MileGuy

Was in J Jan 14 JFK - LHR and again in J LHR - ORD on Jan 22. Towelette instead of face/hand towel. I can get past most of the other cutbacks in J international, but NOT THIS ONE. Seems so petty, I know, but in the past looked forward to the hot TOWEL. No worries about lint sticking to whiskers, etc., tearing, carefully unfolding, etc, with the towels vs towelettes. The towels were looked forward to. A "real" mini-perk to freshen up. I found myself on the above flights carefully unfolding, thinking "you've got to be kidding,", etc., -- just putting that former hot towel over your face was a pleasant distraction --- not so with the towelette. Anyway, from a cost standpoint... say an average of 30 J seats occupied [transatlantic and transpacific) x 60 total J international flights per day (rough estimate) = 1800 J occupied seats x incremental cost of 50 cents per towel (vs towelette) = $900 cost per day cost savings. Even taking into account upgraded passengers, that would equal roughly ONE upgraded passenger on a discounted Y fare. What is AA thinking?? This has gone SIMPLY TOO FAR.

janhigginskcmo

I understand your liking the hot towels. They are very nice. The "facial wash cloths" are better face and your skin. I would be upset if you got a wet brown paper towel with airplane sink water....

AAFA

I was on a flight the other day with the towels that look like wash cloths and one of my passengers apparently thought it was. She proceeded to clean her hands, ears, and in between her disgustingly dirty toes and then placed it on my tray without one shred of embarassment. Pretty grossifying. She looked fairly well dressed too. Guess you can dress some people up but you can't take them anywhere.

The other passengers in the cabin who saw here were pretty horrified too.

nologic

I agree. A normal towel = quality. This piece of paper = garbage.

Is it just the towels? No. It's cumulative and it's not looking good. It's cost cutters who value pennies saved and know they can't measure revenue lost.

sluggoaafa

well, it may be a huge cost saving that you may not like...but consider this:

Those towels that you so liked had been touched (washed) by many other people before you.

Those towelettes that you don't like, no one has ever touched before they came out of the plastic.

Towelettes get thrown away. Those towels you used, use to get recycled....(that's why some were dirtier looking than others)

I've gotten to the point to where I try to unwrap the Hot Nap before I hand it to my pax, that way, it's not too hot for you to unwrap the rest of the way. But didn't you have to unravel the old towels too?

I've gotten quite used to the new Hot Naps. I like them because they can be thrown away. However, I still clean my seat area, tray table, head rest, back of seat in front of me, wall, and maybe window if someone's hair grease is all over it, and arm rests after I've washed my hands, dabbed it over my face.

I'm just glad they get thrown away now, instead of recycled like the old ones.

nologic

A few thoughts in response:

1. THANKS SO MUCh for taking the time and providing your opinion!

2. I presume either the real towels can be thrown away or cleaned adequately. While BA and some other premium carriers even have real towels available TO BE THROWN AWAY in the bathroom dispensers in F, I would think airlines and restaurants would be able to wash towels in hot water to clean and disinfect them sufficiently.

3. I think we are becoming hygenically obsessed.

sluggoaafa

you are right that the towels do get washed in extremely hot water, and under strict standards....but it is nice to know that the towel you are receiving has never been used.

That is one thing I don't like when at a hotel....finding someone else's hair inside a 'clean' towel that is hanging on the rack...or finding someone else's body hair in the sheets when pulling them back for the first time.....

but it is so nice to know when something is brand new and you know it's clean/never been used before

freeupgrade

Quite honestly, if anyone thinks (at this point) that AA cares abut J and F pax, then, I'm sorry, however, I think they've been inhaling too much jet fumes...

Its not just the towels vs. towlettes, or even the meal cutbacks.

In my humble opinion, its the whole picture as a whole.

MilesAndMore

I got a dry towelette once. Ever since, i've wanted to find out the process behing this "wet towel" business. do they pour water into it and microwave it ?

Boraxo

I remember the days when one would receive real hot cloth towels in coach (probably not an AA memory).

brp

Exactly. We should not confuse this with any attempt by AA to make money or be profitable. The real truth is that they don't care about J and F passengers...and are using the whole "losing money, have to cut costs" thing as a ruse to exhibit this dislike. I'm glad that's been cleared up.

Cheers.

skylady

We just pour hot water onto them, and then wring them out if they are too wet!

BlassSJU

Hot, real towels were just great. As sluggo said, some were worn, but they just felt better. It now seems as if they went to KFC or Churchs and got a box of those crappy towelettes.

777lover

Real towlettes (washclothes for the bathers here) were on DFW-FRA and FRA-DFW in J in the last 6 days.

mach92

If you don't like AA in J fly someone else.

I have moved my europe business to BA/LH/VS