Rumor: Project Oasis retrofitting reversal???
Mar 2, 2019, 10:09 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
Parker and his team reversed their cuts because their competitors didn't match. Nothing to do with recognizing they went too far or listening to customers. Had other legacies copied the water charge it probably would still be here today.
Mar 2, 2019, 10:50 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,304
It’s Delta that deserves the props. They hot AA to follow intve nosedive but has pulled up sharply with in flight meals in coach and personal TV screens being kept. AA is unlikely to be nimble enough not to get lost in the dust.
Mar 2, 2019, 10:57 pm
#49
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,304
Mar 2, 2019, 11:24 pm
#50
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SFO/STS
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond
Posts: 395
I flew my first and last 738 on an Jan 29th, an SFODFW redeye (paid seat 2E). I don't mind the 32B for this redeye but I will not buy another ticket on an AA 738. I mentioned this at the club on arrival at DFW and the AAngel stated that they had heard this sentiment a lot. While I really want my IFE, the comfort of the seat and inability to put my backpack under the seat in from of me are what put the nail in the coffin. Now, as I start to look at future travel, I'm finding it more and more difficult to get away from these Oasis aircraft (or the LUS fleet which will evidently become Oasis retrofits). I have noticed, anecdotally, that the flights utilizing Oasis aircraft appear to be less expensive (for F/J seats) than my preferred 32B so revenue management may be recognizing the situation based on demand. One can only hope.
Since I won't be flying these planes, changing the prices really doesn't matter to me. I am finding it more and more difficult to avoid these airframes so I think I'll just start looking for another carrier and end my EXP streak at 6 years.
Since I won't be flying these planes, changing the prices really doesn't matter to me. I am finding it more and more difficult to avoid these airframes so I think I'll just start looking for another carrier and end my EXP streak at 6 years.
Mar 3, 2019, 6:09 am
#51
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: CMH
Programs: BA Gold, AA Plat, NK $9 fare club
Posts: 666
Lots of domestic F flying for me in the last ~2 years on AA. I made my decision on airline based on seat comfort in domestic F. At the time, American had ~40" of pitch, far better than Delta with their (very) tight F pitch and "fake" cabin dividers. The times I've been on United have been unpleasant for a variety of reasons. So, I came up with the decision to buy the Admirals club membership and fly on AA. This is from somebody based largely in the CMH airport, so I'm no hub captive.
I love the last row and first row of domestic F. Most of my flights were on 738 aircraft, so lots of leg space in row 3 and plenty in row 6. Row 6 has the nice cabin divider, so I feel like I'm on my own jet. MD80 flights in 6F.
Both of these lovely planes are departing the fleet. My first Oasis 738 was row 4A. Crying baby behind me the whole flight <would have been much quieter with the bulkhead privacy divider> and the worst service I've had in a long time <high capacity, same # of FA?>...
Row 1 has zero leg room, it's not doable. The seats are uncomfortable and I cannot comfortably cross my legs and relax. I trip every time coming into the set of seats from the aisle. It's terrible.
I've responded to surveys, but never got a phone call. Recently, I've booked some non-stop flights on Spirit from CMH with the Big Front Seat & luggages, at 1/2 the cost of AA. The seats are more comfortable.
What in the world am I paying for? I wonder sometimes..........
Sad
I love the last row and first row of domestic F. Most of my flights were on 738 aircraft, so lots of leg space in row 3 and plenty in row 6. Row 6 has the nice cabin divider, so I feel like I'm on my own jet. MD80 flights in 6F.
Both of these lovely planes are departing the fleet. My first Oasis 738 was row 4A. Crying baby behind me the whole flight <would have been much quieter with the bulkhead privacy divider> and the worst service I've had in a long time <high capacity, same # of FA?>...
Row 1 has zero leg room, it's not doable. The seats are uncomfortable and I cannot comfortably cross my legs and relax. I trip every time coming into the set of seats from the aisle. It's terrible.
I've responded to surveys, but never got a phone call. Recently, I've booked some non-stop flights on Spirit from CMH with the Big Front Seat & luggages, at 1/2 the cost of AA. The seats are more comfortable.
What in the world am I paying for? I wonder sometimes..........
Sad
Mar 3, 2019, 6:40 am
#52
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 141
Talk about hitting the nail on the head.
Mar 3, 2019, 6:45 am
#53
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Since this will be my last year of EXP, I've decided to be the free agent that everyone talks about becoming after they raised the EQD requirements and cut out any semblence of loyalty benefits. Seating comfort was the final straw. Since I'm living in BKK, I've experienced the same issues presented with Oasis on AA on Air Asia with its 29" pitch and the CX's 777 densification. So, there I've found alternatives that often are cheaper than Air Asia: Malindo (50% cheaper on the BKK-KUL flight I wanted mid day vs early AM or late PM on Air Asia, and I could actually cross my legs in the coach seat plus decent IFE in the seatback,) Emirates for their BKK-HKG-BKK service, Bangkok Air, and Thai that still maintain a decent comfort level, though most of my flights in coach are under 3 hours. For US domestic segments, I used to default to AA, but since the end of 2017 (matched to UA 1K which wasn't really better and was worse in many aspects,) I've tried a number of other options: B6 with it's 32" to 34" pitch seems pretty good; only using UA when they're cheaper or non-stop on better equipment (i.e. DEN-SFO UA 777 and cheaper than AA and since AA requires connection thru LAX and shuttle to the remore for the Eagle segment between LAX-SFO, UA is much better
I flew Frontier once, but it was a $1 base fare deal that ended up at about $130 for two DEN-PBI, non stop vs AA's 1 stop at a higher fare; DL to burn off the last of the AZ miles; and AS which I recently matched to MVP Gold 75K, which seems like the keeper of the bunch. I will fly AA domestically but only if there's a widebody i.e. SFO-PHL-LAX on the A330 and since I'm still EXP get the PE seating (this was on awards,) and there is a SFO-DFW 787 flight that I can make fit my schedule. I don't see any value in the Parker Special A321's without power nor convenient IFE, and the crummy 737Max seating, soon to spread like the plague it is. Even if AA puts a halt to the reconfiguring, they'll still take their time changing back. So, I'll take mine as well and try other options.
I flew Frontier once, but it was a $1 base fare deal that ended up at about $130 for two DEN-PBI, non stop vs AA's 1 stop at a higher fare; DL to burn off the last of the AZ miles; and AS which I recently matched to MVP Gold 75K, which seems like the keeper of the bunch. I will fly AA domestically but only if there's a widebody i.e. SFO-PHL-LAX on the A330 and since I'm still EXP get the PE seating (this was on awards,) and there is a SFO-DFW 787 flight that I can make fit my schedule. I don't see any value in the Parker Special A321's without power nor convenient IFE, and the crummy 737Max seating, soon to spread like the plague it is. Even if AA puts a halt to the reconfiguring, they'll still take their time changing back. So, I'll take mine as well and try other options.
Mar 3, 2019, 7:25 am
#55
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BMI
Programs: AA EXP, Delta, Amtrak, Hertz PC
Posts: 656
To be fair, it was 154 with 4 seats blocked so they could only have 3 FA's.
That said, how sad is it they we are excited that AA may go to 166 seats on the 737? They will still have the awful new Y seats and the terrible F seats. Taking out one row of seats is relatively inexpensive and will get lots of good press, but they can't afford to change out all of the F and Y seats to something new.
That said, how sad is it they we are excited that AA may go to 166 seats on the 737? They will still have the awful new Y seats and the terrible F seats. Taking out one row of seats is relatively inexpensive and will get lots of good press, but they can't afford to change out all of the F and Y seats to something new.
Mar 3, 2019, 8:01 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
For the record, DL has had planes configured at or near Oasis levels for years. Delta’s 737-900 is a lead example. Delta also has at/near Oasis level seat pitch in F across their domestic fleet.
The difference is that Delta has kept IFE, and their first seats are well padded whereas the AA seat has that awful bar which protrudes into one’s back. Delta also does a much more thourough and thoutful job with their interior design (or redesign.) Case in point: An Oasis 738 has new bins but has kept the old 1990s side walls. Conversey, Delta’s recently retrofitted 757s have been completely gutted floor to ceiling so that they are indistinguishable from a plane built yesterday.
Mar 3, 2019, 9:17 am
#58
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/NYC/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,133
Unfortunately I have my first gAArbage oasis flight this Friday on the max. It sucks being based in MIA, and I look forward to letting AA know my displeasure post flight. I just hope that exit row still has decent pitch.
Mar 3, 2019, 9:26 am
#59
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
If we say the aircraft fly 330 days a year, with average 5 sectors, that is 1650 sectors. And average that would be $242 per sector income.
To achieve that AA has to sell out every single aircraft (then why add these seats if you can not fill the original capacity????).
With average domestic coach fare is more close to the figure of $150 and average loads of 90%, I just do not see how this figure can be achieved. And, apparently, we are in the high of the economical cycle, can you imagine when the economic downturn is here?