UA flyer revisits AA after long hiatus
Feb 16, 2015, 9:46 pm
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,221
UA flyer revisits AA after long hiatus
Intro: I used fly AA back in the days before the DotCom bust when they flew nonstop SJC-BOS. But that route went kerflooey and AA cut back it's SFO service as well. Meanwhile new destinations (aging inlaws in Houston, holiday trips to Cancun area, west-coast itineraries, etc.) consolidated most of our air travel with United and Continental so the merger wasn't terrible for us.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
Last edited by KatW; Feb 16, 2015 at 10:17 pm
Feb 16, 2015, 11:30 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
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Posts: 7,947
Intro: I used fly AA back in the days before the DotCom bust when they flew nonstop SJC-BOS. But that route went kerflooey and AA cut back it's SFO service as well. Meanwhile new destinations (aging inlaws in Houston, holiday trips to Cancun area, west-coast itineraries, etc.) consolidated most of our air travel with United and Continental so the merger wasn't terrible for us.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
Feb 17, 2015, 12:41 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,212
Intro: I used fly AA back in the days before the DotCom bust when they flew nonstop SJC-BOS. But that route went kerflooey and AA cut back it's SFO service as well. Meanwhile new destinations (aging inlaws in Houston, holiday trips to Cancun area, west-coast itineraries, etc.) consolidated most of our air travel with United and Continental so the merger wasn't terrible for us.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
Feb 17, 2015, 1:27 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 981
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatW
Intro: I used fly AA back in the days before the DotCom bust when they flew nonstop SJC-BOS. But that route went kerflooey and AA cut back it's SFO service as well. Meanwhile new destinations (aging inlaws in Houston, holiday trips to Cancun area, west-coast itineraries, etc.) consolidated most of our air travel with United and Continental so the merger wasn't terrible for us.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
SFO has some of the friendliest AC staff. You will never be disappointed by AA in SFO. MSP in AA/UA is another story. I hope AA keeps this up and gets SFO back to more flights and at least like a cornerstone gateway.
Originally Posted by KatW
Intro: I used fly AA back in the days before the DotCom bust when they flew nonstop SJC-BOS. But that route went kerflooey and AA cut back it's SFO service as well. Meanwhile new destinations (aging inlaws in Houston, holiday trips to Cancun area, west-coast itineraries, etc.) consolidated most of our air travel with United and Continental so the merger wasn't terrible for us.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
SFO has some of the friendliest AC staff. You will never be disappointed by AA in SFO. MSP in AA/UA is another story. I hope AA keeps this up and gets SFO back to more flights and at least like a cornerstone gateway.
Feb 17, 2015, 7:10 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,404
A very nice experience, indeed!
I fourth or fifth the notion that AA @ SFO is a friendly operation. I really enjoy that AC a lot and the agents who work there.
I left UA three years ago; it's comforting to know I made the right decision (at least up until now
).
I fourth or fifth the notion that AA @ SFO is a friendly operation. I really enjoy that AC a lot and the agents who work there.
I left UA three years ago; it's comforting to know I made the right decision (at least up until now
).
Feb 17, 2015, 9:55 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Austin,TX (AUS)
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 767
The AC at SFO is my favorite of the clubs I've visited. Plus, AA uses the beautiful Terminal 2 at SFO.
Feb 17, 2015, 10:03 am
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Thanks for the report.
I use SFO and agree - curbside check-in folks are very friendly, the SFO Admirals Club is great and the Club agents are very welcoming and competent.
By the way, a one day pass is $50 per person.
A thirty day membership is $99, allows up to two guests (may be more with household members) and of course is good for thirty dats - giving you access at MIA on the way back as well.
I use SFO and agree - curbside check-in folks are very friendly, the SFO Admirals Club is great and the Club agents are very welcoming and competent.
By the way, a one day pass is $50 per person.
A thirty day membership is $99, allows up to two guests (may be more with household members) and of course is good for thirty dats - giving you access at MIA on the way back as well.
Feb 17, 2015, 10:42 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium.;UA 1.5MM; UA Lifetime Gold (whoppee); DL Plat
Posts: 2,124
I feel that same way..I had to pinch myself to make sure I was awake and alive on the first AA flight last fall..and almost every time since.....I was so used to surly/unreliable UA that I thought I had died and gone to heaven (probably too much hyperbole there...)
Feb 17, 2015, 11:20 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Honolulu, HI
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 1,240
UA flyer revisits AA after long hiatus
Good report! I concur with the assessment of SFO. Good crew over there. I also wish AA would fight harder there...
Feb 17, 2015, 12:19 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AA(EXP)UA(1K/1MM) Marriott(PP,LifeTime Plat) Hertz(5*)
Posts: 449
Intro: I used fly AA back in the days before the DotCom bust when they flew nonstop SJC-BOS. But that route went kerflooey and AA cut back it's SFO service as well. Meanwhile new destinations (aging inlaws in Houston, holiday trips to Cancun area, west-coast itineraries, etc.) consolidated most of our air travel with United and Continental so the merger wasn't terrible for us.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
AA has been off my radar for 15 years or so but it now has one of the very few nonstops SFO-MIA where we needed to be for a Caribbean cruise. Booked two first-class tix full freight, gulp. Here's the punch line: these flights were almost pleasant. I'm sure folk on this thread have legitimate beefs with AA (it's an airline after all) but compared with United, AA rocks.
First interaction at the airport was great: skycap came to the curb to help us with our baggage (four pieces). To the curb! The curb! Subsequent checkin curbside was swift and flawless. After that a big bump: flight delayed three hours. Yikes. We have no status on AA, are not AC members, AmEx Plat gets us nada and I badly want into AC for the duration of the delay which then was hour-by-hour; had no idea when or if we would fly that day.
We hustle ourselves to AC reception where I announce (yes I'm in a mild tizzy) that I don't care what it costs but I want to buy two one-day passes. Cordial service rep goes into an extended song and dance of cost of one-day pass versus 30-day pass, blahblahblah. I'm hyperventilating by then and probably twitching, too. Kindly man looks up our flight and sees it might go in another two hours or three or.... He smiles up at me and says, "I can't let you pay for an hour or two, please be my guests." It turned out to be three hours and we had a lovely time in their very comfortable lounge.
Because we were enroute to the Caribbean, a rum punch seemed in order so I repaired to the bar money in hand. Guess what?! Cocktails are complimentary. I said, "It sure doesn't work that way at United." A man standing next to me said, "you got that right" and a couple on the other side of me started clapping.
Other than the three-hour delay the flight was fine, comfortable and we even received our entree choices because they can be entered online ahead of the flight.
Our return flight was ontime, smooth and arrived early. And, we get to do it again in November when we fly to Barbados (SFO-BGI) and we can even get there in one day however long. Almost unheard of when flying SFO-Caribbean.
Thank you AA.
Actually I had my first ever flight last year in July to Hkg from lax.(EXP challenge) The whole trip I kept saying this is not an airline. I can't possibly be on an airplane right now.
And the flight dfw to Hkg went mechanical and the plane was taken out of service right at the start of boarding. I was thinking that it is no better then UA at that point but they had a new plane from the hanger, catered, cargo loaded, boarded, and in the air only two hours late.
I was impressed!
I am at 100% upgrade rate and have been taken care of better then I ever have been as a UA 1k for 10 years.
Yes I also hear and read horror stories about AA and I am waiting for it to happen. But 10% horror on AA vs 90% horror on UA has sold me for now.
Feb 17, 2015, 1:27 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Delta Silver Medallion, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 14,087
Thank you for this TR!
I remember AA at SFO fondly. I went to law school in the Bay Area, and had two options to get home: A morning flight out of SFO via DFW, then down to SJU, or an evening "shuttle" type flight out of SJC to LAX, dinner with friends in LA, the red eye out of LAX to MIA, then the early morning flight out of MIA to SJU.
Both ACs were friendly and inviting, and while the itinerary out of SJC sounds like a PITA, in reality, sushi with friends in LA was hard to beat, and upgrades with stickers on the red-eye were easy in those days (plus I got to leave on the day of my last final, rather than the morning after, so there was that plus extra miles -- I was already thinking like a FTer), so I often chose that route.
Anyway, I am happy to hear that the SFO AC is still a warm and friendly place, and that your experience on AA thus far has been a good one. I returned to AA about three years ago, having spent about a decade away. It's been good so far.
I remember AA at SFO fondly. I went to law school in the Bay Area, and had two options to get home: A morning flight out of SFO via DFW, then down to SJU, or an evening "shuttle" type flight out of SJC to LAX, dinner with friends in LA, the red eye out of LAX to MIA, then the early morning flight out of MIA to SJU.
Both ACs were friendly and inviting, and while the itinerary out of SJC sounds like a PITA, in reality, sushi with friends in LA was hard to beat, and upgrades with stickers on the red-eye were easy in those days (plus I got to leave on the day of my last final, rather than the morning after, so there was that plus extra miles -- I was already thinking like a FTer), so I often chose that route.
Anyway, I am happy to hear that the SFO AC is still a warm and friendly place, and that your experience on AA thus far has been a good one. I returned to AA about three years ago, having spent about a decade away. It's been good so far.
Feb 18, 2015, 6:17 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CA USA
Programs: UA 1K 2.85MM // AS MVPG100K // TK Elite Plus // AA EXP // Bonvoy TE // Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 356
Feb 18, 2015, 6:49 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
I came over on a status challenge as UA 1K last November, and while I wouldn't put the UA horror rate that high, nor the AA horror rate that low, it is still a pleasant improvement. This is coming from a guy who swore off AA for life in 2009. Won't be doing that again. Things change.
The ACs are quite nice, and not only do they sell real food, but they allow us to bring food in from the concourse. That was one of my smaller gripes with UA - having to choose between going to the club and eating during a short layover. Work draws me to the club, so I was stuck eating on the plane.
Eating on the plane is also better on AA. UA claims to be upgrading theirs, and AA old timers claim that the food isn't as good as it once was, but better is better. On UA, I was so often on RJs (my biggest complaint) that there wasn't anything edible there, either.
Finally, I have yet to sit on any seat - old or new - that is anywhere near as uncomfortable as UA's slimlines. Those things have been installed almost everywhere, it seems, and they actually cause me physical pain. Even in First.
Your last two words say it all. "For now" I'm ok with the less customer unfriendly treatment I get from AA, even though I still say that UA has a lot of great front line workers. A great agent or FA is nice to deal with, but when they are completely powerless to fix what's broke.... Oh well.
The ACs are quite nice, and not only do they sell real food, but they allow us to bring food in from the concourse. That was one of my smaller gripes with UA - having to choose between going to the club and eating during a short layover. Work draws me to the club, so I was stuck eating on the plane.
Eating on the plane is also better on AA. UA claims to be upgrading theirs, and AA old timers claim that the food isn't as good as it once was, but better is better. On UA, I was so often on RJs (my biggest complaint) that there wasn't anything edible there, either.
Finally, I have yet to sit on any seat - old or new - that is anywhere near as uncomfortable as UA's slimlines. Those things have been installed almost everywhere, it seems, and they actually cause me physical pain. Even in First.
Your last two words say it all. "For now" I'm ok with the less customer unfriendly treatment I get from AA, even though I still say that UA has a lot of great front line workers. A great agent or FA is nice to deal with, but when they are completely powerless to fix what's broke.... Oh well.
Feb 18, 2015, 9:48 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
The ACs are quite nice, and not only do they sell real food, but they allow us to bring food in from the concourse. That was one of my smaller gripes with UA - having to choose between going to the club and eating during a short layover. Work draws me to the club, so I was stuck eating on the plane.
Feb 18, 2015, 10:05 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,602
Over the past couple of years, I've had a handful of AA trips (after very few over the rest of my life). Overall, they have been very pleasant. All, except one short LAX/SFO have been in premium cabins, and overall, I've been pleased. My lounge welcomes (ACs and FLs) have been generally superb, and even my one rejection (I didn't know that MIA/SFO wasn't a lounge-permitting transcon) was quite pleasant, with even a recommendation for food selections by the agent. My rare IRROPS and tight int'l/domestic connections have been handled well. I have no AA status (although my AS MVPG does count for something).
Re: SFO, yes, more service would be nice, but at least we're not UA captive. And while a nonstop is nice, AA (and pretty much any airline) can get us 'one stop to the world' from SFO. I haven't stepped on a UA plane since October 2012. My mental health is better for it.
Re: SFO, yes, more service would be nice, but at least we're not UA captive. And while a nonstop is nice, AA (and pretty much any airline) can get us 'one stop to the world' from SFO. I haven't stepped on a UA plane since October 2012. My mental health is better for it.