Flagship Business Plus???
Jan 19, 2022, 4:44 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: new york, ny
Posts: 1,373
No, it does not. Nor does Flagship Business allow Flagship First Dining. 😢
Looks like AA may be planning to bring its transcon service in line with DL, B6 and others, offering Business Class only, with the ability to pay more for the former First Class seats (marketed as Business Plus), but offering Business meal service. I believe AA is the only carrier currently offering differentiated First and Business class products in the transcon markets. The old explanation used to be that there were lucrative entertainment industry contracts on the transcon routes that mandated 3-class First Class service for clients (celebs). I suspect those contracts are not as lucrative or prevalent in the pandemic era.
Maybe (just speculating) Flagship First going away on the transcon routes, and the only place where true Flagship First will exist anymore is longhaul international on the 777-300....which during the pandemic is currently limited to select LHR and Deep South America flights, I believe.
Sad things, of course, are:
- loss of ability to upgrade from Business to First (except by paying cash or traveling as a non-rev/employee)
- loss of Flagship First Check-In
- loss of Flagship First Dining
Looks like AA may be planning to bring its transcon service in line with DL, B6 and others, offering Business Class only, with the ability to pay more for the former First Class seats (marketed as Business Plus), but offering Business meal service. I believe AA is the only carrier currently offering differentiated First and Business class products in the transcon markets. The old explanation used to be that there were lucrative entertainment industry contracts on the transcon routes that mandated 3-class First Class service for clients (celebs). I suspect those contracts are not as lucrative or prevalent in the pandemic era.
Maybe (just speculating) Flagship First going away on the transcon routes, and the only place where true Flagship First will exist anymore is longhaul international on the 777-300....which during the pandemic is currently limited to select LHR and Deep South America flights, I believe.
Sad things, of course, are:
- loss of ability to upgrade from Business to First (except by paying cash or traveling as a non-rev/employee)
- loss of Flagship First Check-In
- loss of Flagship First Dining
Jan 19, 2022, 4:56 pm
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
1-1 seating vs. 2-2.
Jan 19, 2022, 4:57 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,967
I honestly think the roundtrip price going from $4800 to about $2k is really nice and more appropriate for what you get. I really hope they keep at least access to the flagship lounge? I can't imagine that was the main cause of the original F fare being that expensive?
Yes, I'm sure you would still get Flagship Lounge access.. What is unclear is whether it would include Flagship First Check-In or Dining.
Jan 19, 2022, 5:04 pm
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
I honestly think the roundtrip price going from $4800 to about $2k is really nice and more appropriate for what you get. I really hope they keep at least access to the flagship lounge? I can't imagine that was the main cause of the original F fare being that expensive?
Also big question: Will they keep the higher end soft product (extra course, plated courses, etc.)??
Jan 19, 2022, 5:12 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,241
Jan 19, 2022, 5:33 pm
#38
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
I'm afraid don't see this as a good move from a frequent flyer perspective. The prices shown in the OP are deepest discount. I'm sure we'll see much higher fares just as soon as demand returns - pricing on the t-cons is as low as I've ever seen right now, with cheapest J fares at $539 OW and Systemwides to J and F abundantly available. I'm sure AA hopes to return to $1800 for J and $2500 for F (or "Business Premier") one-way just as soon as they can.
It will further degrade value of SWU for me, and I am definitely concerned about the potential/likely loss of FFD on the t-cons, which remains one of the very few aspirational experiences in domestic US flying.
It will further degrade value of SWU for me, and I am definitely concerned about the potential/likely loss of FFD on the t-cons, which remains one of the very few aspirational experiences in domestic US flying.
Jan 19, 2022, 6:00 pm
#44
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,086
My guess is that they are eliminating F on the A321T so that they can start refitting the A321T fleet as the A321XLRs that start arriving in 2023. I expect they would refit them the same so that an XLR could replace a T on a domestic mission.
