From my point of view, it doesn't bother me that AA's current business class isn't all that special. It's still infintely better than coach, and it's not all that hard to get up there, as opposed to many people's experiences with CO. Now, when I am flying for business, in paid J, well, then at least I have the opportunity to upgrade to real First Class -- with flat beds and lots of personal space. (Even AA's weaker "coffin" seat offering only has 18 pax in the front zone of the 777 vs. 30 on CO's BF.) And those J-to-F upgrades are very easy to come by. So net, even flying paid J is a better overall proposition for me on AA than CO, despite CO's mostly superior product. Except of course deciding whether to take CO's nonstop EWR-HKG or connect in NRT on AA, upgrading the JFK-NRT leg to F and slumming it in J on CX/JL for the final leg to HKG... Can't decide!