FlyerTalk Forums - Is AA "Cooked"?

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- - Is AA "Cooked"? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/2207633-aa-cooked.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antarius (Post 37460145)

I prefer simple, well-executed food over attempted frou-frou nonsense. Call me a simpleton, fine - but I'm a paying customer, just like everyone else.

As I get older, I find myself shifting more toward the above mentality. I live in Japan and fly to the US regularly (in J), so when flying OW I can choose between JL and AA. For years I slavishly preferred JL. But lately I've become tired of several aspects of JL's approach: meals that drag for 3 hours, cabin lights on full brightness for 6+ hours (3 hours after takeoff and 3 hours before landing), closing all the inflight service way too early, and other issues. I've written about this in more detail here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japa...ess-class.html

These days I really just want a quicker meal, more quiet time to rest and relax, and less pressure from FAs to close all the service and do landing prep so damn early. At these particular things, AA is better than JL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward (Post 37457851)

I have a hard time buying AA is cooked because of the existence of FA unions given that United FAs also have union representation.

I don't think that unions are the reason that AA premium cabins aren't really competitive on international routes, but they, and the mentality that they engender, are certainly a contributing factor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward (Post 37457851)

QR is, uh, an interesting comp for AA given history of QR and FAs and the overall attitude in the ME regarding imported labor.

True enough, but AA and QR do compete on TATL routes. And unless one is selecting an airline based on how it treats its employees, it's not really a factor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward (Post 37457851)

It's probably easier to have caviar in business class and an enhanced soft product when you can pay the workers less (because they are natives of some other country where you can take advantage of wage arbitrage and lopsided labor contracts advantaging the employer), and there isn't really anything going on beyond employer fiat on who works, when the work happens, how the work is performed. That and the whole "it's a state-owned enterprise" factor.

I don't get the connection at all. How does paying an employee less motivate that employee to give friendly service? Yet the QR cabin crew is almost always friendly and passenger-service oriented. Not 100% certainly, but a lot closer than AA cabin crews.

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