Any potential they extend status again in '21?
Apr 13, 2021, 1:36 pm
#121
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Posts: 655
Don't forget that AA is also trying to turn the sentiment on flying by the way they announce their news that they are going to pull back the stored aircraft:
The retired A330s (24x), 757s (34x), 767s (17x) and 737s (38x) plus the delayed delivery of several 737MAXs have reduced the capacity overall compared to pre-Covid.
By communicating in this way with headlines like "American Airlines Pulling All Planes From Storage" does not mean we are back at the original capacity, but gives share investors and potential travellers the feeling like hey, aviation is back at the same level without diving into the details.
The retired A330s (24x), 757s (34x), 767s (17x) and 737s (38x) plus the delayed delivery of several 737MAXs have reduced the capacity overall compared to pre-Covid.
By communicating in this way with headlines like "American Airlines Pulling All Planes From Storage" does not mean we are back at the original capacity, but gives share investors and potential travellers the feeling like hey, aviation is back at the same level without diving into the details.
Apr 13, 2021, 1:53 pm
#122
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,042
Don't forget that AA is also trying to turn the sentiment on flying by the way they announce their news that they are going to pull back the stored aircraft:
The retired A330s (24x), 757s (34x), 767s (17x) and 737s (38x) plus the delayed delivery of several 737MAXs have reduced the capacity overall compared to pre-Covid.
By communicating in this way with headlines like "American Airlines Pulling All Planes From Storage" does not mean we are back at the original capacity, but gives share investors and potential travellers the feeling like hey, aviation is back at the same level without diving into the details.
The retired A330s (24x), 757s (34x), 767s (17x) and 737s (38x) plus the delayed delivery of several 737MAXs have reduced the capacity overall compared to pre-Covid.
By communicating in this way with headlines like "American Airlines Pulling All Planes From Storage" does not mean we are back at the original capacity, but gives share investors and potential travellers the feeling like hey, aviation is back at the same level without diving into the details.
Apr 13, 2021, 1:57 pm
#123
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
That's the way I read it, not the a/c they put in long term storage because of retirements. Instead the ongoing fleet not being partially parked (other than for normal maintenance). I don't think we will ever see those a/c again. Well maybe as a beer can.
Apr 13, 2021, 1:59 pm
#124
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Posts: 655
American Airlines "Ungrounding" All Planes By May | One Mile at a Time
Apr 13, 2021, 5:57 pm
#125
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
Programs: LT Plt, 4mm, *A GLD, burned out medical provider, executing our estate plan
Posts: 1,665
You might be surprised. Perhaps they can afford 5 J tix because they did pay attention to things like FF plans, using them to save $, and saving for retirement for decades. And now if we can get past this pandemic thing, that discipline should pay off for them. One of them is life time gold AA, but it didn't seem to matter to them.
Apr 13, 2021, 6:07 pm
#126
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,492
Apr 14, 2021, 7:38 am
#127
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
I don't agree at all. Clients don't want site visits and alot of people will be doing a few days a week from home or WFH for a while so it wont be so easy. That's very old thinking. My company has sent much larger gifts to clients then we ever would have been allowed to do because they are saving so much on on travel. No shock people really like gift cards alot and gift baskets. Client retention is the highest ever with more gifts and no person to person visits. Sales like everything else has evolved with technology. I personally have saved a ton of time and will only do price quotes thru email, phone call, or skype. Ive saved a huge amount of time, now way im ever going back. The old system was like buying a car at a dealership vs buying something on amazon. Things are not going back for sales. Maybe a few industries and some huge sales like buying an airplane fleet etc but the vast majority will never go back. Aviation will certainly be hit hard by less business travel
My client - an automotive manufacturer - has already said they will be going back into the office when allowed, no full time working from home allowed. And once they are back, they will expect me to be on site weekly as I was pre-Covid.
Apr 14, 2021, 3:45 pm
#128
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: MCO-TPA
Programs: AA EXP, UA, B6, DL, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Hilton, National
Posts: 199
[QUOTE=Donsyb;33176704]Definitely depends on the industry.
Totally agree. I work in the spirits industry, which (along with the wine and beer industry) has always been a relationship business. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Virtual meetings work well when there is no alternative, however there is no substitute for an in person meeting with a nice lunch or dinner following. Resuming travel next week, and many of my customers expect to open up by June.
Totally agree. I work in the spirits industry, which (along with the wine and beer industry) has always been a relationship business. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Virtual meetings work well when there is no alternative, however there is no substitute for an in person meeting with a nice lunch or dinner following. Resuming travel next week, and many of my customers expect to open up by June.
Apr 15, 2021, 7:28 am
#129
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: DCA and STL
Programs: AA Concierge Key, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, National Car Executive Elite
Posts: 524
Business travel domestically is starting to trickle back. Over the past year, most people who were travelling shared my approach of "I'll work remotely, but I will work in a different location each week". Over the past 3 weeks I have spoken to several passengers who were on real business trips. Last night while waiting to board an MIA-DCA flight, I spoke with a Concierge Key member who was had not been on a plane for over 6 months and was doing his first real business trip since the start of the pandemic. Every time I go through CLT lately, both lounges are packed and the concourses are full. The ACs are opening up for more than just service support now. A post earlier in this thread indicates that after May all of temporarily parked B737, 32X, 787, and 777 planes will back flying. I suspect that a significant number of passengers will meet the lowered AAdvantage thresholds this year - probably far more than I would have guessed a few months ago.
Apr 15, 2021, 7:31 am
#130
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,264
As has likely been stated elsewhere in this thread, a reasonable percentage of status (especially at the CK/EXP level) is earned with pricey international tickets.
Given that it's hard/impossible to travel to some major business hubs around the world, and that might not change for many, many months, AA can't just lower the thresholds and assume that's a reasonable response. Certainly it's their program and they make the rules, but it seems shortsighted to let a bunch of high spenders become free agents under the circumstances.
Given that it's hard/impossible to travel to some major business hubs around the world, and that might not change for many, many months, AA can't just lower the thresholds and assume that's a reasonable response. Certainly it's their program and they make the rules, but it seems shortsighted to let a bunch of high spenders become free agents under the circumstances.
Apr 15, 2021, 7:38 am
#131
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Gold
Posts: 723
Business travel domestically is starting to trickle back. Over the past year, most people who were travelling shared my approach of "I'll work remotely, but I will work in a different location each week". Over the past 3 weeks I have spoken to several passengers who were on real business trips. Last night while waiting to board an MIA-DCA flight, I spoke with a Concierge Key member who was had not been on a plane for over 6 months and was doing his first real business trip since the start of the pandemic. Every time I go through CLT lately, both lounges are packed and the concourses are full. The ACs are opening up for more than just service support now. A post earlier in this thread indicates that after May all of temporarily parked B737, 32X, 787, and 777 planes will back flying. I suspect that a significant number of passengers will meet the lowered AAdvantage thresholds this year - probably far more than I would have guessed a few months ago.
1) Fares are dirt cheap
2) No international travel
3) It seems to me that while a lot of leisure-oriented routes have been added, the business-friendly routes have seen quite a few cuts. I am in PHL, and despite its being a hub, there are often more direct DL and UA flights available to my recent destinations (ATL, TPA, RDU, S. FLA) than there are AA flights. I've yet to venture over to the other carriers - shame on me - but anybody with even remotely less interest in maintaining AA status would pick the other carriers in a heartbeat in my situation.
So yes, there might be a significant number of people achieving gold/platinum, but without international travel and high fares on OPM, EXP/CK is still going to be unachievable for most.
Apr 15, 2021, 8:39 am
#132
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,897
As has likely been stated elsewhere in this thread, a reasonable percentage of status (especially at the CK/EXP level) is earned with pricey international tickets.
Given that it's hard/impossible to travel to some major business hubs around the world, and that might not change for many, many months, AA can't just lower the thresholds and assume that's a reasonable response. Certainly it's their program and they make the rules, but it seems shortsighted to let a bunch of high spenders become free agents under the circumstances.
Given that it's hard/impossible to travel to some major business hubs around the world, and that might not change for many, many months, AA can't just lower the thresholds and assume that's a reasonable response. Certainly it's their program and they make the rules, but it seems shortsighted to let a bunch of high spenders become free agents under the circumstances.
Apr 15, 2021, 9:11 am
#134
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
In fact, as business travelers return they're in for a rude awakening when they find the F cabin is sold out and no upgrades clear.
Apr 15, 2021, 9:15 am
#135
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Midwest USA
Programs: BA SIL, WN A, UA SIL, Marriott TIT (LT), Hilton DIA
Posts: 1,969
I don't think business travel is back in any meaningful way. Upgrades aren't clearing because AA is heavily price promoting the domestic F cabin and there's enough paxs more than happy to shell out a couple more hundred of dollars to get of being shoved into seat 29E.
In fact, as business travelers return they're in for a rude awakening when they find the F cabin is sold out and no upgrades clear.
In fact, as business travelers return they're in for a rude awakening when they find the F cabin is sold out and no upgrades clear.