Perplexed By Flagship First
Aug 21, 2024 | 2:55 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott LT Plat | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 13,291
Flagship First has never had seriously differentiated soft product. Back in the day it had a nicely differentiated hard product, because Business was not lie flat, and up to half the Business class seats depending on A/C lacked aisle access. It was worth paying something to avoid a 12-hour flight in a middle seat that didn't lie flat. Once Business went lie-flat, it was pretty much over, given that AA was never going to step up to the Asian and Middle East carriers' First Class standard.
I believe that AA F could have survived in some fashion. My expectations were never that AA would compete with the ME or Asian carriers - just that they'd try to be in the realm of the EU carriers.
Instead, AA F chose to be the Raygun of F class.
Aug 21, 2024 | 3:44 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott
Posts: 2,417
When AA started selling Business Plus they should've dropped "Flagship First" altogether and let Business Plus select the "Plus seat" with Flagship Dining / Chelsea access. This is what F is in practice now. These threads wouldn't exist, customers would be happier, and AA would have a path to monetization until the aircraft are retrofitted. AA could even seamlessly transfer bookings to row 1 when on retrofitted 777s which will have a larger seat and avoid all the downgrade pain that will come. Instead AA chose to offer a smoke and mirrors F product to try to fool customers and extract a bit more short-term cash.
Aug 22, 2024 | 7:19 am
#63
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, DL PM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,972
When AA started selling Business Plus they should've dropped "Flagship First" altogether and let Business Plus select the "Plus seat" with Flagship Dining / Chelsea access. This is what F is in practice now. These threads wouldn't exist, customers would be happier, and AA would have a path to monetization until the aircraft are retrofitted. AA could even seamlessly transfer bookings to row 1 when on retrofitted 777s which will have a larger seat and avoid all the downgrade pain that will come. Instead AA chose to offer a smoke and mirrors F product to try to fool customers and extract a bit more short-term cash.
Aug 22, 2024 | 2:16 pm
#64
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 612
There probably exists a set of wealthy flyers who don't have time to read reviews or just want to requalify for CK, but I agree it's probably limited. Like I mentioned I've seen a few times the Flagship First award rate at about the same as J.
Aug 22, 2024 | 3:13 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
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My uncle was PPS Solitaire on SQ and didn't even know what that was. Some of his friends were similar.
Aug 23, 2024 | 11:16 am
#66
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 9,959
It is such a small delta from J that I'm having a hard time choosing F @ 75.5k LHR-JFK-LAX (77W) or J @ 62k LHR-PHX-LAX (772). (both great redemptions).
The J is one and a half hours shorter, a day later (more time in London). The F would give me two lounges, but it's at the end of a long trip and I'll have eaten plenty. Two glasses of Dom in Chelsea for 27k extra points (there are two of us, one drinker).
I would like the extra space of the F on the LHR-JFK leg, but that's only a little more than half way. Am I missing anything?
The J is one and a half hours shorter, a day later (more time in London). The F would give me two lounges, but it's at the end of a long trip and I'll have eaten plenty. Two glasses of Dom in Chelsea for 27k extra points (there are two of us, one drinker).
I would like the extra space of the F on the LHR-JFK leg, but that's only a little more than half way. Am I missing anything?
Aug 23, 2024 | 11:27 am
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott LT Plat | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 13,291
It is such a small delta from J that I'm having a hard time choosing F @ 75.5k LHR-JFK-LAX (77W) or J @ 62k LHR-PHX-LAX (772). (both great redemptions).
The J is one and a half hours shorter, a day later (more time in London). The F would give me two lounges, but it's at the end of a long trip and I'll have eaten plenty. Two glasses of Dom in Chelsea for 27k extra points (there are two of us, one drinker).
I would like the extra space of the F on the LHR-JFK leg, but that's only a little more than half way. Am I missing anything?
The J is one and a half hours shorter, a day later (more time in London). The F would give me two lounges, but it's at the end of a long trip and I'll have eaten plenty. Two glasses of Dom in Chelsea for 27k extra points (there are two of us, one drinker).
I would like the extra space of the F on the LHR-JFK leg, but that's only a little more than half way. Am I missing anything?