JFK-LAX "Business Class"
#16
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,956
What about the myriad of other markets (the majority actually) of similar distance where every other legacy airline offers a similar hard product and markets it as First Class? Should they all change the way they market those routes to Business Class as well?
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,631
Who knows. Maybe there's a union rule on maximum permitted syllables for boarding announcements, and to insure judicious usage of same, announcing the cabin as First Class is not only a syllable saver, it is a time saver, meaning those of you in a lesser boarding position will hear your zone called .005 seconds faster.
#18
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS
Posts: 2,293
#19
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
Which is still a far cry from the rest of the competition in premium markets. It is always better to set lower expectations and exceed them than vice versa.
#20
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
Don't forget as well that these routes are transitioning from 8 seat cabins to cabins twice as big. Presumably they are going to need to sell more than a couple seats a flight in that cabin to make it even remotely possible to make money on those routes--especially at the times of year when the Y cabin is selling at $119.
#21
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: AS 100K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 1,828
Y'all are reading way too much into this. This is one of a thousand bugs with AS tech.
P is apparently improperly coded as Biz (probably because of partner awards). It should say First.
Whether they bother to fix it anytime soon is another question.
P is apparently improperly coded as Biz (probably because of partner awards). It should say First.
Whether they bother to fix it anytime soon is another question.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,631
Except that we all have expectations about the AS F cabin, as does pretty much everyone flying AS in the F cabin. It isn't like we're going to be having some party in Mega Ultra Platinum First Class. We know we'll get a pat of regular butter, in an OK seat, non-heartburn-inducing wine, and perhaps a piece of meat that is edible enough that you're not left with enough stuck between your teeth for the next day's breakfast. All of this, usually served with a smile.
https://adland.tv/commercials/i-cant...s-2002-030-usa
I do not expect this on an AS F trip. Nor does anyone. Nor does anyone who is a former VX flyer that hasn't been living in a cave on another planet.
https://adland.tv/commercials/i-cant...s-2002-030-usa
I do not expect this on an AS F trip. Nor does anyone. Nor does anyone who is a former VX flyer that hasn't been living in a cave on another planet.
#24
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: AS MVPG, WN A-List
Posts: 100
Also, I’m getting exhausted with reading complaints from jilted VX lovers decrying the F product on AS. Anybody with the gall to deem the AS F experience worst-among-domestics has not flown United or Delta or American in the last decade. Industry-wide, the total percentage of domestic flights with a premium F cabin amounts to a rounding error. On every other route, AS has the most comfortable domestic option currently available. Lack of PDB alcohol is an unforced error, but I will always opt for Alaska’s leg room with water over Delta’s glorified veal crates where I, at a towering 5’6”, feel cramped.
#25
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,956
Behind the scenes, some have. VX F was always "J". Same with B6 Mint. AA changed the front cabin to J on everything but 3 cabin planes. DL (int'l) is all J up front, and J on select domestic routes. I don't know what UA is doing these days because, why would I want to? Nevertheless, the front cabin is still called First on pretty much every ghetto fabulous front cabin with 36" pitch, occasionally a video screen, pay for your wifi, and a craptastic meal served on elegant china.
Who knows. Maybe there's a union rule on maximum permitted syllables for boarding announcements, and to insure judicious usage of same, announcing the cabin as First Class is not only a syllable saver, it is a time saver, meaning those of you in a lesser boarding position will hear your zone called .005 seconds faster.
Who knows. Maybe there's a union rule on maximum permitted syllables for boarding announcements, and to insure judicious usage of same, announcing the cabin as First Class is not only a syllable saver, it is a time saver, meaning those of you in a lesser boarding position will hear your zone called .005 seconds faster.
Biz-a-niss class is four syllables, while First Class is only two. Cut in 1/2. The efficiency experts all know that by cutting the syllables in half, boarding announcements will take significantly less time, thus boarding will also take significantly less time. Less time boarding = more time available for the planes to be in the air. Planes in the air = money. Planes boarding = no money. Airline economics. Oh, and yes, there is a union rule about how many syllables we have to say in one single announcement. Not only are the planes in the air longer, they can pay the FA's less by using words with less syllables.
#26
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Is the credit card pitch exempt from this union rule?
#27
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
This thread is specifically about JFK-LAX--not the majority of routes. AS clearly has the worst product on this premium route and have no interest in a sub fleet to compete.
#28
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
Heck, if they just flew the A321s on this route in the existing PMVX configuration it would be better than AS metal.