000 miles, but noooo. The AC angel was incredulous. She said “Mr. Dub, please relax, have some coffee, it’s been a bad morning for you. I’ll call and sort this out. Enjoy the AC.” Well, I had a fine visit, as good as in the OP. As I exit, the AA angel apologizes and says there is nothing she could do. She thinks it’s a stupid rule, but AAdvantage will not budge. So I’m in Y on AA across the pond for the first time ever.

Boarding and seating
Different from the OP. No pre-boarding the brats. F, then C, then status people, then groups 1 -6. I’m in the front section on Y, window seat on a 777 - group 6. Surprisingly roomy! Plenty of room to get my computer out, and work, and there was a powerport in the divide between the seats. After take off, the person in the aisle seat moves to a half empty row, so I have no one beside me. The seats are comfortable, and wide, and plenty of leg room (for Y). One noticeable difference between an AA 777 and a UA 777 is that there is a walled-off crew rest area in the middle of Y, opposite the toilets. IFE seemed pretty good, but I didn’t use it.

Food and service:
Breakfast - excellent. 3 cheese omelet, with potatoes and mushrooms. Better than the equivalent one you get in C on UA to LHR, albeit a wee bit smaller. Also a fruit plate, a croissant, and a sealed bag with crackers, cheese, candy, and a hand wipe. Service was excellent. Efficient, friendly. Snack before landing was a beef sandwich and some candy. All in a box. Drink service during the flight was not bad at all.

AA is getting a letter from me about their Angels and Demons at BOS, and I have to say UA was very helpful at the BOS RCC, and they will also get suitable recognition.