TravelerMSY

It happens. A lot of people simply won’t pay for first on a short flight- even when it’s only 2x40 stickers. Even more so when it’s PHL LAS which takes 5x40.

IADCAflyer

Its a value proposition. What's an upgrade worth to you - assuming you can get it? The "earn" rate for stickers is pretty steep - you earn 4 for 12,500 EQMs. That means for every 2.5 transcon trips, you earn earn not enough stickers for a one way transcon flight.

So if you're of the opinion that you're upgrade chances are low, you list yourself for every flight. If you're of the opinion that you might just burn up all your stickers, you might not opt to put yourself on the upgrade list for that CLT-TPA flight which is 508 miles and requires two stickers.

cova

AA offers the upgrade (the price difference between coach and F at today's rate) all the time on the app. I got a new one on for an upcoming trip to SNA - they were offering a free change to a different flight - issue though is the change is to LAX. Why would I do that. Unless they offered me $300+.

Here is what I am getting, but no $ - only change to a different airport.
Also - they aren't even offering the same day, either two days earlier or one day later.

Act now for a credit towards a future trip

• If your travel plans are flexible, we have a limited time opportunity for you.
• Offers may include a chance to join the volunteer list or a flight change.

Spanish

Don't forget the F-Class folks who miss their connections due to the ultra-tight-banking-hub-service connections these days.

sxpsxpsxp

This reminds me of one of my early experiences flying TWA... This was probably a few years before AA bought them out.

I was flying with a friend for a quick vacation. We were both in coach. I had just started getting the taste of regular upgrades to F from full-fare economy business trips. So my friend and I walked up to the GA before boarding and very nicely asked if they had any ability to upgrade us. They very nicely said that they didn't. The flight finished boarding and it was *very* empty across the whole plane. At which point the GA walked on board, walked over to the two of us, and invited us to move to F (as the rest of the pax watched enviously ). She very kindly said that they were going to move a few people over (I'm guessing maybe weight distribution?) and wouldn't we have been upset if they hadn't picked us? Regardless of the reason, I just thought it was such a nice gesture. They didn't have to take two "kids" like us and bump us up. And here I am, a decade (or two? ) later, reminiscing about it.

*That's* what I call earning good will with good customer service. It cost the airline absolutely nothing in terms of revenue, or even any possibility of lost revenue. It's these "little things" of going above and beyond that stick with people. And as silly as it may sound, this experience is one of the reasons I still fly AA, even after all these years and all the changes.

carlosdca

Is this back when the 500 mile upgrades were actually "Stickers" and when air tickets were actually paper tickets (at some point handwritten in a multilayered book with carbon copies "cc")?
And didn't TWA went bankrupt? Go figure.

Nowadays, GAs have to document and justify upgrades.
Times have changed.
You want fly First? Pay for it, use an upgrade instrument.
Ain't changing any time soon.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

When I started flying over 25 years ago my USAir flight went mechanical flying ORF/DCA which was mainline. I got put on a flight to PHL the next morning, booked in F. ORF/PHL had breakfast in F. LOL.

beyondhere

LAS-PHL is a Spirit route as well. Probably even on the AA flight, a lot of leisure passengers without status, and passengers unwilling to spend any more for an upgrade at time of check-in.

F9LASDEN

F9 also flies it daily

sxpsxpsxp

Yup... I think I may still have some of those paper ticket stubs sitting around somewhere.... I remember in much later years having a hand-written paper ticket book for my RTW... Boy, did that confuse some agents. But I digress from the topic of this thread.

Spanish

It still should.

Yep, little things make a big difference in the long-run. It's too bad that the current environment awards those who are penny-wise and pound-foolish.

mvoight

Sometimes the offers are attractive to people who might have booked a cheaper flights and are happy they have the option to change to flights they would rather have

cova

The message is:

• You can move to a less busy flight at no charge

Issue here is that LAX is a cheaper destination than SNA. It is more likely that someone books a flight to LAX when they are going to SNA if they want a cheaper flight - not the other way.

Now being offered a late flight to LAX - with no incentive - other than you get a less crowded flight. But this flight is mostly full, all regular sets assigned and only the usual few empty seats which are preferred and MCE.

They aren't offering a credit voucher - the flight I am on is oversold. I guess there is always a sucker.

Herb687

LAS may be a leisure market but it's a leisure market with a lot of paid F demand. Can't speak to the LAS-PHL O&D in detail but I know that the LAS-DFW O&D often sells out the front cabin weeks before departure for key weekend travel dates.

Pre-2021 if you wanted to go to Vegas for the first weekend of March Madness* and you wanted to fly in F at decent departure time, you better book your flights 6+ months ahead of time.

*March Madness being just one example of events that cause F cabins to/from LAS sold out well in advance of the travel dates.

I've had empty seats next to me in F on lots of flights in lots of markets but anywhere to/from LAS isn't one of those markets!