Well, gee. Just maybe it’s because of policies like selling you stickers then changing the rules on using them if you don’t have status and refusing to refund what you spent on the now worthless things because there is no way to get status now.

Maybe it’s advertising great deals on buying miles so you do and discover they’re worthless because for example to redeem them you have to overnight in a hub city on a first class redemption to Europe, then fly coach to MIA to pick up that first class seat, then pay outrageous fees to BA to fly business back to the States and have to overnight again before getting home and meanwhile AA had open seats on the more direct flights. That’s since Dougie took over and I’ve been loyal to AA since the mid-80’s. I’m not the only one not loyal to AA anymore but at my age it won’t make a dent in their bottom line but I do have to smirk when I hear Dougie isn’t quite the golden boy he was thought to be at first. There is a benefit to a company to build brand loyalty and AA is doing its best to thumb its nose at it. Maybe that’s why they dropped that “Going for Great” BS. I could go on and on.

You paid for a coach seat. If sitting in an F seat is so important than pay for one. I’ve falllen from EXP back to PLT and despite the FT hyperbole a Y seat is survivable, particularly a MCE seat with a free drink.

Sadly all airlines are headed down the Spirit route. Too many dumb Americans that will book an ULCC, pay out of the ying yang in fees then rant on social media about the horrible treatment. The ULCC model needs to die but with no shortage of stupid people that’s not gonna happen.

You’re right, I think getting a MCE seat is enough for a mid tier. Don’t mind the times I get pulled up but it’s really only a big deal on a transcon or intl.

Good grief. Eight days after your post the flight finally left. I can definitely understand why you’d be frustrated

That’s why my “handle with care” t-shirt venture is bound to be a smashing success!

Just another data point. Friday had four empty F seats on a regional. No one on upgrade list, but one guy jumped up from MCE as the FA prepared for take off. So it flew 3/4 empty seats.

Sunday there were we’re four open seats with no one on the UG list. Plane not too terribly full. They filled those seats with four employees in full uniform last minute. Neither of these had anyone on the list just prior to the flight. My UG cleared a couple days earlier, but day of, I saw no one on the list. Again regionals flying to BFE and no CK’s boarded either flight when called.

I was surprised too. Didn’t feel like starting anything, so I said nothing. But when they served the meal they skipped him.

Also so on next flight I sat next to a FA and she said it happens more than she would like. She said they say somthing to the person but don’t really push the issue:

As I said no one was on the upgrade list by the time I got the the airport.

it would appear you fly way cooler places than I do

And with my second flight they just fill the FC cabin with employess when there is no one on the upgrade list.

I’ve seen empty F seats on DFW-LAX, DFW-SNA, and SNA-DFW. All on off-peak days/times, but I have seen them nonetheless even on those routes.

Not that recently because I avoid AA now, but all of these were within the past few years.