Enhancements in Main Cabin Extra Seating (now Q2 2018)
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Just came across this "addendum" to the original announcement. I find it completely unbelievable if true, can't understand why any airline would want to throw any sort of incentive-based free-for-all event into their pre-departure process.
https://theforwardcabin.com/2018/01/...-no-seriously/
https://theforwardcabin.com/2018/01/...-no-seriously/
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Hypothetical question:
A big problem with the "reserving" overhead space is that the FAs are specifically not required to enforce this. So, what's to stop someone in MCE, upon finding that someone not in MCE took up their overhead space (perhaps after asking the other MCE passengers) from just taking out the offending luggage, setting it on the ground, and putting their own luggage in?
Wouldn't that force the FA's to get involved? What would happen? First come first serve, and the late coming MCE passenger has to move? MCE passenger gets his supposed "reserved" overhead space, and the FA has to go track down the owner of the luggage lying in the middle of the aisle?
A big problem with the "reserving" overhead space is that the FAs are specifically not required to enforce this. So, what's to stop someone in MCE, upon finding that someone not in MCE took up their overhead space (perhaps after asking the other MCE passengers) from just taking out the offending luggage, setting it on the ground, and putting their own luggage in?
Wouldn't that force the FA's to get involved? What would happen? First come first serve, and the late coming MCE passenger has to move? MCE passenger gets his supposed "reserved" overhead space, and the FA has to go track down the owner of the luggage lying in the middle of the aisle?
#63
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: msp
Programs: AA PLT 3MM, DL PM 2MM
Posts: 1,142
So,basically, they are going to give free booze to anyone who jumps into those seats after the boarding process has ended?
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
#64
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA EXP Plat, Mariott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 165
Why I have to pay for my MCE or get it free with AA Plat and now because either I spent extra or have status someone can still sit next to me day of not pay anything and get the same treatment. That is bringing down the value of the MCE and AA Plat 100%. Why would anyone pay for a product they give away for free?
#65
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
So,basically, they are going to give free booze to anyone who jumps into those seats after the boarding process has ended?
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,644
The only hope in the future, when MCE maybe a separate cabin, is that AA may at least allow EXPs to have complimentary upgrades from main cabin to First. My fear is that MCE will become a separate cabin in 2019.
#67
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
If the copy DL, which AA seems fond of doing, then having it as a separate cabin wont be something to fear - on DL you can upgrade from Y->C+ and/or Y->F.
#68
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
So,basically, they are going to give free booze to anyone who jumps into those seats after the boarding process has ended?
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
NOT GOOD. FA's know which seats were assigned when the door closed, those seats should get the free booze, or elites and those who paid for MCE should get it, not just people just randomly assigned there because they were empty and a Basic passenger needed a seat
#70
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 532
I'm having a hard time believing that AA will allow any econ passenger to move into an MCE seat for free.
AA's most lucrative passengers (elites, full fare passengers, and other MCE-paying passengers) certainly will scream loudly for two reasons:
1) non-MCE passengers taking empty MCE seats lessen the likelihood of having a poor man's first class seat (an empty seat next to you)
2) feeling unjust that one had to pay for something that others are given for free
AA's most lucrative passengers (elites, full fare passengers, and other MCE-paying passengers) certainly will scream loudly for two reasons:
1) non-MCE passengers taking empty MCE seats lessen the likelihood of having a poor man's first class seat (an empty seat next to you)
2) feeling unjust that one had to pay for something that others are given for free
#71
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
But see the post above about how AA copies DL minus a few things. This seems like one of those “few things” that AA won’t adopt.
#72
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
Wow.. usually my wife and I book an aisle and window seat (in case we don't get upgraded), with the center seat empty with the hope that it doesn't get taken. I think enough folks will learn about the MCE perk, that I can't imagine that the center seat will ever go unoccupied once this program is implemented.
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,222
#75
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: In the sky.
Programs: AA- EXP 3mm, Marriott Titanium(Lifetime), *wood Plat, Hertz Pres. Circle, *bucks Gold, Joan Ranger
Posts: 781