View Poll Results: My opinion of the announced AA - US merger is:
This is the best of all possible worlds; great idea!
33
3.93%
This portends a stronger airline, with some changes for all
192
22.88%
I am neutral - pros and cons for all
199
23.72%
I think this is a somewhat bad idea with some real challenges
226
26.94%
I am completely opposed to this merger; terrible idea!
189
22.53%
Voters: 839. You may not vote on this poll
AA - US Merger Agreement / Announcement / DOJ Action Discussion (consolidated)
Feb 17, 2013, 5:59 pm
#766
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: UA,WN,AA,DL, B6
Posts: 4,169
Down the line when the US Airways name is gone I can see crews making announcments (IE CO and UA) your US Airways crews welcomes you to flight---
and thanks for flying US Airways.
and thanks for flying US Airways.
Feb 17, 2013, 6:00 pm
#767
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,995
YMMV I guess (Maybe the FA's are practicing for AA).
And the offerings were basically anything normally available in-flight such Hot coffee, Bloody Mary, Beer, Sodas ... not just a tray being offered with Ice water/Juice as frequently happens on AA.
Last edited by serfty; Feb 17, 2013 at 6:05 pm
Feb 17, 2013, 6:26 pm
#768
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DCA/IAD/SFO/SJC/JFK/NRT/LHR/BOS/etc
Programs: AA (EXP, 3 MM), Hyatt Globalist, Taj InnerCircle Silver, MLife Noir, former LHW-Aurelian
Posts: 365
+1 about ORD. All AA flights in one main, relatively-compact terminal (vs DFW or JFK). Best Flagship Lounge in the program (IMHO). Plus Vosges chocolate boutique (Great gifts for Mrs. Planner)...
Feb 17, 2013, 7:08 pm
#769
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
Not if you live closer to it than to EWR and JFK. Not if it sees an increase in transcon and trsnaatlantic availability. And not if you enjoy the early morning flights out with virtually no lines/congestion in the AA portion of the terminal, and not if you like to pop in to a quite usually empty BA club lounge at that early time of the day.
+1 I love the BA lounge.
Feb 17, 2013, 7:24 pm
#770
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LAX/JFK
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 106
Originally Posted by terminator33
Upgrades for lower level elites will become all but non-existent as the AA institutes a new Tens of Dollars upgrade system similar to COdbaUA.
Have you seen the latest revenue numbers for UA? 
The Tens of Dollars upgrade offers have not made business sense for the airline. It drove away elite customers in droves and the airline is losing money. Short term greed does not equal long term profit.
Upgrades for lower level elites will become all but non-existent as the AA institutes a new Tens of Dollars upgrade system similar to COdbaUA.
The Tens of Dollars upgrade offers have not made business sense for the airline. It drove away elite customers in droves and the airline is losing money. Short term greed does not equal long term profit.
Feb 17, 2013, 7:31 pm
#771
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,916
Originally Posted by terminator33
Upgrades for lower level elites will become all but non-existent as the AA institutes a new Tens of Dollars upgrade system similar to COdbaUA.
Have you seen the latest revenue numbers for UA? The Tens of Dollars upgrade offers have not made business sense for the airline. It drove away elite customers in droves and the airline is losing money. Short term greed does not equal long term profit.
Upgrades for lower level elites will become all but non-existent as the AA institutes a new Tens of Dollars upgrade system similar to COdbaUA.
Have you seen the latest revenue numbers for UA?
The Tens of Dollars upgrade offers have not made business sense for the airline. It drove away elite customers in droves and the airline is losing money. Short term greed does not equal long term profit.DL didn't seem to suffer much leakage when they decimated SM.
Feb 17, 2013, 11:16 pm
#774
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Downers Grove, IL
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, AA Advantage
Posts: 5,983
Feb 18, 2013, 1:22 am
#775
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
I'm part of the group that thinks that it will create a stronger airline in the end, and we all saw this coming after the last merger of UA/CO was made official. It was only natural that US and AA would tie up because they were the last two major airlines that hadn't done a merger.
Things could have been worse. What if the UA/US merger had gone through, and AA frequent flyers were stuck with the inevitable AA/CO merger with SMI/J at the helm. A scary alternate reality.
Possible Slogan: "Hey, at least we're #1 in the Texas market"Being serious though, if this creates a more sustainable operating model for AA, then I'm for it. I fully expect the frequent flyer program to get retooled in some ways that we here on FT won't be happy about, but it's happening to every frequent flyer program. You didn't expect the $99++ o/w DEQM + BOS3X LAX-BOS or $99++ o/w TEQM ORD-SFO deals to last forever.
Personally, I'm still taking a wait-and-see approach until I get more information to make a rational decision about whether or not to stick with AAdvantage. I've been given no reason to switch at this point, but it isn't going to stop 1000 more posts on this thread from the Chicken Littles. It has made fun reading material though.
Feb 18, 2013, 4:57 am
#776
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 3,850
Feb 18, 2013, 10:29 am
#777
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Please explain.
(I REFUSE to fly AA TPAC if on an award. If I'm going to use my AA miles to travel TPAC I will fly JL or CX only. Plus, the merger adds ZERO TPAC capacity. TATL you might have a valid point, especially to TLV though if they decide to keep that route, but even then I still think connections on BA/IB will be harder to get. Even RJ through AMM isn't the easiest to get.)
Talk to some of the CX agents in HKG and see what they think of AA customers-it will only get worse.
Feb 18, 2013, 10:45 am
#778
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 259
That's what DL said when they acquired NW. The reality was almost exactly the opposite.
I suspect the AA employees will have many opportunities to regret their decision to jump into bed with Parker and US.
All upgrades on AA are electronic. And upgrade rates fall after every merger, especially in the mid-tier. With relatively few overlapping routes, you simply increase the number of elites chasing after the same F seats. Especially with AA minting many new EXPs in prior months, through generous EQM bonuses and outright gifts. Finally, after the merger DL had some nice hubs that were reasonably sized and great for connections: CVG and MEM. Both are rapidly fading away.
I suspect the AA employees will have many opportunities to regret their decision to jump into bed with Parker and US.
All upgrades on AA are electronic. And upgrade rates fall after every merger, especially in the mid-tier. With relatively few overlapping routes, you simply increase the number of elites chasing after the same F seats. Especially with AA minting many new EXPs in prior months, through generous EQM bonuses and outright gifts. Finally, after the merger DL had some nice hubs that were reasonably sized and great for connections: CVG and MEM. Both are rapidly fading away.
On US, i pretty much get upgrade to first 100% of the time unless on a regional without first class. Things have changed at US and its been pretty efficient. They finally!!! got the preferred boarding lanes/carpet that you have had for years. Believe me I complained so much about this!
So I have no idea what will happen. I am hoping the new program will include unlimited upgrades for all elite tiers. Currently upgrades are prioritized by elite level, miles flown within the elite level, and so on. We simply get an email telling us we got upgraded when our window starts or when we get upgrades if not released to us at the start of our window.
My other thought is around the competition for upgrades..As someone who flies out of Phoenix, I don't think I will be competing against AA ex platinums as we tend to fly whoever is hub-ed. So A dallas based AA pref wouldn't see many US elites...
speculation should get interesting
Feb 18, 2013, 10:55 am
#779
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ACT/GRK/DAL/ABI/MIA/FLL
Programs: OMNIArchist, OMNIArchy!, OMNIIDGAS
Posts: 23,478
I like PHL myself, I found it tidy and easy to get in and out of, easier than EWR, and some stellar deals. I also found that I rather liked PHL then, but the roads were a bit crazy
Feb 18, 2013, 11:17 am
#780
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
What is really shocking is the dolts at the US DOJ colluding on turning the airline industry into an oligopoly to the great detriment of passengers. At least the European Commission knows how to say ''NO'' to airline takeovers. The DOJ is rubberstamping the elimination of real competition in the airline industry. That is disgusting.