Thoughts on AA's MCE strategy?
 

Hi all,
Given that AA seems to be buying new planes with very few MCE seats (321XLR and 789P) compared to older planes and compared to their main competitors, and also refitting their 777-300s to have many fewer MCE seats, what are your thoughts on this as a strategy in the short and long term? Do you think that they are expecting that UA and DL will match them by also removing MCE equivalents? Do you think they have projections showing that this won't drive customers away? Finally, do you think they plan to eventually move the whole fleet to the new "exit rows and bulkheads only" MCE model?

I ask because for me, at least, as a mostly domestic flyer who mostly flies for an employer who will only pay for main cabin, MCE access at time of booking has been the primary reason I have maintained status on AA. If I am going to be forced to sit in regular coach most of the time going forward... well, I can do that on any airline. I am guessing that my situation is not uncommon, so it is a little hard for me to understand why AA would mostly eliminate the main incentive for many of us to stick with AA.

Thanks,
Saunders111

Weapons grade stupid.

Agreed. If I can't book a MCE seat, then I'll book on DL or UA since they have enough of those seats to go around.

UA has always been the leader with their extra legroom seat count, and they seem very happy with what they have. And currently, DL is adding additional extra legroom seats to some aircraft.

Interestingly, UA’s Coastliners are supposed to have a similar seat count to AA’s XLRs, but with a substantially larger extra legroom Y section. So UA is likely sacrificing some legroom from regular Y to fund that (in addition to not having a bulkhead behind premium economy).

I hate to say I agree with UA’s approach here, but if AA is allocating more legroom to regular Y on the XLR, they’re unlikely to get a fare premium for it.

My preference is that all domestic aircraft should have this DL configuration :) (FYI, it's only temporary due to seat certification issues).

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...465c3ffd33.png

It’s all about optimizing revenue.

AA is doing a phenomenal job with this cabin modernization effort in addition to all the other experience and service enhancements we've seen that have them firmly established as a Premium Global Airline.

It would be interesting to see the percentage of MCE/Comfort Plus/Extra Legroom seats that are purchased by customers vs. those that are given to elites for free vs. those that are given away for free to non-elites (due to a fully booked cabin).

AA still operating with the US mindset where customers are either all captive or chasing the absolute cheapest connecting fare

I don’t get it. WN has more extra legroom seats on the 738.

As an elite, free access to an extended legroom seat for me and at least one travel companion is a major reason for me to pursue status. And if I fly on an airline where I don’t have status, I usually buy such a seat.

If I can’t get a seat with decent legroom at the time I book the flight, I am unlikely to book that flight. So if there are only a few onboard, that means for many flights I will book some other flight and likely different airline.

More Room Throughout Coach.

I know this is off-topic, but I would care more about being able to preserve an empty middle seat than getting extra legroom. I wish we could do that without spending an extra 100% on airfare.

Actually you should check out Frontier for that- hard product wise, it’s like European business class

"MCE access at time of booking has been the primary reason I have maintained status on AA."

This.

Do they now that they are reducing legroom for regular seats in order to allow their version of MCE? They used to have the largest, I think? 32 inches, wasn't it. AA was 31 (mostly). But I read at some point WN was reducing their main cabin seats to something like 30-31 to allow for extra leg room, also.
Of course, the point is that all the airlines seem to play copycat cut corners. I am petite, and I find the seats cramped, so I cannot fathom how the tall folks handle it sometimes.