Enhancements in Main Cabin Extra Seating (now Q2 2018)

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Mar 29, 2018, 11:51 am

#196

thehawk75

Join Date: May 2008

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Quote:

Originally Posted by AAdamE

Why would you not want a free MCE seat on such a long flight? Unless it was a middle?

Right now only middle available.

Mar 29, 2018, 12:52 pm

#197

PHL

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Quote:

Originally Posted by AAExecPlatFlier

Didn’t someone say it starts 4/1?

AA has not published anything public about this yet. And my flights this week did not have placards in the MCE bins yet either.

Mar 30, 2018, 9:02 am

#198

gradboozer

Join Date: May 2013

Programs: AA PLT, HH Gold, Marriott Silver

Posts: 282

Had some eagle flights this week that had "Reserved for MCE" stickers in the OH bins (even on the E145!)

Still no free drink in MCE.

Apr 2, 2018, 5:40 pm

#199

ORD-TGU

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Just completed a flight, asked FA about the roll out date of this benefit and she had no idea what I was talking about.

Apr 3, 2018, 8:52 am

#200

BrianV

Join Date: Oct 2006

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I’m early March, a somewhat well informed AA flight attendant said she thought it was April 1st. On my other flights on that trip, every other FA seemed to have no idea about the upcoming changes. It was in an AA press release, can’t imagine they’d change their mind, but this is definitely pretty poor communications on a roll out.

Apr 3, 2018, 9:35 am

#201

whimsey21

Join Date: Jul 2006

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Quote:

Originally Posted by OskiBear

Ah - that makes sense. I hovered over some of my seats because I thought they might be "preferred," but it seems that bulkhead/exit row seats outside of the main MCE "cabin" are still MCE. I was thinking that those might have gone "preferred."
Good on AA for setting expectations, but a bit lost on me as I don't typically drink alcohol on the plane - so, that little "enhancement" is meaningless to me. I'd be open to an extra Biscoff, though...

I've got some flights booked this summer on A332's which have the bizarre configuration where the seat pairs on the right half of the cabin (G and H) in the front section fo the plane are MCE, while nothing else is. In the back section, the entire first two or three rows all the way across are labeled MCE. I like being further forward, but am wondering after reading this thread if there's any chance that AA will decide to reclassify those seats as preferred with more legroom, to keep people from wondering why only certain pairs of seats are getting free drinks (assuming that the benefit starts this summer). Any thoughts on whether it is risky to keep those seats vs. switching to one of the full MCE rows in the back, or whether a pair is a sufficient "unit" to stay MCE?

Apr 3, 2018, 9:40 am

#202

teemuflyer

Join Date: Nov 2009

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Posts: 6,087

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianV

I don't recall any press release, rather per the 1st post of this thread, it was an internal memo, but no actual copy was provided.. Not saying it's not going to happen, the marked MCE bins did, but I guess we'll just have to wait.

Apr 3, 2018, 10:30 am

#203

AAdamE

Join Date: Mar 2017

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Quote:

Originally Posted by teemuflyer

https://thepointsguy.com/2018/01/aa-...-enhancements/

Here is the acutal memo, plus TPG claims they spoke with an AA rep who confirmed these changes.

Apr 3, 2018, 10:59 am

#204

zpaul

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: DEN

Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold

Posts: 1,887

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAdamE

I feel like its going to be free wine and beer only, which will limit consumption.

I forget which flight I was on and the date (I do MIA-MEX 2x/week) but on a few flights my upgrades don't clear and I'm in MCE. Last week, maybe two weeks ago I ordered a gin & tonic and asked for two bottles so I wouldn't have to bug them later, and was ready to pull out my card to pay for the second and the FA said, "You're in MCE, you get free alcohol." The guy next to me quickly changed his Diet Coke order when he heard that...!

So the complimentary alcohol is definitely a thing now.

Apr 3, 2018, 11:12 am

#205

LupineChemist

Join Date: May 2013

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I saw the reserved for MCE stickers on a couple of 321s between ORD and LAX a couple weeks ago.

Apr 3, 2018, 7:03 pm

#206

elperro

Join Date: Mar 2018

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I've seen the stickers for a couple of weeks now.

No free drinks.

Apr 3, 2018, 8:54 pm

#207

mvoight

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Quote:

Originally Posted by elperro

I've seen the stickers for a couple of weeks now.

No free drinks.

Maybe they are trying to decide how to handle the people rushing to claim empty MCE seats after boarding

Apr 4, 2018, 8:52 am

#208

zpaul

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: DEN

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Posts: 1,887

Quote:

Originally Posted by elperro

I've seen the stickers for a couple of weeks now.

No free drinks.

Maybe they're not proactively mentioning it? Or are they charging you for alcohol still?

Apr 4, 2018, 12:44 pm

#209

AAdamE

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mvoight

Maybe they are trying to decide how to handle the people rushing to claim empty MCE seats after boarding

Or they are getting push back from FAs who don't want to deal with customer conflicts like having to explain to someone who is in front of or behind an MCE row that wants free drinks as well, or people in an exit row that are MCE who might have less of a selection since they are further back. That's the problem with creating different products within a cabin and no curtain. Whenever I ask about the complementary drinks in MCE I have either been told its not a thing yet and get a free drink anyway, or I get a flustered reaction, no in-between.

zpaul likes this.

Apr 4, 2018, 8:34 pm

#210

elperro

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I think it's more likely that they are "walking it back" because the person who came up with it never flies coach (like some director or VP in the marketing department) and doesn't understand the logistics of doing it. It's the kind of thing that seems like a good idea then you try to implement it and it's a disaster.