rbAA

I've done 4 trips to and from HKG in the past 2 months and each time the PJ's were on the cart being given out to all business class pax. However, they are the scratchy gray polyester ones that are terrible. The joke is that they were made from the FA's uniforms that were causing them to get sick, LOL. The previous blue ones were at least comfortable.

And, the food has gone way downhill. Salads have lettuce only lately, and not the good kind. No veges in there. The beef is small and tough, and the "rice rolls" have absolutely no flavor. Eat at the QF FC lounge at LAX before the LAX-HKG segment.

dll

Just back from a trip that included LAX-SYD in business and HKG-LAX in first. Between SYD and HKG I also had flights on SQ in first (SYD-SIN on the 77W) and Cathay in business (regional A330, although their longhaul configuration).

You know what? AA absolutely holds its own on longhaul premium cabins. The bedding, pajamas and overall service is quite competitive. In first class AA obviously does not serve Krug or Dom Perignon like SQ, but they do actually have a well-stocked wine list. And when it comes to comfort, I actually prefer the Flagship First suite over the SQ 77W product. It's much more comfortable than SQ, which is hard as a rock both as a seat and as a bed. The service on HKG-LAX was also just fantastic; the purser was on his game, full of humor and hospitality.

Thanks in large part to the Casper bedding I had two really excellent flights with AA on this trip.

SouthernCross

bunkunu

On AA, I rarely fly First, usually business, on long haul flights. For various reasons, one being that I feel like the 1-2-1 config is sufficient for my needs.

For business on transatlantic flights (US-Europe/UK), I have *never* seen them pass out PJs , Casper comforters, or slippers (these 3 items seem to go hand-in-hand). Amenity kits yes.

For business on transpacific international flights (US-Asia), I have *always* seen them pass out PJs , Casper comforters, and slippers. Same amenity kits though.

Although once on a flight from LHR-LAX I was super freezing as I was only wearing a dress and I asked for the FA for a set of pajamas (saw that the ship had come in to LHR from HKG, so why not ask) and she had extras in the back and found me a set.

My personal analysis on the inconsistency is that AA amenities will only be as good as what they agree to offer as a codeshare partner / what the other airline AA is codesharing for will demand to service their loyal passengers. For example, if AA is offering CX (Cathay Pacific) codeshare, granted, there is a lot to contrast, but it would be a lot more painful if on a CX codeshare ticket AA operated, they didn't even give the CX passenger slippers. Same with QF codeshares, I can only imagine. But BA hard product is even further behind AA product that I'm sure that BA codeshare passengers are happy to get even an amenity kit with a zipper lol on an AA operated flight compared to BA's janky drawstring Elemis cloth thing.

Editing to add - I don't mean for all of the Asia routes just the ones I have flown. My general theory I want to say is true though - see two posts down

Madison Guy

Really? Maybe HKG, but no PJs ORD-PEK or LAX-PEK (No F service - only J for AA) - but I believe that qualifies as Asia...

I believe that AA only offer PJs in J for SYD and HKG

bunkunu

i don't know how to delete :/

bunkunu

It is true I can only speak from my own experience, and I've never flown those routes before, and I am guilty of generalizing; mainland China is a different animal from the rest of East Asia and Southeast Asia... just like Russia is a different animal from Europe. Also, there is no AA route from ORD to PEK. But my last paragraph in my previous response did sum up the reasoning...

So perhaps they don't have partners demanding better amenities on those routes like CX or QF would - I think that seems to be the consistent determining factor, the lowest offering common denominator of partner/codeshares and what they offer / demand that AA will offer

So in other words, IF:If all 3 apply above, I want to say it's like 99% likely they will offer these things. and If not, then I want to say they will not. I'm almost certain it's in the codeshare contract negotiations between almost all if not all partner carriers doing these types of codeshares. No dummy CX employee negotiating codeshares would allow CX to sell J seats on CX codeshare operated by AA to upset the CX passenger once they realize the CX codeshare flight is a very far cry from CX metal route - they would have a very hard time selling J tickets on that codeshare. So if AA wants to fly CX passengers on their ships from HKG-LAX, they better offer slippers and they better offer pajamas. This is explicitly stated in some contract somewhere - it's not some random appearance, it is not optional. DFW is a different story because CX ships do not fly to DFW. BA could care less - for the most part, AA amenities are far better than theirs, so BA passengers are happy

So, HKG-LAX, A, B and C apply. ✅PJs and slippers. Same with NRT-LAX (Japan Airlines) ✅, HND-LAX (Japan Airlines) ✅, SYD-LAX (Qantas) ✅, etc etc etc.
LHR-LAX (British Airways), only A and B apply, but not C. ❌No PJs and slippers. (off topic but I feel that BA service though is so much better)
DFW-HKG, only B would apply, but A and C do not apply - therefore, ❌no PJs and slippers.
LAX-PEK, none of the above apply, there are no AA partners that fly this route, only AA. So, ❌no PJs and slippers.

It's an operational expense and they won't offer it if they aren't forced to (see paragraph above). Of course, just like amenity kits, or nuts, or hot hand towels, this might become a "norm" one day. When will it become a "norm"? Probably when BA offers it... is my guess...

Madison Guy

IIRC, AA does offer slippers to PEK in J - just not PJs. However, I totally agree, AA only offer what they are compelled to offer based on competitive offerings.

bunkunu

I still think they are a bit too cheap to offer based on competitive offerings or because they look bad
I think they are only offering based on what they commit to offering in codeshare contracts with partner carriers who demand these things to fill AA seats with their tickets. I think my point is, for PJs, there is no compeller/compellee/compelling; this is not optional for them in these instances. If they want QF codeshare they MUST give PJs. In writing. At least for now.
The DFW routes are a telltale sign. If they want to be "competitive" they would offer for DFW too

bunkunu

this is very generous of them! Us Asians love shuffling around in slippers

Reetmafreen

teemuflyer

I think I would have preferred to fly J and PE in reverse order. J overnight with lie-flat, PE on daytime flight... But that said, the inconsistency with something as simple as slippers can be frustrating. One would think that there is a check list of items being loaded onto a flight that someone is responsible to be observing..

Reetmafreen

Michael D

United and Delta have had PJs on their China flights for some time.

On the constancy note slippers on PEK-DFW,DFW-AMS,AMS-DFW,DFW-CDG but not CDG-DFW (purser: never on a TATL).

superchocobear

An oddity this evening on AA 1512. My seat was provisioned with Casper pillow & blanket, whereas the rest of the J cabin had the standard DOM items.