Free agency. An AA loyalist no more - YMMV
Sep 22, 2018, 7:35 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA Plat/2MM, DL Silver, UA Silver (via Marr), Marr LTT, HH Gold (via cc), Hyatt Disc
Posts: 1,039
If you really wanted intelligent discourse, you could have been a lot more specific with your displaeasure with AA. Your major complaints are "usual slow, torturous, death march" and "We're tired of AAttitude". So what are we to "discuss"? I do not feel that my AA flights are some sort of death march and I don't experience "AAttitude". Now, if you said tha X% of your last flights were delayed, Y% you were relegated to a middle seat as an Elite or Z% you experienced poor service from FAs, then we could have intelligent discourse.
Sep 22, 2018, 7:37 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: Delta 2M DM, Southwest A List and CP
Posts: 1,102
I live in PHX and travel to ATL for work several times per year. Until now, I have exclusively flown AA and have the AA credit card, since I don't travel enough to earn Elite status under the new conditions. I'm so tired of AA this year. I feel like I'm flying an ULCC. It has gotten THAT bad.
I'm looking now for my next trip. I may switch to DL and see how they are.
I'm looking now for my next trip. I may switch to DL and see how they are.
Sep 22, 2018, 8:00 pm
#18
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 372
Its pointless to be loyal anymore. This is the first year in 12 or so years I might not re-qualify for EXP, not because I have flown less but I decided that I will simply always fly what ever is the best option in terms or price / time / connections / lounges etc. Thing I miss the most is the old style EXP desk that always answers and always solves your problem. It sucks to try to figure out where to call and how to change things with various airlines, and even some good airlines, like Cathay, have horrible phone service.
Sep 22, 2018, 8:18 pm
#19
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
This thread is essentially a redo on the previous thread others have pointed out. That thread was closed after posts became uncivil, overly personalized, tangential or dilatory. If anyone wonders how some of those mostly deleted posts violated the Rules we agree to abide by when granted membership privileges here, please refer to the FlyerTalk Rules. (If this thread goes off the tracks, it will also be closed.)
Thank you,
Moderator
Thank you,
Moderator
Sep 22, 2018, 10:39 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
I live in PHX and travel to ATL for work several times per year. Until now, I have exclusively flown AA and have the AA credit card, since I don't travel enough to earn Elite status under the new conditions. I'm so tired of AA this year. I feel like I'm flying an ULCC. It has gotten THAT bad.
I'm looking now for my next trip. I may switch to DL and see how they are.
I'm looking now for my next trip. I may switch to DL and see how they are.
Sep 22, 2018, 11:50 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 194
Being DFW based and with most trips booked on my own dime (visiting family and girlfriend 2x per month plus a couple vacations), I still have lots of value in PLT.
The free MCE, same day standby (which I use successfully all the time to arbitrage flights on Fridays), and the occasional lounge access on international flights is worth it.
not as if the alternative of WN from DAL is super appealing as they only fly 1-2x per day to BOS and have maybe half the frequency to PHX. And they’re no cheaper 99% of the time.
The free MCE, same day standby (which I use successfully all the time to arbitrage flights on Fridays), and the occasional lounge access on international flights is worth it.
not as if the alternative of WN from DAL is super appealing as they only fly 1-2x per day to BOS and have maybe half the frequency to PHX. And they’re no cheaper 99% of the time.
Sep 23, 2018, 2:21 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Somewhere...
Programs: AA PLT/3MM, UA GM/1MM, DL DM/1MM, FB Plat, AS MVP Gold, WN AList+
Posts: 1,588
These threads keep popping up for a reason...that is for sure. And yes, I doubt Parker and Co really care that much - at the moment.
This EXP decided to take a little break from AA both this year - and next as I drop back down to PLT which should be fine for the odd flight I still have on them or their partners (most likely just the latter). And, these thoughts come as I am typing in the BA F Lounge at LHR waiting to come back on AA. Those of us ‘only’ spending 15-20K a year don’t seem to matter that much even though we have a suppossed EXP card.
EXP/3M used to be a big deal at AA, now, not so much.
This reminds me very much of where things were at with UA 5-6 years ago, very much. The current situation also reminds me of years ago when I had just about had it with UA and their ‘you’re only a 1K’ attitude and that the only the GS crowd seemed to be relatively happy. This was Smizek’s intentional decision - along with the brilliant idea of ‘shrinking to profitability’.
AA’s recent decision to gut International out of ORD was the last straw. Parker wants to pursue a fortress hub strategy with his most captive customers. So be it - I am not captive. Far from it.
Terrifyingly I have more reservations now in each of my UA, DL and WN queues than AA. It will likely stay that way with AA for the foreseeable future. The good news is I really don’t care - just as I know Parker and Co. do not either.
A long term customer such as myself is not part of the ‘plan’. Once you understand you are just an interchangeable and supposedly replaceable revenue stream it makes all this so much easier.
Fly the airline(s) that make sense from a timing and cost standpoint...’loyalty’ is a fallacy.
The product has deteriorated, the perks have deteriorated, the EXP ‘desk’ is a joke, and a host of other issues deem giving more business elsewhere as the most logical decision. Things with most their OW partners are not trending that great either. Maybe things get better when Parker (eventually) gets the boot, maybe not.
I will be watching how things go...but mainly from afar it appears.
This EXP decided to take a little break from AA both this year - and next as I drop back down to PLT which should be fine for the odd flight I still have on them or their partners (most likely just the latter). And, these thoughts come as I am typing in the BA F Lounge at LHR waiting to come back on AA. Those of us ‘only’ spending 15-20K a year don’t seem to matter that much even though we have a suppossed EXP card.
EXP/3M used to be a big deal at AA, now, not so much.
This reminds me very much of where things were at with UA 5-6 years ago, very much. The current situation also reminds me of years ago when I had just about had it with UA and their ‘you’re only a 1K’ attitude and that the only the GS crowd seemed to be relatively happy. This was Smizek’s intentional decision - along with the brilliant idea of ‘shrinking to profitability’.
AA’s recent decision to gut International out of ORD was the last straw. Parker wants to pursue a fortress hub strategy with his most captive customers. So be it - I am not captive. Far from it.
Terrifyingly I have more reservations now in each of my UA, DL and WN queues than AA. It will likely stay that way with AA for the foreseeable future. The good news is I really don’t care - just as I know Parker and Co. do not either.
A long term customer such as myself is not part of the ‘plan’. Once you understand you are just an interchangeable and supposedly replaceable revenue stream it makes all this so much easier.
Fly the airline(s) that make sense from a timing and cost standpoint...’loyalty’ is a fallacy.
The product has deteriorated, the perks have deteriorated, the EXP ‘desk’ is a joke, and a host of other issues deem giving more business elsewhere as the most logical decision. Things with most their OW partners are not trending that great either. Maybe things get better when Parker (eventually) gets the boot, maybe not.
I will be watching how things go...but mainly from afar it appears.
Sep 23, 2018, 3:09 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
Sep 23, 2018, 4:40 am
#24
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Nottingham, UK
Programs: HHonors - Diamond, AA - EXP
Posts: 150
Not every FT has the resources to pay for F. Most businesses do not allow J travel unless over a certain number of hours, if at all. I’d rather be PLT with MCE and occasion upgrades than a true nobody stuffed into 35 E. Believe it or not many business flyers have no discretion on who they fly me being one of them. Since I’m at a hub usually its AA for me.
Sep 23, 2018, 6:37 am
#25
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 691
Being DFW based and with most trips booked on my own dime (visiting family and girlfriend 2x per month plus a couple vacations), I still have lots of value in PLT.
The free MCE, same day standby (which I use successfully all the time to arbitrage flights on Fridays), and the occasional lounge access on international flights is worth it.
not as if the alternative of WN from DAL is super appealing as they only fly 1-2x per day to BOS and have maybe half the frequency to PHX. And they’re no cheaper 99% of the time.
The free MCE, same day standby (which I use successfully all the time to arbitrage flights on Fridays), and the occasional lounge access on international flights is worth it.
not as if the alternative of WN from DAL is super appealing as they only fly 1-2x per day to BOS and have maybe half the frequency to PHX. And they’re no cheaper 99% of the time.
the grass is not greener.
- United has great partners (similar in "greatness" to oneworld IMO) but you have to fly United. No roll-out of PE to my knowledge and poor UA/CO merger.
- With Delta, you get more lie-flat seats on transcons and similar on-board/ground service compared to AA, and delta one is fantastic but not available on all routes. You do not get an "EQD" waiver for Diamond. Regarding partners, you are stuck with airfrance going east (LHR > CDG connections, terrible hard PE product, business class that isn't always lie flat in contrast to oneworld, terrible intra-europe business without a tray in between seats) or china eastern/southern going west (pilots smoking in the cockpit apparently, not sure if someone can confirm this) unless you want to route further north through KL. Moreover "MCE" is an upgrade that you cannot choose at time of booking, and you can end up in an undesirable middle seat as I recall.
- WN is great but no chance at upgrades and no international presence
- Alaska has no international presence and only makes sense if you live on the west coast and are OK with fewer connections to small/mid-sized cities
Overall, I'm happy with AA, mostly due to my being happy with how IRROPS are generally handled, booking with the right CC, and knowing what to do in these situations. Even if you buy J and F mostly as a free agent, you may still find yourself stuck in line without status during IRROPS on an airline you aren't familiar with.
Sep 23, 2018, 7:22 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: AA Plat Pro, United Silver, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,120
This describes us exactly. For 10 years my husband was crazy-loyal to AA, even if it meant less convenient routings, paying more, whatever. Since the massive changes in August 2016, we've gone free agent, flying AA, United, Alaska, Southwest and JetBlue. (ugh, all that time wasted driving to LAX for an AA flight when JetBlue and Southwest had better flights out of SNA, ONT, or LGB). Choosing flights based on price and schedule is very freeing!
Sep 23, 2018, 7:36 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
Any airline can get you from A to B safely. There are thousands of other details, such as price, schedule, check-in lines, cushiness of lounge chairs, FA uniform colors, warmth of nuts, etc, that make one airline a better choice for you than others.
There's nothing wrong with deciding to make a switch based on your own needs.
Just bear in mind that others are making the same calculation, based on their own needs, and they might decide not to make a change. Personally, I an happy flying AA. If that makes me an AApologist in some folks minds, I don't really care.
There's nothing wrong with deciding to make a switch based on your own needs.
Just bear in mind that others are making the same calculation, based on their own needs, and they might decide not to make a change. Personally, I an happy flying AA. If that makes me an AApologist in some folks minds, I don't really care.
Sep 23, 2018, 9:05 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,028
Not every FT has the resources to pay for F. Most businesses do not allow J travel unless over a certain number of hours, if at all. I’d rather be PLT with MCE and occasion upgrades than a true nobody stuffed into 35 E. Believe it or not many business flyers have no discretion on who they fly me being one of them. Since I’m at a hub usually its AA for me.
It's easy to say a free agent when your buying F seats! I surely don't have nor would I buy them even if I could.
Sep 23, 2018, 11:53 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Remember the majority of business people (we use CW at my job) have little or only modest say in who they fly. Its decided by an online source or a travel manager. Don't think Parker isn't keenly aware of this. There really isn't the "free choice" FTs make this out to be. There's a reason that an $80K a year travel manager (that doesn't travel that much) at a fairly large company gets CK status gifted to them.