nrr

Due to AA's killing off JFK intl. operations (for me, loss of n/s to ZRH) and only two n/s (sometimes 3) between JFK and LAS (vs DL's 5*), I've quit flying AA (in revenue flts.)
I did fly two itns, one through a Casino promo to LAS and one to use SWUs. I have 1579 EQD and 16896 EQM now. I've been EXP for 8 years and ended 2018 with 17181 EQD and 177,448 EQM, last year by May 1 I was midway to those totals.
I wonder how many other "loyal" flyers have/are defecting.
*one flt in each direction is Delta 1: 180 degree recline in FC.^

QueenOfCoach

Goodbye Cruel Airline

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

footballfanatic

whats wrong with AA's financials?

UKtravelbear

Bye Felicia.

Personally I fly the airlines that work best for my schedule and budget - miles and points etc are a bonus not a compulsory element of flying.

I know they don't care if I go with another airline. They don't even know that my last trip was on another airline and the trip before that on yet another one.

Perhaps if more people flew without regard to miles etc they might be a lot happier. Why force yourself to spend money with an airline that dosen't fly your route but to do so means you have to take extra flights if you don't have to.

Antarius

they're only profitable due to Barclays and Citi.

ryan182

We will find out tomorrow (Q1 earnings release) but their performance over the past year compared to UAL and DAL...well fair to say it has room for improvement.

bdw1120

You are not alone, OP!

I feel AA is like the Sears in airlines now.

Dave Noble

If AA no longer serves the routes you need, then it makes sense to change airlines to one that better meets your need

Your travel patterns perhaps do not fit in with AAs plans of routes to operate - it may lose some passengers who no longer find it works for them, but assumedly it is aiming that it will improve its earnings overall by making the changes

Doesn't really matter what your individual FF earnings are and , indeed, I doubt that it will notice the reduction in travel

The airlines are just businesses running a transportation service - no different to a coach company deciding to drop a route and customers going onto othre coach companies

donotblink

In aggregate, if a significant number of EXPs defect, it could be noticed and addressed in one form or another. As a NYC based EXP, Delta looks more and more tempting...I would imagine that most other NYC based EXPs may feel the same way.

Antarius

Absolutely. This is exactly what happened to UA under $mi$ek. AA is currently profitable in a generally good aviation market solely due to their credit cards.

They have to do something otherwise in the next downturn, they are going to be truly ....ed.

BOSishome

Gig103

I am mostly a leisure flier, but from PHX (another hub) I successfully switched to DL. The experience is better enough to warrant swapping planes in MSP or ATL, at least if you don't care much about redeeming your miles. Skypesos still sucks for that.

PUCCI GALORE

I am at that point as well. I really think that the service has gone to pot. Routes being dropped are, sadly. a part of airline life. What has changed for me is the staff attitude on board. No one appears to care less any more. I'm afraid that it seems as though the name over the door says American, but what is within is not. I will be interested to see their results. Friends that I have made who swore by AA, have now gone to Delta. I'm hardly a big customer but I use them for 3 round trips a year to HNL to inspect my properties without any other flights. Last week, the Lead FA's idea of a PDB was a bottle of water, and when asked why said that she was not paid to do so. The best service came PHX - SEA flying with a lady who was ex TWA. She was excellent but she is in a minority I fear.

All these flights do is increase my BAEC account with Tier Points - there would be no other reason to stay.

Dallas49er

Living in DFW, I FELT your pain when I was working. I'm retired now, flying less frequently but further, and spending more away from AA that would easily qualify for EXP for the 15th year in a row. The angry villagers these days don't storm the castle (Frankenstein) with pitchforks, or show up as a lynch mob. They just stop showing up, one at a time.

The next spike in energy prices, economic downturn, and/or random event will, IMHO, expose AA as the weakest of the big three/five. Current management will be surprised and ask, "Where did everybody go?"

IMHO, 15-20 years from now, there will be business school Phd thesis' on the demise of AA. They will focus on a series of post merger "strategic" (copycat) decisions that were focused ONLY on bottom line, lack of originality, with little regard to the customer experience, with an inferior management team. that demonstrated a continual clear lack of understanding of the "human" side of the business, Case in point, AA recently hosted an event with their secret society-CK. No events, focus groups, no calls wondering why my spend has dropped, etc for EXP. that I'm aware of. I feel like Shylock-"If you cut me, do I not bleed?" Current management fiddles while Rome burns.

According to USA TODAY 4/25/2019, Oscar Munoz "gets it".

YMMV, but I grieve for the AA that used to be. This is like watching a train wreck about to happen in slow motion.