Why obsess getting into AA first class?

 
Old Jun 13, 2006, 10:11 am
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by DallasAudiGuy
I'm going DFW-LAX-HNL and back in July. I will report my findings
Yeah... but what about DAL - HNL?
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 10:22 am
  #32  
 
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I just got to Platinum....started to use the 500mile domestic upgrades....using 3 to go to BJX today...on an M80....wooo!!!

What a joke....F in an M80....but hey what do you except? I do not blame AA for cutting costs...even they need to make money...

This American mentality of "Cheap, cheap, cheap" will bring the quality of everything down...hey if you want to pay $100/RT ticket....you entitled to a SEAT AND NOTHING MORE.....

Pretty soon....we will be outsourcing the FA's from China/India.....
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 10:46 am
  #33  
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Originally Posted by anaggie
Pretty soon....we will be outsourcing the FA's from China/India.....
Now THAT might be worthy of consideration. As has been discussed in other threads, the service ethic of Asian airline FAs is quite admirable--really adds to the flying experience: whether one is up front or not.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 10:49 am
  #34  
 
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Welcome to flying commercial airlines in 2003, 2004, 2005 and NOW.... 2006.

To borrow from the OP, It amazes me how many folks obsess about what flying and domestic FC was, is, or will become. It is what it is; a means of conveyance, nothing more. And now back to the dicussion of which brand of manure works better.....
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 11:51 am
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by anaggie
I just got to Platinum....started to use the 500mile domestic upgrades....using 3 to go to BJX today...on an M80....wooo!!!

What a joke....F in an M80....but hey what do you except? I do not blame AA for cutting costs...even they need to make money...

This American mentality of "Cheap, cheap, cheap" will bring the quality of everything down...hey if you want to pay $100/RT ticket....you entitled to a SEAT AND NOTHING MORE.....

Pretty soon....we will be outsourcing the FA's from China/India.....
Could you be more specific, Mr. 2%er, exactly what year meant by:

"Joke"
""Even they need to make money"
"cheap cheap cheap"

And not to be an aggie basher, but your comment about outsourcing FA's shows a fundamental ignorance of the service level of most of the Asia based airlines

Last edited by DallasAudiGuy; Jun 13, 2006 at 11:59 am
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 11:52 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by pdb
Now THAT might be worthy of consideration. As has been discussed in other threads, the service ethic of Asian airline FAs is quite admirable--really adds to the flying experience: whether one is up front or not.
Transaltion: "I saw a group of Singapore Airline FA's walking though the airport, and I almost walked into a wall"
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 11:58 am
  #37  
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Originally Posted by DallasAudiGuy
...And not to be an aggie basher, but you comment about outsourcing FA's shows a fundamental ignorance of the service level of most of the Asia based airlines
Amen to that. I just returned from a two-week trip to Asia and Australia. Some of the legs were on Asian airlines with Asian (based on appearance and the accent of their excellent English, to say nothing of the likelihood that they tend to hire in their home countries) cabin crew. I cannot think of an American airline that comes up to their standard of service, and I've tried a lot of them. AA could do a lot worse than to hire FAs from Asia. (Come to think of it, there was at least one apparently Japanese FA on my AA NRT-ORD return, but she didn't work the J cabin.)
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 2:02 pm
  #38  
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Originally Posted by DataPlumber
Welcome to flying commercial airlines in 2003, 2004, 2005 and NOW.... 2006.

To borrow from the OP, It amazes me how many folks obsess about what flying and domestic FC was, is, or will become. It is what it is; a means of conveyance, nothing more. And now back to the dicussion of which brand of manure works better.....
Is there any point at which you will say that too much has been cut? What about plastic cups like DL? What about pay for booze? What about pay for food on longer flights? What about pay for coat hanging? You and some others never cease to amaze me by your ability to just "take it in stride".

For me, my travel is on carriers which still provide a high level of service domestically: CO and UA. But maybe I feel this way because I actually pay for First Class and therefore expect a higher level of service than is (apparently) provided by AA.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 2:10 pm
  #39  
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
For me, my travel is on carriers which still provide a high level of service domestically: CO and UA. But maybe I feel this way because I actually pay for First Class and therefore expect a higher level of service than is (apparently) provided by AA.
I paid to fly F on UA recently (SAN-SFO-YVR), and experienced the exact same lack of service as on AA. I enjoyed channel 9, but everything else was more or less the same. Except that the aircraft used on the SFO-YVR flight was pretty darn old -- I think it may have been used by the Wright Brothers for their innaugural flight in Kitty Hawk.

Mind you, I'm not being critical of UA. But I think the service levels among the legacy carriers are more or less indistinguishable.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 2:12 pm
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Blumie
I think the service levels among the legacy carriers are more or less indistinguishable.
Not IME.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 2:22 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by pdb
Now THAT might be worthy of consideration. As has been discussed in other threads, the service ethic of Asian airline FAs is quite admirable--really adds to the flying experience: whether one is up front or not.
No doubt this is what makes China Eastern and Air India such wonderful airlines.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 2:48 pm
  #42  
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
Is there any point at which you will say that too much has been cut? What about plastic cups like DL? What about pay for booze? What about pay for food on longer flights? What about pay for coat hanging? You and some others never cease to amaze me by your ability to just "take it in stride".

For me, my travel is on carriers which still provide a high level of service domestically: CO and UA. But maybe I feel this way because I actually pay for First Class and therefore expect a higher level of service than is (apparently) provided by AA.
While it may sound unbelievable, AF flights within Europe offer all plastic service in J. When I wrote in, I was told that the focus was on the "airport experience," and that the downgrade in food service was to compensate for more self service machines and shorter check in deadlines!
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 2:54 pm
  #43  
 
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They have always served pre-departure on any flight in first that I have been on. As mad as I am with AA right now, I do have to say that they do have the best FF program out there. They also have great customer service people. The FA's are another story.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 3:10 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by chsb
I have found that as well. I think one of the probs with predep drinks now days, is with the planes as full as they are it is just difficult to do a consistent drink service as it seems to me on my last several flights the isles were full of people until they closed the door for departure.
I don't buy it. CO is able to provide pre-flight drinks very consistently, and they'll offer you the beverage of your choice (e.g., G&T). When AA does offer (which has actually been most of the time in my recent experience), it's usually just water or OJ.
So it's just a function of it not being a priority for AA. Take that for what it's worth.
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Old Jun 13, 2006, 3:13 pm
  #45  
 
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The problem is the whole U.S. airline industry rather than AA

I was pondering this very question as I rode home to SF from STL last night in F on AA583. It was an upgrade but I'd paid $240 for the coupons for Mrs. daveinSF and I to have the extra comfort. The roomier seats are what you are paying for in my opinion. Yeah, you can get a drink or two but that's not worth more than $10 or $15 since neither of us are big drinkers. The food is worth very little. Even in first class it seems you are better off bringing your own since the meals seems to be at best what they were serving in coach a decade ago.

I think a fare schedule similar to what Southwest uses would make sense. One fare if you buy your ticket in advance, a second fare for walk-ups and a third and fourth for first class. I'd suggest for round-trip flights longer than 1500 miles, charge $400 for advance purchase coach,, $500 for walk-up coach, $600 for advance purchase first class and $700 for walk-up first class. The airlines would probably take in more and they could drop the crazy pricing system they have now and maybe spend an extra five spot on slightly better meals offerings.
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