Seat blocking for Covid / Coronavirus (consolidated thread)
Jun 28, 2020, 10:49 am
#153
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Greenville, SC
Programs: AA Gold, United Silver, SPG/Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 28
AA 5493 (CRJ900) STL to CLT they blocked both 1D and 2D. Only one EXP made the upgrade. Sheena going on as they ended up bringIng people from E up to 1st not following upgrade priority list.
Last edited by schor662; Jun 28, 2020 at 11:06 am
Jun 28, 2020, 4:12 pm
#154
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 130
Flying phl to pns today..... was told at gate they were blocking ENTIRE first class..... i asked several times nicely about it... they said policy was plane to plane. About 5 min later manager came up to me and said they got approval to upgrade one person = me! They were very nice and seemed confused as to why 1st was blocked.
So here I sit in first class all alone..... rest of plane is packed
So here I sit in first class all alone..... rest of plane is packed
Jun 28, 2020, 4:41 pm
#155
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Flying phl to pns today..... was told at gate they were blocking ENTIRE first class..... i asked several times nicely about it... they said policy was plane to plane. About 5 min later manager came up to me and said they got approval to upgrade one person = me! They were very nice and seemed confused as to why 1st was blocked.
So here I sit in first class all alone..... rest of plane is packed
So here I sit in first class all alone..... rest of plane is packed
Jun 28, 2020, 5:22 pm
#156
Join Date: Jun 2020
Programs: American EXP, Alaska, Delta, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite,Avis Pref Plus,AMEX Platinum
Posts: 3
AA EXP not flying AA legs anymore. Alaska is my new go to airline.
AA now removing all pretense and announcing that they are no longer blocking middle seats (they never really did) and will book to full capacity. They had been cancelling flights and then cramming a later one already. They had also NEVER followed any of their announced social distancing or mask requirements. As an AA EXP I have switched to Alaska for better flights - more room, more and better nonstops (time of day), and a more consistent experience. I have been flying BLI-MIA several times a month for the past 3 years. I am now flying SEA-FLL and doing the 40 mile drive to work (next to MIA). I have had phone calls, promises, miles, and non stop AA emails telling me what AA was going to do and they have done none of it!
I am giving up all of the perks because although AA and Alaska say they are back together, Alaska is still hitting me with bag fees and I get no loyalty perks (early boarding/upgrades/free bags/better seat choices). I don’t know when, or if, AA will ever get back to where they were, but I am willing to take the hit, and may have flown my last AA operated flight. I am waiting for the inevitable bankruptcy so they can screw everyone (employees included) and stop the insincere “we are getting better and we mean it” routine. Not sure how it will go if Alaska actually ever getS the full Star Alliance membership, but I will forgo flying AA until that happens.
I am giving up all of the perks because although AA and Alaska say they are back together, Alaska is still hitting me with bag fees and I get no loyalty perks (early boarding/upgrades/free bags/better seat choices). I don’t know when, or if, AA will ever get back to where they were, but I am willing to take the hit, and may have flown my last AA operated flight. I am waiting for the inevitable bankruptcy so they can screw everyone (employees included) and stop the insincere “we are getting better and we mean it” routine. Not sure how it will go if Alaska actually ever getS the full Star Alliance membership, but I will forgo flying AA until that happens.
Jun 28, 2020, 5:35 pm
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
AA now removing all pretense and announcing that they are no longer blocking middle seats (they never really did) and will book to full capacity. They had been cancelling flights and then cramming a later one already. They had also NEVER followed any of their announced social distancing or mask requirements. As an AA EXP I have switched to Alaska for better flights - more room, more and better nonstops (time of day), and a more consistent experience. I have been flying BLI-MIA several times a month for the past 3 years. I am now flying SEA-FLL and doing the 40 mile drive to work (next to MIA). I have had phone calls, promises, miles, and non stop AA emails telling me what AA was going to do and they have done none of it!
I am giving up all of the perks because although AA and Alaska say they are back together, Alaska is still hitting me with bag fees and I get no loyalty perks (early boarding/upgrades/free bags/better seat choices). I don’t know when, or if, AA will ever get back to where they were, but I am willing to take the hit, and may have flown my last AA operated flight. I am waiting for the inevitable bankruptcy so they can screw everyone (employees included) and stop the insincere “we are getting better and we mean it” routine. Not sure how it will go if Alaska actually ever getS the full Star Alliance membership, but I will forgo flying AA until that happens.
I am giving up all of the perks because although AA and Alaska say they are back together, Alaska is still hitting me with bag fees and I get no loyalty perks (early boarding/upgrades/free bags/better seat choices). I don’t know when, or if, AA will ever get back to where they were, but I am willing to take the hit, and may have flown my last AA operated flight. I am waiting for the inevitable bankruptcy so they can screw everyone (employees included) and stop the insincere “we are getting better and we mean it” routine. Not sure how it will go if Alaska actually ever getS the full Star Alliance membership, but I will forgo flying AA until that happens.
If flying F, I would still choose AA. At least they’re making a mild attempt at still providing F service.
Jun 28, 2020, 5:52 pm
#158
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
I am giving up all of the perks because although AA and Alaska say they are back together, Alaska is still hitting me with bag fees and I get no loyalty perks (early boarding/upgrades/free bags/better seat choices). I don’t know when, or if, AA will ever get back to where they were, but I am willing to take the hit, and may have flown my last AA operated flight. I am waiting for the inevitable bankruptcy so they can screw everyone (employees included) and stop the insincere “we are getting better and we mean it” routine. Not sure how it will go if Alaska actually ever getS the full Star Alliance membership, but I will forgo flying AA until that happens.
AS is also providing a 50% EQM bonus on all flights through the end of the year. To attain MVP would require 13.3K miles flown on AS, MVPG 26.7K & Top Tier 75K 50K miles during the promotion. 3 AS transcons return would earn MVP.
Attaining 75K would also provide 50K Bonus RDM. Every flight in any class, including Saver (like BE on AA but fewer restrictions for Elites) earns 1 mile for each mile flown without a revenue component.
James
Jun 28, 2020, 6:59 pm
#159
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 130
This sounds like individual flight crews are now dictating UPG decisions.....with more fear out there with all these rising cases I can see why they might not want a full FC cabin. This must have been AE? No way this could happen on mainline but why even the difference?
Jun 29, 2020, 1:55 am
#161
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,417
Thread re-opened. As a reminder, this thread is for the discussion of blocking domestic F seats. General discourse about masks, physical distancing, or epidemiology are not appropriate for this forum and will be deleted. Thanks for your continued understanding and cooperation!
/Moderator
Last edited by JY1024; Jun 29, 2020 at 5:47 am
Jul 1, 2020, 3:21 pm
#163
Formerly known as billinaz
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Goodyear,AZ for now then FL Spacecoast
Programs: US Airways Dividend Miles, American AAdvantage, Avis Preferred, Budget Rapid Rez, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,145
Jul 10, 2020, 1:49 pm
#164
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton DMD, Hyatt Glob, Hertz PC
Posts: 267
PDBs? Did I hear PDBs?! 
FWIW: Flew ONT-DFW-LGA-BOS on July 2. Forgot to check seat blocking before, but there were no FAs seated in F, all F seats full on all flights. Drink orders were taken pro-actively (in-flight only) on all three flights.
There was a whole to-do in which a gal who was on the first flight asked me at DFW if she would be ok staying in NYC, given that she was on a roundtrip ticket returning to ONT three days later... They had just added CA to the list of states requiring 14 day quarantine upon arrival (along with TX,) to allegedly be enforced "by troopers," as announced at the gate at DFW. The gal was rather upset, and this upgauged to hysterics as the trip went on. I partially felt bad for her, but she also had it coming by not informing herself on what the rules were before departure. If anything, the agents at ONT (fewer than usual, working full flights and clearly stressed), should have said something. Or maybe they did!
They handed out the CDC questionnaire starting midway through boarding, and a GA then came on with the remaining papers for those who had boarded in earlier groups. There was a shortage of writing utensils, so several other F pax borrowed pens from yours truly.
FWIW: Flew ONT-DFW-LGA-BOS on July 2. Forgot to check seat blocking before, but there were no FAs seated in F, all F seats full on all flights. Drink orders were taken pro-actively (in-flight only) on all three flights.
There was a whole to-do in which a gal who was on the first flight asked me at DFW if she would be ok staying in NYC, given that she was on a roundtrip ticket returning to ONT three days later... They had just added CA to the list of states requiring 14 day quarantine upon arrival (along with TX,) to allegedly be enforced "by troopers," as announced at the gate at DFW. The gal was rather upset, and this upgauged to hysterics as the trip went on. I partially felt bad for her, but she also had it coming by not informing herself on what the rules were before departure. If anything, the agents at ONT (fewer than usual, working full flights and clearly stressed), should have said something. Or maybe they did!
They handed out the CDC questionnaire starting midway through boarding, and a GA then came on with the remaining papers for those who had boarded in earlier groups. There was a shortage of writing utensils, so several other F pax borrowed pens from yours truly.