I知 leaving - I guess AA won't miss me
Apr 28, 2019, 8:47 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,015
Apr 28, 2019, 10:02 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,211
I was US CP many year leading up to the merger. There was a time when US was a fairly nice airline to fly. Was it an east coast centric airline? Yup. But it was an airline that by and large knew how to serve business travelers and knew how to provide decent service. Parker got a hold of US and things went south pretty darn quick. Meal service got scaled back, seat pitch was reduced, seat in F were ripped out. IFE was removed. Power ports were yanked out. Morale swirled out and the new US became an airline that made WN look like an attractive option for business travel.
Apr 28, 2019, 10:54 am
#64
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,948
Apr 28, 2019, 11:19 am
#66
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SAN
Programs: AA CK, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 839
I was US CP many year leading up to the merger. There was a time when US was a fairly nice airline to fly. Was it an east coast centric airline? Yup. But it was an airline that by and large knew how to serve business travelers and knew how to provide decent service. Parker got a hold of US and things went south pretty darn quick. Meal service got scaled back, seat pitch was reduced, seat in F were ripped out. IFE was removed. Power ports were yanked out. Morale swirled out and the new US became an airline that made WN look like an attractive option for business travel.
In exchange, we got PHX as a hub...imagine my joy. Sure the route network may have improved but the hard and the soft products suffered immensely. Five years in to the US-AA merger and Parker still has plane in the air flying transcon routes without so much as a power port. He still has widebodies in the air where tablets are passed out for IFE in the J cabin.
All Parker seems to do is fly decent airlines into the ground. And, to keep this on topic, he doesn't seem to miss his HVCs when they leave.
In exchange, we got PHX as a hub...imagine my joy. Sure the route network may have improved but the hard and the soft products suffered immensely. Five years in to the US-AA merger and Parker still has plane in the air flying transcon routes without so much as a power port. He still has widebodies in the air where tablets are passed out for IFE in the J cabin.
All Parker seems to do is fly decent airlines into the ground. And, to keep this on topic, he doesn't seem to miss his HVCs when they leave.
I知 not claiming AA under Parker痴 leadership is good, just that US was run very well.
Apr 28, 2019, 11:36 am
#67
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,211
1998-late 2000s, the LUS Airbus fleet had power. You needed an adapter to use the ports. I still have mine somewhere. (I feel old talking about all of this!)
Apr 28, 2019, 11:50 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: ORD, LGA
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 348
Everyone has their own reasons for their loyalty decisions. For thirteen years I was based out of both Chicago and New York. EXP every one of them except two years over on UA as a 1K. I chose AA over UA as the domestic and international upgrade situation was better (note I say was). Also premium class international travel cost fewer miles. And I found the staff more pleasant on AA. They really did bend over backwards for me on a few occasions. This is my last year as an EXP as I'm now semi-retired. I'll probably stay with AA as I'm lifetime Plat as long as they maintain free MCE for me as I'm rather tall and it really makes a difference for me. If and when they gut that benefit, I'll probably shift over to UA simply because *A will work better for me for international travel. Point of all of this is everyone has a different value equation based on multiple factors. Your issue is that JFK-ZRH has gone away and there is less frequency on JFK-LAS. I'm sure there were valid financial reasons for this but I doubt this will start a stampede for ex-NYC EXPs fleeing to Delta.
When times were tough, AA really seemed to care about its EXPs, Now that things are pretty good, not so much. It is a business after all.
When times were tough, AA really seemed to care about its EXPs, Now that things are pretty good, not so much. It is a business after all.
Apr 28, 2019, 12:07 pm
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,249
Apr 28, 2019, 12:47 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,015
Apr 28, 2019, 2:39 pm
#72
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
Apr 28, 2019, 2:47 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
This leap of logic makes no sense. If AA sells miles to Citi, Citi gives them to me, and I redeem for air travel on AA, AA is making money flying planes. It's just an alternate payment method (and, quite frankly, a superior one for the airline)
Apr 28, 2019, 4:55 pm
#74
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, Mariott Gold, AMEX Plat, US CP
Posts: 273
I flew LAS to PHX yesterday and when I check bags I always board last. Over half the plane got in line when they called group 9. Basic economy. Times are a changing esp if that many people are buying basic economy.
Apr 28, 2019, 5:01 pm
#75
Join Date: May 2001
Location: PHL
Programs: AA CK, DL GM, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH DIA
Posts: 187
I noticed this on my SEA-ORD flight the other day. Group 9 boarding passes showed up way sooner than I would have ecptect.