First AA Flight after 1 year of leaving for Delta. How do you guys do this?
Sep 14, 2018, 11:30 pm
#121
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Gold, AA Plat Pro, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, IHG Plat Elite, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 32
Rollerboards for ppl too lazy to walk to baggage claim and wait an extra 10 minutes. Guess I'll squeeze my feet under the seat with my briefcase when I am unable to book the bulkhead seats.
Sep 14, 2018, 11:40 pm
#122
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Gold, AA Plat Pro, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, IHG Plat Elite, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 32
Sep 15, 2018, 1:28 am
#123
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
M
I am with OP. Everything he/she details is/was an everyday experience for me, and only getting worse. We just get/got numb to it. At what point do you say "I'm mad as h***, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"? I'm a 15 year EXP (already qualified through 1/31/20) and MrsDallas49er (also already qualified through 1/31/20) have just 4 and 6 segments left on AA. We are free agents as we speak.
I SUSPECT OP's thought process may have been driven by the concepts of PRINCIPLE ( see Ghandi, Mahatma or King, Dr. Martin Luther, or Luther, Martin, or Mandela, Nelson ...) or maybe CHARACTER (see Tutu, Desmond or Washington, George, or Sen, Dr. Sun Yat ...) or even both. Both seem to be concepts in almost non-existent supply these days.
I ALSO SUSPECT that there are many on this board who have been faced with a similar (Flight routing) decision and decided to ..... (You know who you are!)
My hat is off to OP, who at least showed both principle and character before giving in (surrendering).
Keeping it On Topic, and AA related-We, like OP are leaving AA only because they left us 1st.
YMMV
I SUSPECT OP's thought process may have been driven by the concepts of PRINCIPLE ( see Ghandi, Mahatma or King, Dr. Martin Luther, or Luther, Martin, or Mandela, Nelson ...) or maybe CHARACTER (see Tutu, Desmond or Washington, George, or Sen, Dr. Sun Yat ...) or even both. Both seem to be concepts in almost non-existent supply these days.
I ALSO SUSPECT that there are many on this board who have been faced with a similar (Flight routing) decision and decided to ..... (You know who you are!)
My hat is off to OP, who at least showed both principle and character before giving in (surrendering).
Keeping it On Topic, and AA related-We, like OP are leaving AA only because they left us 1st.
YMMV
<Redacted>
Don't get me wrong, AA has many areas where I feel they can improve and while they are my primary airline for many reasons (AAdvantage and OW are suite my needs and travel patterns plus I value the ability to book intl FC awards which one cannot do on DL) I did fly DL a number of times this year (~4K MQD, 22MQM) all in paid F since I have no status and I agree their domestic F product/service is solid and if I lived in/traveled to a DL hub I'd probably fly them a lot more due to the convenience factor but the OPs complaint and the idea that it represented a reason to never fly AA or fly nearly 2000 more miles with a connection was a bit over the top IMO, as always YMMV.
Last edited by JDiver; Sep 22, 2018 at 8:39 pm Reason: animated gif redacted, per Rules
Sep 18, 2018, 6:16 am
#124
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
LOL here I was thinking suggesting that it was rational to 2000+ miles with a connection on airline B to avoid a 230 mile non-stop flight on a airline A because said airline doesn't send a push notification when boarding starts/didn't have FC bin space was the craziest thing I'd read in this thread...clearly I was wrong. Justifying that insanity by insinuating it was akin to actions by MLK, George Washington, Ghandi etc....wow. I am seldom at a loss for words but you achieved that, bravo!
<redacted>
Don't get me wrong, AA has many areas where I feel they can improve and while they are my primary airline for many reasons (AAdvantage and OW are suite my needs and travel patterns plus I value the ability to book intl FC awards which one cannot do on DL) I did fly DL a number of times this year (~4K MQD, 22MQM) all in paid F since I have no status and I agree their domestic F product/service is solid and if I lived in/traveled to a DL hub I'd probably fly them a lot more due to the convenience factor but the OPs complaint and the idea that it represented a reason to never fly AA or fly nearly 2000 more miles with a connection was a bit over the top IMO, as always YMMV.
<redacted>
Don't get me wrong, AA has many areas where I feel they can improve and while they are my primary airline for many reasons (AAdvantage and OW are suite my needs and travel patterns plus I value the ability to book intl FC awards which one cannot do on DL) I did fly DL a number of times this year (~4K MQD, 22MQM) all in paid F since I have no status and I agree their domestic F product/service is solid and if I lived in/traveled to a DL hub I'd probably fly them a lot more due to the convenience factor but the OPs complaint and the idea that it represented a reason to never fly AA or fly nearly 2000 more miles with a connection was a bit over the top IMO, as always YMMV.
Last edited by JDiver; Sep 22, 2018 at 8:40 pm Reason: Redacted previously deleted post content
Sep 22, 2018, 9:14 am
#125
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC-BNA
Programs: Lifetime Plat/4mm miles, Starwood, HiltonHonors
Posts: 657
Bailed on AA two years ago and the few times I've flown them since reinforce the wisdom of that move. Discount Doug's AA is a miserable place. Delta is far superior in the ways that count. But I also stopped chasing status. I fly less, buy FC, and enjoy it more. (Or just dislike it less.) The era of loyalty is over. It was fun while it lasted.
Sep 22, 2018, 1:07 pm
#126
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,582
Bailed on AA two years ago and the few times I've flown them since reinforce the wisdom of that move. Discount Doug's AA is a miserable place. Delta is far superior in the ways that count. But I also stopped chasing status. I fly less, buy FC, and enjoy it more. (Or just dislike it less.) The era of loyalty is over. It was fun while it lasted.
Sep 22, 2018, 10:38 pm
#127
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,352
One thing I'll say about the award redemption thing:
DL is a lot more generous in doling out miles (at least, that's my impression). So how much more are those higher mileage awards on DL, really?
Also: I had 90K miles to burn on AA for the longest. Couldn't do any international out of ATL that wasn't BA with huge taxes/fees. Domestic trips were always insane routings with 8 hour layovers, unless I used an AAnytime award. I was finally able to use some on a circle trip to Texas. DL domestic redemptions are highly variable, but include some ridiculously cheap ones as well as ridiculously expensive ones. Probably averages out.
Also, how you feel in this eternal debate is probably largely dependent on your home base and where you fly to.
DL is a lot more generous in doling out miles (at least, that's my impression). So how much more are those higher mileage awards on DL, really?
Also: I had 90K miles to burn on AA for the longest. Couldn't do any international out of ATL that wasn't BA with huge taxes/fees. Domestic trips were always insane routings with 8 hour layovers, unless I used an AAnytime award. I was finally able to use some on a circle trip to Texas. DL domestic redemptions are highly variable, but include some ridiculously cheap ones as well as ridiculously expensive ones. Probably averages out.
Also, how you feel in this eternal debate is probably largely dependent on your home base and where you fly to.
Sep 24, 2018, 9:23 am
#129
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: DFW
Programs: OWE AA EXP;*A TK Gold; Marriott LTT; Hyatt Globalist; IHG Plat; National VIP
Posts: 3,097
How about extra 45 minutes after you arrive at the claim every time in PHL and many other airports especially hubs?
Sep 24, 2018, 12:52 pm
#130
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: American Airlines Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 3,790
Wow is all I can say. I'm glad I left.
Left AA as an Executive Platinum last September for Delta after the straw that broke the camels back. (Long story, doesn't really matter). Been in Delta ever since and I'm just a few thousand miles From Diamond in my first true year of Delta.
I was basically forced to use AA for this trip since I live in Dallas and had to fly to Houston. I would've even flown through Atlanta or Detroit of it was cheep enough but sadly I couldn't justify a $1200 ticket that in reality is a 3 hour car ride so I went with AA.
It's night and day folks. I feel like I'm walking into a horror show when I board. Even though is was upgraded because of my ExPL status from last year, it was an utter .... show. Plus the plane is supposedly brand new, doesn't even compare to the ...... Delta planes. It's so bad guys.
First class doesn't mean anything when they won't even reserve overhead space for us even though I showed up group 4. (On that note real quick, the app doesn't even tell you when you're boarding so you can scoot your ... over to the gate? Ridiculous!) Anyway my bag is in row 22. Thanks for saving those spots in FC and MCE for those fine folks that give you money AA. Great job.
Lastly the staff just doesn't care. You can tell they just don't give a rats ... about anything. I saw a woman put in a plastic grocery bag of something in the overhead bin and all the FA did was close it. Where is the vigilence? Where are the rules enforced? They just kept laughing and made jokes about how no one will find any more bag space. Leaving 20min late is a real plus too because of all of this.
Leave AA folks. I live in the heart of AA country at DFW but I still manage. The direct flights aren't worth it when it's a 2/10 experience.
Left AA as an Executive Platinum last September for Delta after the straw that broke the camels back. (Long story, doesn't really matter). Been in Delta ever since and I'm just a few thousand miles From Diamond in my first true year of Delta.
I was basically forced to use AA for this trip since I live in Dallas and had to fly to Houston. I would've even flown through Atlanta or Detroit of it was cheep enough but sadly I couldn't justify a $1200 ticket that in reality is a 3 hour car ride so I went with AA.
It's night and day folks. I feel like I'm walking into a horror show when I board. Even though is was upgraded because of my ExPL status from last year, it was an utter .... show. Plus the plane is supposedly brand new, doesn't even compare to the ...... Delta planes. It's so bad guys.
First class doesn't mean anything when they won't even reserve overhead space for us even though I showed up group 4. (On that note real quick, the app doesn't even tell you when you're boarding so you can scoot your ... over to the gate? Ridiculous!) Anyway my bag is in row 22. Thanks for saving those spots in FC and MCE for those fine folks that give you money AA. Great job.
Lastly the staff just doesn't care. You can tell they just don't give a rats ... about anything. I saw a woman put in a plastic grocery bag of something in the overhead bin and all the FA did was close it. Where is the vigilence? Where are the rules enforced? They just kept laughing and made jokes about how no one will find any more bag space. Leaving 20min late is a real plus too because of all of this.
Leave AA folks. I live in the heart of AA country at DFW but I still manage. The direct flights aren't worth it when it's a 2/10 experience.
Oct 11, 2018, 8:51 am
#131
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Interesting discussion taking place here too regarding abysmal AA service levels: https://onemileatatime.com/has-servi...t-rock-bottom/
Oct 11, 2018, 10:00 am
#132
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
As others have opined I don't think there are huge differences between the Big 4 other than WN (LOL which was the original LCC). DL seems to do a much better of job in pax communication than AA. Flyers like me are lucky that we have an AC to wait out delays and get good information. "Some" GAs seem too busy catching up on gossip to do anything proactive (like try to figure out where the refreshments went). Pilots often are at the mercy of Operations which seems unconcerned.
On whole, Wall Street really doesn't care about customer performance metrics. Its about how many seats can you jam in an a/c, how many can you fill and what other fees can you come up with. DL, B6 and particularly WN at least try to have some resistance. Parker is a creature of the Wall Street world. Its a talent. A talent that enabled him to take a secondary US domestic airline (AW) and turn it into the world's largest airline. However, then running said airline is another story.
Me thinks that if AA's stock underperforms and AA is subpar to financial metrics compared to its competitors Parker's days are limited. I do agree that AA at times appears to be trying to have the metrics of a Spirit while trying to be a global airline. Although in many ways the same can be said of DL and UA. In other industries its easy to provide a different experience between the $3K customer and the $1K customer (in this case say a Y ticket to Europe). When your PIace of Business is a small aluminum tube that's not easy to do.
On whole, Wall Street really doesn't care about customer performance metrics. Its about how many seats can you jam in an a/c, how many can you fill and what other fees can you come up with. DL, B6 and particularly WN at least try to have some resistance. Parker is a creature of the Wall Street world. Its a talent. A talent that enabled him to take a secondary US domestic airline (AW) and turn it into the world's largest airline. However, then running said airline is another story.
Me thinks that if AA's stock underperforms and AA is subpar to financial metrics compared to its competitors Parker's days are limited. I do agree that AA at times appears to be trying to have the metrics of a Spirit while trying to be a global airline. Although in many ways the same can be said of DL and UA. In other industries its easy to provide a different experience between the $3K customer and the $1K customer (in this case say a Y ticket to Europe). When your PIace of Business is a small aluminum tube that's not easy to do.
Oct 11, 2018, 1:32 pm
#133
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: AA Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
Oh what the heck, I'll chime in. I'm AA ExP. I'm also DL Platinum from last year...which'll be expiring for me soon. Anyway, I agree, the major airlines are really the same in most major ways. I think the DL onboard experience is a bit better -- free messaging and now free WiFi. But, in the end I take the airline that has the best route for the best price. I was taking AA from GRR > SFO or SJC for the past year. (GRR -- Grand Rapids, MI, my home base) I'd say I was upgraded to 1st about half the time as an ExP. My next project is in PHL, so I'll stay with AA because I can get nonstops from GRR > PHL. I thought I was going to be assigned to a project in GA, and if I was, I'd switch to DL in a heartbeat, to get a nonstop from GRR > ATL.
When it comes down to it, the important thing is that I get to my client in the best/cheapest/fastest way possible, and while all the points and status are nice, they are NOT the reason I fly with any particular airline. I'm kind of actually embarrassed to tell anyone I have high status with any airline or hotel, because those people are usually the MOST entitled, snobby, complainy whiners ever. And I'm one of them. Gawd.
When it comes down to it, the important thing is that I get to my client in the best/cheapest/fastest way possible, and while all the points and status are nice, they are NOT the reason I fly with any particular airline. I'm kind of actually embarrassed to tell anyone I have high status with any airline or hotel, because those people are usually the MOST entitled, snobby, complainy whiners ever. And I'm one of them. Gawd.
Oct 11, 2018, 2:36 pm
#134
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Kuddos to you for looking out for your customers. That is a rare quality these days. Would you care to throw your hat in for Parker's role once it is vacated?
Oct 11, 2018, 2:40 pm
#135
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: AA Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
That's probably a good thing since all of it really doesn't mean much in the real world and the higher the status, the equally likely elites complain (CKs included).
Kuddos to you for looking out for your customers. That is a rare quality these days. Would you care to throw your hat in for Parker's role once it is vacated?
Kuddos to you for looking out for your customers. That is a rare quality these days. Would you care to throw your hat in for Parker's role once it is vacated?