Originally Posted by
number_6
...The AA FS was a superb product, but it is now getting old (introduced over 7 years ago) and showing its age. About 50% of the seats that I've personally used have had a breakage that impacted flight comfort; this is up from about 5% the previous year. AA was supposed to refurbish the F cabin when the new J seats were installed, but I've been on some 777s where that wasn't done. I guess they are short on seats and using them on the Pacific 777s first. In any case the falling apart of the hardware has been combined with a deterioration of the soft product; basically F service on AA is identical to J service on 763s (and only slightly better than J on 777s). AA has chosen to improve J and degrade F; probably a wise market decision, but doesn't do much for the F experience...
I don't have enough F experience, other than the use of an eVIP here and there, to make a sound comment, but still agree with most of the above. It's a pity you weren't around at the time to participate in
this thread; it would have added some some lively points to the exchange.