AA 738 ”First” Class Thoughts (opinion)
Mar 5, 2018, 12:42 pm
#61
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http://aviationweek.com/blog/law-cha...cognition-1978
Last edited by jlemon; Mar 5, 2018 at 5:20 pm Reason: fixed the link
Mar 5, 2018, 12:51 pm
#62
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Avianca and Aerolineas, on their narrowbody services, are more or less equivalent to US carriers. 38" (36" on Aerolineas) seat pitch, 2x2. Even in Asia, Cathay runs many routes with a recliner seat. Granted it's more roomy - 45" with a footrest - but far from lie-flat.
My point is, most US routes offer something slightly better than standard Y. I'm grateful for that option. Is it as good as Etihad or Emirates? No, but I wouldn't expect that to be the case. I'll take hourly flight schedules with a slightly wider and more roomy seat over a lie-flat or a seat without a footrest. And if you book carefully you can sometimes grab widebody equipment in the US (like on AA, who often run multiple domestic widebody flights into LAX).
Willing, maybe (JetBlue's experiment with Mint shows that's the case). But pricing pressure is so fierce in the US that JetBlue routinely sells $599 one-way Mint tickets for JFK-LAX, a 5-6 hour flight. That kind of pricing doesn't lead to carriers investing heavily in the product. On routes where it's warranted - SFO/LAX-JFK - they will, and they have done so. When you get $400-600 transcon fares (again, 4-6 hours in length), the economics aren't viable for them.
Mar 5, 2018, 12:57 pm
#63
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I'd say OP knew fully well what to expect as he has been complaining about the 'inferior' premium product in Europe and North America (compared to the Middle East and SE Asia) in previous threads with pretty much the exact same arguments.
Anyone who knows anything at all about business and economics can figure out why the domestic F product in America is what it is and why it is different in those other parts of the world. It's not rocket science. I'm sure in some parallel universe it'd make economic sense for an airline to run planes with Emirates' new First products from St.Louis to Phoenix and to charge people a few grand for the privilege.
Anyone who knows anything at all about business and economics can figure out why the domestic F product in America is what it is and why it is different in those other parts of the world. It's not rocket science. I'm sure in some parallel universe it'd make economic sense for an airline to run planes with Emirates' new First products from St.Louis to Phoenix and to charge people a few grand for the privilege.
Lack of Leadership? CEO Parker unfamiliar with 737 MAX 8
Post #33
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ussion-24.html
Post #353 , #355 , #357
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...l#post29128298
Post #339
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...l#post29127954
Post #37
TLDR: Same thing over and over again, despite other FTers had offered insights on market dynamics.
Mar 5, 2018, 1:48 pm
#64
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Seems to me this really isn't a particular critique of AA. I mainly fly AA but have flown North American F over the past few months on AA, DL, and AS. I don't notice any huge differences between the three.
As others have noted, I don't know you can compare this with any other market. The closest similar market is obviously internal Europe flights and the North American F offered by North American carriers is definitely better than the F/J offered by European carriers. Internal Asia and ME flights aren't comparable markets in any sense. Over the years, some carriers have tried an upgraded domestic F (Legend Airlines anyone) but, as I'm sure you know, the trend globally favors the expansion of Ryanair, Easyjet, Flydubai, Air Asia, Jetstar, Spirit, etc.
As others have noted, I don't know you can compare this with any other market. The closest similar market is obviously internal Europe flights and the North American F offered by North American carriers is definitely better than the F/J offered by European carriers. Internal Asia and ME flights aren't comparable markets in any sense. Over the years, some carriers have tried an upgraded domestic F (Legend Airlines anyone) but, as I'm sure you know, the trend globally favors the expansion of Ryanair, Easyjet, Flydubai, Air Asia, Jetstar, Spirit, etc.
Mar 5, 2018, 2:24 pm
#66
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JetBlue has a very limited availability of Mint. Alaska isn't really that different except on the remaining Virgin aircraft. Does AC have better F on its narrowbodies? Haven't heard that one.
Mar 5, 2018, 7:52 pm
#67
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NetJets doesn't allow owners or jet card members to re-sell seats. Wheels Up allows members to resell to other members. JetSmarter does have shuttles in the US - so if you join them you can use your membership to fly by reserving single seats on their shuttles - but not sure that 10 people in a Challenger 350 for six hours is going to be that comfortable, or eight people in a Learjet from NY to Miami -- you do avoid having to hassle with airports though.
Mar 5, 2018, 7:54 pm
#68
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Mar 5, 2018, 8:04 pm
#69
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Then unless you can match your flying to those routes which are operated with international configurations or select transcon routes, you won't find anything outside of F seating similar to what you experienced, particularly with Virgin America disappearing.
Mar 5, 2018, 9:23 pm
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Mar 5, 2018, 10:04 pm
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Mar 5, 2018, 10:54 pm
#72
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Pointless discussion not genuinely related to flying, earning on or other issue on AA, merely highlighting other global region airlines’ Business class vs. AA Business / First. Goodnight, Gracie.
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