blueheronNC

So the $75-80 that non-status people pay for transcon MCE is just the price of guaranteed MCE seat assignment before boarding? That what you're really paying for is not having to try your luck at MCE seats still being available for switching into once onboard? It's hard for me to see how the policy could be a free-for-all because if the market were rational, FAs would have to entertain requests to move into MCE for every single open MCE seat on every single flight, and I can't believe the intent would be for them to have to manage that.

If UA guards E+ robustly, it seems like the two are analogous products given their respective costs. Otherwise AA is selling you a lesser product at the same price point.

arollins

MCE seats are open for GA seat assignment free of charge. The money you pay is certainly to guarantee that you have the selected seat. A non status flyer will buy a ticket, see that there are only middle seats available and decides not to get one, in the hopes that once at the gate, something better might open up.

My apologies on the 9E confusion, did not realize the type of aircraft involved. But yes, there is no AA policy on this, it does occur and I do feel that it cheapens the product overall. There should be some sort of protection, but in the end, it is up to the FA to determine

Same can be said about a POS, they could be seated into another open seat as well.

brewdog11

Seen this happen many times and have yet to see an FA decline a pax' request to move. Also seen other pax seated next to the empty seat argue with the FA, only to get nowhere.

If they offered onboard op-ops like some airlines, I'm sure they'd (possibly) be more inclined to protect it.

+1. This is the only way to semi-guarantee the empty seat.

Wollstonecraft

I only noticed this on US flights in the past, when the doors closed, people felt free to scramble to the front and in fact were encouraged by the FAs to do so. I actually appreciate the way UA polices their equivalent MCE seats. If it is just a gamble, how is that different from WN? Don't people pay more to AA (including extra fees) for a different experience?

Often1

It's AA's seat to sell, give away or whatever. OP paid for and got his chosen seat and that's all he gets.

With the merger now complete, AA will presumably follow UA & DL and start selling vacant MCE seats onboard.

Here, we don't know whether the passenger was entitled to freebie MCE seating or whether there was some other issue which would have resulted in his being moved if possible.

As to the whole fare issue and who paid what, MCE is not really a big deal. There are people seated next to each other who paid full YY and that may be 9-10x the cost of the ticket for the guy next to them.

That's why I deal solely with the carrier and don't get into fare and other discussions with others.

vasantn

In a word, yes. When you pay in advance, you are paying for the guarantee, not the seat. The seat is free.

Shareholder

I suspect this is an example of US FAs not being familiar with AA practices and products...I know UA FAs are rather vigilant about keeping ineligible pax out of E+ seats. MCE is a revenue product, at least it is intended to be. Though the other issue here is that US aircraft are not yet configured in the same way as most AA planes with the initial rows of coach offering more leg room (other than exit rows and bulkheads, which are now marked off as MCE on US planes).

I'd be pissed off as the OP, though i would have raised the matter with the FA, if not when s/he approved the move, at least when s/he came around with my comp drink and BoB item. (Of course, if all the MCE were otherwise occupied, this usurper could well have been an elite unable to book one of those seats originally and thus been eligible to sit there.)

Increasingly though, with full loads, gate agents will assign MCE seats free of charge to standbys and others without seat allocations if nothing is available further back. (This also happens at UA and DL under the same circumstances.) I've been fortunate with my upgrades, but the times when I've flown on an Y award ticket, I've always found my empty seats next to me being filled by late boarders who certainly did not look like elites. (Yes, I know, what does an elite look like?)

AwardBee

Some elites, even top-tier ones, can show up in sweatpants and hoodies and look way too young not to be escorted by a responsible adult.

Zorak

Indeed I was recently on a DL flight with a number of empty seats and the FA specifically said feel free to move around but please don't switch to C+ unless you are already in C+.

rjw242

I don't know why people are pretending this is up for debate. MCE is not a separate class of service and switching into it is allowed. Full stop. If you don't like the policy, feel free to complain to Dallas, but don't waste FAs' time snitching on pax who are fully within their rights.

Also, the more assertive among us have no problem asking someone to move their stuff if they're passive-aggressively trying to block a seat

cmd320

Neither of these are true. MCE seats are complimentary only for EXP and PLT members, as well as GLD within 24 hours of departure. The only time these seats are issued on a complimentary basis to other customers who have not paid to sit there is when no other Y seats exist.

FA should have requested a credit card from the individual who switched seats upon that individual doing so.

bchandler02

I have no issues if it is after the door is closed.

The money we pay is to guarantee our seat choice in those seats, if desired.

If onboard, there is room, I'd rather have the option to either move, or possibly have my seatmate move, giving me two seats instead of 1.

Madone59

+1

Yes I do. I was in Y- HKG-DFW. One MCE seat opened up as a last second UG cleared a pax into C. The door closed and I got up and asked the FA if I could have the seat. She immediately told me "No, those [seats] are extra money and or reserved for elites." I took out my boarding pass and showed her my elite status to which she replied "Wonderful Mr. Madone59, please feel free to take that seat."

VickiSoCal

What if an airport agent blocked the seat next to you as a courtesy?

kochleffel

Also full-fare Y:

Main Cabin Extra seats are complimentary* for:
AAdvantageŽ Executive Platinum
AAdvantage Platinum members
oneworldŽ Sapphire and oneworld Emerald members
Customers who purchase a full-fare Main Cabin ticket.

http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/seats.jsp

"Full-fare" includes AAnytime awards.