MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Rarely will FAs ever announce the MCE benefit. It only happened once that I know of. I was sitting alone in row 10 on a LUS321 on a half full flight so obviously I wasn't a BE refugee. (At 10AM the FA kept asking me if I wanted a free drink). I would agree those that end up in MCE because of no other seats are clueless to the free alcoholic drink benefit. However, providing someone the possibility that they might get more legroom as a "punishment" for buying the cheapest fare seems nonsensical.

DCAFly

Rather than assign the BE seats at check-in, what about assigning seats as they are purchased, starting with last row middle, next to last row middle, etc. Or do they want to leave some middles open for people traveling together? Surely that could be accommodated by just leaving some of the middles open toward the middle of the plane.

I don't think I've ever said middle so many times in one paragraph.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I'm assuming the inability to secure a seat assignment at booking is mean't to "scare people into buying into Main Cabin." AA does make sure that a child is always seated next to at least one parent/guardian so yes they do need to keep some middle seats open.

girlsmom4

If at 24 hours out the seat map shows only MCE seats, does it make sense to check in at that time to secure one of those seats? If that's the scenario, why wait until T-2hrs?

davem4

Well ... as a sapphire was given a seat in PE (unsold cabin) despite flying basic fare.

Wasn't expecting it, but was a good flight managed to snooze off too.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Yes if the app gives you a MCE seat for no charge by all means grab it immediately. I'm assuming that if only MCE is left at T-24 that's what you're given. However, I think that probably the exception.

jmsnyc

So if
Row 20 : window available
Row 19 : window, aisle available
Row 18 middle available

and I check in will I get 20 window or 18 middle ?

Update: I did not check in yet. But in the past hour since I first created this post the 18 middle went. So I think the way it will work is that the $19 middles in rows 12-14 will be assigned to BE prior to a $27 seat like 20a or 19c. So I am sticking with T-1/T-2

flight leaving in 10 hours so I doubt I will get a response before then

jmsnyc

Checked in about T-1.5. Got 14E. Not MCE.

Kind of annoyed, have to do this route often but AA is o nly nonstop Fll CLT and rt difference between main and BE is over $250

There were also empty seats on flight.

Will gate agents give exit rows to Be passengers

Beltway2A

That has been my experience. With an incredibly small sample size (4 flights in BE), I'm at 100% this year for free MCE. If you're traveling with another person, the algorithm will try to seat you together. Not bad, all things considered.

jmsnyc

How does expert flyer work? Only see paid alerts,?

PHL

If you checked in and there were still standard coach seats, then you got exactly what you paid for. This is the downside to booking BE, aside from the reduced miles/points earnings, no upgrades, no changes, etc.

Agents by policy won't give exit row to a BE passenger. The computer screen makes it very clear to them that the fare is heavily restricted.

jmsnyc

The issue is , on this route, the majority of passengers are BE. Flights are less than $200 RT from FLL to CLT in BE, and over $400 in regular economy. This does not make sense to me.

mvoight

You don't have to select a seat in advance, and be stuck with whatever is left when you check in or get a seat assigned at the airport.
Or, you can also book BE fairs

mvoight

How do you know the majority of passengers are BE?
That said, if not traveling for business and for only a 632 mile flight (according to gcmap.com), I would consider saving the money and going BE, and I have never flown BE.
(I think most corporate travelers are forced into Basic Economy fares by their employers)

PHL

If you find that >50% of the passengers on the flight board in group 9 with you, that is a majority of pax in BE. The only reason they offer it at all is to compete with Spirit who also flies nonstop between FLL-CLT, so it makes perfect sense to me. The low-fare seekers and corporate travel agents will see both AA and Spirit show up in searches with a similar or equal price. The 632 mile distance has nothing to do with the fare they set. It has everything to do with how much revenue they feel they can get for the actual route. All you need to do is look at 300 mile PHL-PIT for an example of where AA is the only one offering nonstop service.

One other thing to note with BE - I've succumbed to paying the low fare when the delta between it and next available coach fare was just too huge. Then a no brainer for me to snag an MCE seat in advance for an additional $70, still keeping my overall price for the trip far lower than the standard coach offering. Not earning the 100% EQMs/EQDs didn't phase me much.