FlightNurse

Historically this is true for all US airlines, Hawaii has never been a money maker, they have it those routes for the FFer.. Now someone mentioned Hawaii Airlines. Since that is thier market, they best be making money on those routes. Why do you think Hawaiian now flys to Sydney and they would love to fly to Japan increase thier profits they are the routes that is going to make them money, not the Mainland to Hawaii routes

aaupgrade

If you haven't flown CO EWR or IAH 767 runs then that is like comparing AA LAX 757 runs with everyone else. Not quite fair to CO IMO.

CO 767 F service to HI is very nice, it is BusinessFirst as opposed to Business on their 757s from LAX. Better than AA IMO. FA service is better, 21" wide seat vs 18.5", and better food. I don't drink so can't comment on the booze but hey do have Cappuccino and Espresso which AA does not offer. If CO had International First Class and a good FF program I would choose them over AA but NonePass speaks for itself.

I have only flown CO F twice (paid), AA F at least a dozen times (paid and upgrades), and soon to try AS (paid) due to their great F prices. As previously mentioned AS seats do not compete with CO or AA 767s, but they are daytime flights with overnight at SEA (for me ex-WAS). Unfortunately for some, my guess is AS may not be an option.

davesam12

And CO does have IFE at every seat in their Business First cabins. (if you care about that type of thing - gosh, what a sec., guess some folks do since there is a whole thread about it.) But, we still sticking with the AA 763

Doghound -- thanks yeah, fill us in if they load an IFE. As I said we have been on the DFW-ORD-HNL-OGG trips many times since the cabin upgrade and have never had them.

McFlyPHL

I don't doubt that a full-on BF product is better than AA's domestic F+ servicewise. The issue for me with the CO767 is that you really can't get it unless you're paying. In all my trips, I've tried - as a CO Plat - to try it with no luck.

It's great the product's out there, but if CO is filling it with paid and AA's not, that's your explanation right there. A great product you can't touch for the same price really isn't a comparison in my book.

aaupgrade

As previously stated, hence the name NonePass and the reason I don't fly CO often. I was going to Micronesia on the 2 trips I flew CO - not much choice there.

Correct! CO's F ticket from WAS-HNL for example is about $2500 whereas on AA it is about $3100. That is one reason it is filling F with paid customers.

But this gets back to the reason I chose AS when I booked my upcoming Sep 2010 trip. At the time AA F was $2200, AA Y was about $900-1000 plus a $350 copay and 30000 miles, OR $1452 for paid F on AS earning 50% COS bonus miles and EQPs. So for AA Y $1250-1350 plus 30000 miles vs paid AS F for $1452 and net difference of about 35074 miles (save 30000 and earn an extra 5074 COS) - the decision was very easy. After all I am an FTer and it is all about maximizing mileage and points earning to retain/earn higher elite status. I use miles for tickets for friends and family, as an award ticket doesn't earns me squat. There are a few of us who pay for F, especially when it is almost the same price of Y plus copay plus miles.

This is great for AA as they are getting miles off the books and earning about $1300 on economy tickets. It is also looks good for AAdvantage members, especially those who may not be aware of other options, because AA has a lot of availability so award tickets and upgrades can be had.

Oh and to top it off if you get an AS Visa you would a $99 companion ticket (1 per year), yes and the companion ticket is good for FC. So from WAS 2 people could fly to HNL on AS for about $1803 total (1542 + 99 + 162 - taxes) for 2 roundtrip F tickets at current prices.

McFlyPHL

Perhaps this is a travel pattern difference - I just go when it's cheap and burn a VIP. (after all, it's as long if not longer than Europe from the east coast) Generally that's a $600 or so ticket, 2 VIPs and I'm set. Can't beat that price.

I'm not above it... but not when I get the same thing for $600+VIPs. Call me cheap and an FT'er. I think, in general, that we can agree - excluding the CO BF-lite flights, AA is more than competitive with others.

That's a pretty sweet deal. Does it have to be on AS metal or does it work on a code share too?

aaupgrade

Our views are pretty close. I understand your reasoning and you probably understand mine. A lot depends on where one lives, and whether AS or other alternatives are options.

AS metal only (maybe Horizon) on the AS Visa companion cert (electronic BTW). I am single so don't use them. I have a couple of friends that do and they swear by them. They are also good for open jaws as I have a friend who is using it for DCA-ANC/PDX-DCA this summer for an Alaskan cruise.

beckoa

If booked online, some crazy routings can happen in the multi city window

But it is a good value, and excellent for F! (Especially since there are no capacity restrictions, unlike other carriers versions) But I am a big fan of this and almost makes airfares ex-ANC affordable

And it is limited to AS/QX metal & operated flights... but AS is expanding its network quite a bit, especially to Hawaii and picking up routes dropped by DL & AA

Doghound

AA5 (DFW-HNL @ 1:25 pm) did not have IFE.

freeupgrade

I am not at all surprised.

Why AA cannot load these on an 8.5 hour flight is ridiculous.

Like we haven't paid enough $$$ already for our "free" tickets...

AA on this topic.

Robt760

Didn't have IFE or didn't have PED? None of the AA flights offer PED service, IFE should be the standard unless the system is inop.

davesam12

Thanks for reporting back. Ditto. Not surprised. I think the previous reports on this thread where someone remembered a ped or ife loaded on an AA 763 Hawaii run must have been mistaken or it was a weird fluke.



Robt760 - "Didn't have IFE or didn't have PED? None of the AA flights offer PED service, IFE should be the standard unless the system is inop."

Again -- whole issue of this thread. AA 763 IFE/PED is NOT loaded domestically (except transcon) - including 8+ hours DFW/ORD non-stop to the islands. It is not standard on the AA 763 - the portable devices have to be loaded.

And yes, AA does offer IFE/PED on transcon service - the only domestic flight exception.

davesam12

Me bad. . . to be correct. . . sorry Robt760 -- AA does of course offer inflight entertaiment (IFE) on the 763's to HI. But it is just the overhead monitor movies and the plug in audio channels. We are all moaning here about them not loading the ped's the 763 has for international service or at least the smaller "movie player" devices they offer trans con.

Doghound

Sorry, yes. No PEDs. There was IFE, though: The Young Victoria and 17 Again... *cringes*. Thank heavens I had my laptop with plenty of entertainment on it.

midnightio

AA is starting to sound like my cheap charlie Uncle. Vote with your ticketing dollars and they will eventually see the error of their ways.