Strange AA flight: Late evening RDU-JFK with almost no elites
Oct 12, 2023, 7:33 am
#1
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Strange AA flight: Late evening RDU-JFK with almost no elites
Flying on a delayed CLT/RDU flight the other night and after the AC closed went down to the gate. There was a RDU/JFK E175 flight that was scheduled for 9:43PM (original time not delayed) which I found strange. RDU has fairly minimal connections and the flight arrives into JFK too late for most connections. Even more strange no one boarded until Group 6 was called and just about all the passengers (not many) were in Group 9. I'm assuming for weight and balance a few lucky Y paxs found themselves with an onboard upgrade. Very odd flight and maybe other than for repositioning the a/c doesn't make a lot of sense.
Oct 12, 2023, 7:51 am
#2
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Flying on a delayed CLT/RDU flight the other night and after the AC closed went down to the gate. There was a RDU/JFK E175 flight that was scheduled for 9:43PM (original time not delayed) which I found strange. RDU has fairly minimal connections and the flight arrives into JFK too late for most connections. Even more strange no one boarded until Group 6 was called and just about all the passengers (not many) were in Group 9. I'm assuming for weight and balance a few lucky Y paxs found themselves with an onboard upgrade. Very odd flight and maybe other than for repositioning the a/c doesn't make a lot of sense.
Oct 12, 2023, 8:54 am
#3
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The E-175 flights on the RDU-DCA or RDU-JFK routes have always been my favorites. Upgrades are pretty good for Plats and Golds even on the daytime departures; a bit harder for the 8am departures. I think AA just doesn't have the RDU market captive for WAS and NYC making these flights less elite heavy. RDU-LGA is harder for upgrades, but I think that's some combination of being more elite-heavy, more F sold, and much worse upgrade ratio on A319. Meanwhile I'm convinced only Ex-Plats get upgraded on the RDU-CLT connection shuttle.
Oct 12, 2023, 9:00 am
#4
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Oct 12, 2023, 9:29 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2010
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As an EP I have been fortunate to be upgraded almost 100% on the RDU-JFK flights traveling on the afternoon and evening flights. There have been several occasions when I had a ticket on hold days prior to departure and I was upgraded before I even bought the ticket. F cabin in the afternoon flights tends to fill up either by paid or upgrades it seems. I connected last week to the 1 am JAL flight to Haneda but took the afternoon flight just to give some buffer but this late RDU-JFK flight would have worked for me too.
Oct 12, 2023, 10:21 am
#6
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I was due to take this this coming weekend but switched to something earlier.
What are the food and drink choices or offerings in domestic First class on JFK-CLT-JFK and CLT-RDU-CLT? Can’t see any details on the AA app.
What are the food and drink choices or offerings in domestic First class on JFK-CLT-JFK and CLT-RDU-CLT? Can’t see any details on the AA app.
Oct 12, 2023, 12:04 pm
#7
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CLT-RDU-CLT - in F usually offer usual drink offerings and maybe a snack basket? It is such a short flight that not much time to serve. They are usually good about offering a drink during boarding.
Correction: no snack basket...was thinking about the RDU-JFK legs where longer flight and more time.
Correction: no snack basket...was thinking about the RDU-JFK legs where longer flight and more time.
Last edited by RDUflyer2; Oct 24, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Oct 12, 2023, 8:32 pm
#8
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I used to live in RDU and learned that a lot of JFK-based crews live in RDU and commute to/from base on those regional flights. Morning RDU-JFK flights would tend to have a bunch of FAs flying up to work JFK-Europe redeyes. My guess is the late afternoon RDU-JFK flights could have commuting FAs working JFK-EZE, JFK-GRU, JFK-DOH, JFK-DEL, and perhaps the late-night JFK-LHR if it currently operates.
Oct 13, 2023, 2:27 am
#9
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I used to live in RDU and learned that a lot of JFK-based crews live in RDU and commute to/from base on those regional flights. Morning RDU-JFK flights would tend to have a bunch of FAs flying up to work JFK-Europe redeyes. My guess is the late afternoon RDU-JFK flights could have commuting FAs working JFK-EZE, JFK-GRU, JFK-DOH, JFK-DEL, and perhaps the late-night JFK-LHR if it currently operates.
I actually know three AA team members based in New York who, after seeing how great their RDU teammates had it, ended up moving. (Two of them subsequently ended up marrying!) So now they’re based in Raleigh while simultaneously being based in New York.
Oct 13, 2023, 8:36 am
#10
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Yep, your guess is accurate.
I actually know three AA team members based in New York who, after seeing how great their RDU teammates had it, ended up moving. (Two of them subsequently ended up marrying!) So now they’re based in Raleigh while simultaneously being based in New York.
I actually know three AA team members based in New York who, after seeing how great their RDU teammates had it, ended up moving. (Two of them subsequently ended up marrying!) So now they’re based in Raleigh while simultaneously being based in New York.
Oct 13, 2023, 9:51 am
#11
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I used to live in RDU and learned that a lot of JFK-based crews live in RDU and commute to/from base on those regional flights. Morning RDU-JFK flights would tend to have a bunch of FAs flying up to work JFK-Europe redeyes. My guess is the late afternoon RDU-JFK flights could have commuting FAs working JFK-EZE, JFK-GRU, JFK-DOH, JFK-DEL, and perhaps the late-night JFK-LHR if it currently operates.
Oct 13, 2023, 11:37 am
#12
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I don’t think I suggested they did? They’re all senior so I presume they’re just bidding on the route when it makes sense to. I was just commenting that there seems to be a contingent of NYC AA staff that like living in a RDU.
Oct 13, 2023, 12:42 pm
#14
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I’m flying DFW-JFK this afternoon. Earlier today there was the option to volunteer and rebook with a connection and this flight was an option.
The whole seatmap, was basically empty with every F seat available.
The whole seatmap, was basically empty with every F seat available.