AA Should Hold Preferred First/Business Seats for Paid F/J & CK
#226
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
Yup. As my mom always told me "jealousy is unbecoming". Gonna savor seat 1A that AA deemed me worthy of having.
#227
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,540
no, you’d only be in BA J cabin as a result on traveling on a J cabin fare. BA does not upgrade into J. i’m fine with discounted or even free J cabin seat assignments for elites if paired with upgrades not until T-60 minutes and sufficiently high J cabin fares that preserve some J inventory for day of.
#228
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
no, you’d only be in BA J cabin as a result on traveling on a J cabin fare. BA does not upgrade into J. i’m fine with discounted or even free J cabin seat assignments for elites if paired with upgrades not until T-60 minutes and sufficiently high J cabin fares that preserve some J inventory for day of.
AA doesn't operate this way. And neither does the US aviation market overall.
#229
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,540
#230
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
#231
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,060
What is that prediction based on? Domestic upgrades have been a thing in the US market since frequent flyer programs have existed. It would take <illegal> collusion among the airlines to all drop it at once. Otherwise, none of them will be the first to do it and risk losing high revenue frequent flyers.
#232
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,811
That's a nice spitball attempt, but absolutely unlikely to happen. All the majors advertise upgrades as one of the main benefits of their FF programs (especially for elites) and for any carrier to abandon that would be absolute suicide financially.
#233
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Rolling Lakes Yacht Club
Posts: 4,982
fixed it for you.
#234
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
You're correct, but no one has debated that the current program isn't space available. I didn't read IADCAflyer as disputing that or advocating to change it.
The current system is a blend of maximizing sales (they don't clear upgrades on peak flights or when J3 early) and giving value to elite members (J14 flights can clear a few upgrades at the window). With AA, now marketing buy ups more aggressively, there should be less flights sitting at J14 or equivalent at T100.
Maybe I'm reading too much into your post. This thread has made my eyes cross 😂
The current system is a blend of maximizing sales (they don't clear upgrades on peak flights or when J3 early) and giving value to elite members (J14 flights can clear a few upgrades at the window). With AA, now marketing buy ups more aggressively, there should be less flights sitting at J14 or equivalent at T100.
Maybe I'm reading too much into your post. This thread has made my eyes cross 😂
#235
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
What is that prediction based on? Domestic upgrades have been a thing in the US market since frequent flyer programs have existed. It would take <illegal> collusion among the airlines to all drop it at once. Otherwise, none of them will be the first to do it and risk losing high revenue frequent flyers.
#236
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,076
What is that prediction based on? Domestic upgrades have been a thing in the US market since frequent flyer programs have existed. It would take <illegal> collusion among the airlines to all drop it at once. Otherwise, none of them will be the first to do it and risk losing high revenue frequent flyers.
#237
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
I think the point they were making is that no one would be willing to blink first.
#238
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
It business travel comes back fully (and it looks like it will) it will be business as usual. The F cabin is better monetized by using it to attract OPM spend than by selling the seats.
On the other hand if it doesn't, then there will certainly be more aggressive attempts to sell the F cabin seats but I doubt that they go as far as getting rid of complementary upgrades for elites.
On the other hand if it doesn't, then there will certainly be more aggressive attempts to sell the F cabin seats but I doubt that they go as far as getting rid of complementary upgrades for elites.
#239
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,076
Of course. I don't think there would be any reason for someone to do it simultaneously, but if DL announced it in July and specified that it would be instituted at the beginning of the next medallion year, I strongly suspect UA and AA would follow in kind without DL ever needing to have a window where they were the only airline doing this. That's not collusion, but it might as well be.
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
Of course. I don't think there would be any reason for someone to do it simultaneously, but if DL announced it in July and specified that it would be instituted at the beginning of the next medallion year, I strongly suspect UA and AA would follow in kind without DL ever needing to have a window where they were the only airline doing this. That's not collusion, but it might as well be.
AA did not give complimentary upgrades to all elites until just now, which was in stark comparison to UA and DL; the change was likely motivated by necessity as everything is now LP. Similarly, AA allows complimentary upgrades on Hawaii and transcons and SWU upgrades on all fare buckets, which is much better than UA.