Except if the airline loses passengers who only fly if they can get extra legroom in coach.

100%. If I can't get an MCE seat at booking, I'm not booking.

WN still has more room in regular Y (31”) than AA (30”) on the 738. More room in Y+ too.

I remember .. years and years ago.. AA would hold the middle seat for as long as they could.. but also years and years ago
AA had more flights so having a middle seat open was more likely..

I agree that allowing elites to book MCE for themselves and family members is a great benefit. If they aren't available when traveling with my family, I also look at booking another flight.

But I also recognize that AA is not going to have row after row of MCE seats if non-elites aren't willing to pay for it. And in my experience, many of these seats end up being assigned to non-elites for free -- particularly those on standby when the plane is full. Without knowing what % of these seats are actually sold, it's hard for me to criticize AA for reducing MCE availability on new plane designs.

That being said, on the 787P, which is flying internationally, it strikes me that more people would be willing to buy-up to MCE. But perhaps the availability of PE at sometimes only a slightly higher price point than MCE (via upgrade offers) cuts into that. So, again, what are the % of MCE seats that are actually sold on the 787-8 and 787-9 routes?

IIRC they would block an entire row for EXPs pre-covid for long-haul flights if possible. Now there’s virtually no chance of traveling without a seat mate.

I recently flew the 789 ORD to LHR in paid business class. This plane had the new flagship J seats which imho were classic AA. Felt like the cheapest seat they could find and set up to cram as many as possible in the cabin. The lounges on both ends were pitiful. All I could think about was for the money I should have flown Delta or even tried United.

You're one of the few people I've heard with that view of the new 789P business seating. I think it's a decent improvement over what's in the 777 and other 787 fleet. Most of the reviews I've read also lean that way. To each their own I guess.

Apart from the Delta One Lounges, Delta's onboard experience isn't all that, not to mention the 767s and A330s you'd often find yourself on to LHR. Those seats are way more cramped than the new 78Ps. Polaris is also very densely packed. I don't know why people gets so excited about those polyester Saks or Missoni blanket, they for sure feel like recycled plastic. It's just branding.

I prefer J on the 77W myself to the 789P too. Even 1L felt super tight and claustrophobic to me compared to my go to on the 77W (3J)

From what I now understand certain seats have more space. I didn't have one of them. My seat lowered to almost the floor and my legs were stuffed in an opening that went under the divider of the seats in front of us. No way you were rolling over to sleep on your side that I figured out.