cupsandsaucers

Lol, BA wish they were turning into AA. They are lying somewhere between Easyjet and Ryanir about now.

Classic CEO just only caring about shareholders and loosing sight of the customers.

flyertalker54234

Sort of agree but I like the modern AA fleet. So if B77W or 788 or 789 I would put AA ahead of DL on TATL.

PUCCI GALORE

If BA had several of AA's features like the seating in J and the meal offerings and kept the service culture which to me is far superior the result would be excellent indeed.

In the past year, with some really notable exceptions I have watched AA crew become more and more indifferent. The one reason that I avoid AA is that in the past year with approximately 18 flight both internatinal and domestic - the schedule changes were constant right up to the cancellation of my MAN - ORD with no help whatsoever. Fortunately, BA had done the ticketing and they could not have been more helpful. As for the much vaunted order meals in advance - worked 50% of the time.

themax

I completely agree about the service culture at BA; the very reason I keep flying BA (particularly in F) is because of the wonderful and friendly BA crew. I've been flying BA regularly for 45 years and I've never met a crew member I didn't like. AA could learn a lot from BA in customer service, and AA are light years behind BA in this area of the business (with the notable exception of the AA Dallas based crew who are completely different then the rest of the AA crew and are some of the nicest and friendliest people whom I have ever met). But with the new AA lounges now opening at their hubs and the vastly superior J seat and food, AA is leaving BA behind (which as we all know was the reverse situation not so long ago). My own experiences with the recent BA lounge closure at YYZ (a place I spent MANY evenings before my flight which was staffed by amazingly friendly and helpful BA staff that I got to know personally over the years), and the deterioration of the inflight J and F products makes it harder and harder for me to keep flying BA based on friendly customer service alone.

I share your pain regarding the constant schedule changes at AA, but I am fortunate enough to be AAEXP and I am usually well taken care of by their automatic rebooking system (although this is a more recent phenomenon). Whilst not an excuse, perhaps the reason for so many cancellations is the continued AA/US Air integration of schedules?

Most importantly, I am honoured to have been quoted by PUCCI GALORE! I have been relatively quiet on FT for the last 10 years and although I joined FT many years ago I am very happy that my recent efforts to post more often have been noticed. Thank you!

BearX220

I believe Pucci is right and that is why I place DL ahead of AA at the moment. I will take a renovated 763 or 764 with friendly, motivated, resourceful crew over a new 77W or 789 with disinterested, snappish, or incompetent crew. And BA with the MF factor is all over the lot in this regard -- wholly unpredictable IMO.

Suffice it to say that I live in Chicago now and have choice of AA, BA, or UA n/s to LHR, but hop to a DL hub to get DL unless DL is really beating me up on price. BA also seeks to charge an indefensible premium on ORD-LHR.

PUCCI GALORE

Gosh! I can leave the blusher off tonight! I could say that as you have been here a long time, I take notice when people such as you make observations. I just hope that BA take some notice.

I share your pain regarding the constant schedule changes at AA, but I am fortunate enough to be AAEXP and I am usually well taken care of by their automatic rebooking system (although this is a more recent phenomenon). Whilst not an excuse, perhaps the reason for so many cancellations is the continued AA/US Air integration of schedules?

I am Gold at BA and they rebook me, but often the schedule change is not just a couple of hours but the flight is cancelled and I have been put on services which were less than convenient which have meant me calling. Indeed, the morning that they cancelled the AA55 to ORD, I called and was directed to BA as they had done the ticketing. What I did not know until I got to ORD was the AA did rebook me on a flight via PHL - only they had downgraded me. Of course, I suspected what subsequently took place which was that I became a No-Show and the whole of my itinerary cancelled. It was re-instated at ORD the next day. I could not get through on the phone as it just told me that they had too many calls, and please call later. BA (India I would imagine) assured me that my itinerary was sound. The two systems cannot speak to each other (I think that C-W-S told me that but I may be mistaken).

In fairness the Ground Staff have on every occasion, in every Lounge been delightful at AA. The Gate Agents are - frankly - patience personified. I could not do their job - The FAs are so hit-and-miss. Some of them are lovely. Others barely speak to you. Sometimes you get a PDB, but as often as not you don't. I feel that they do the least possible. They could care less, but only by a whisker. The seating is definitely First on Domestic but what is served is truly Economy no matter how dainty the tray. Practically all announcements (I do like their Safety video) are electronic spoken by what sounds like a GPS recently graduated from charm school.

Each to their own!

BA is no paragon of virture. Far from it - but I board wherever and I feel home and can talk to people who give something back.

PUCCI GALORE

Their 789 is a wonderful aircraft. I quite liked the 777-300 - the 767 is so old that it has whiskers, and those 757 are fir for a museum no matter how they tart either of them up. God knows some of the BA747s are getting on but they just don't feel it. unlike those poor trashed old 777s at LGW.

lds89

You're absolutely right - the lounge staff at AA are some of the best employees in the system. They're fantastic and they've always been empowered to make things right (although they've recently lost some of this power due to some IT "upgrades"). If you ever have a problem with AA and there's an Admirals Club or FlAAgship - go straight to the lounge. They always go above and beyond.

I fly AA a ton both domestic and international but do 2-3 BA trips a year. I must say that on-board, BA wins on consistency of service and in the drinks department. Pretty much everything else, AA wins. Better J seat; better lounges now that there are flagships in most gateways; similar food but better snacks / bar setup; wifi; similar to more selection for IFE; and no competition at all for shorthaul J which AA wins by a mile, especially their premium transcon services. The elite same-day change benefit; IRROPs handling; comp upgrades; and flat tyre rule are all much better on AA. That's incredibly sad to say but true.

T8191

Well, we’re flying AA DUB-PHL-PHX later this year, booked through BA on 125- tix.

AA this morning has done one of it’s innumerable changes. I got an email from BA ... Our PHL-PHX is ‘cancelled’ and has automatically been replaced by a different AA flight number 10 minutes later. Am I bothered? Ten minutes earlier would have been nice, though.

Geordie405

The constant AA flight schedule changes are frustrating, agreed. I booked flights last week to HKG / SIN with AA and I had a schedule change e-mail today for the LAS - LAX sector. Not a big deal as it gives us a bigger buffer / more lounge time.

I am looking forward to trying AA's PE seat on the flight to NRT in June, and will be able to compare it with WT+ on BA's 789 from LAX to LHR in May!

T8191

I think we had 13 time/callsign changes on our last run to OGG, not counting the cancellation of the return OGG-LAX

flyertalker54234

Wow, I must be flying a different airline. I can only praise the service and friendliness I get on AA. DL is a good airline but they just do not have the routes and connections that I need. BA is best avoided in my view. Too much nickel and diming, too many old though beautiful planes like 747 400's and I am afraid I do not like the BA in flight service. The Uncomfortable cramped seats (particularly in Business), the bad food quality (though it is better ex LHR but from elsewhere it is awful) and the somewhat pompous attitude of the cabin crew are not for me. Still it is all personal taste. TATL to USA it is AA for me every time but I hope other posters enjoy other airlines if that is their preference.

flyertalker54234

40 + years of flying as a passenger have taught me it is always better to book through the airline whose metal it is. AA make many schedule changes but I have always found direct tickets with AA always receive good support in rerouting or changing other flights on non changeable tickets to accommodate the AA changes. When ticketed through another ailrine even on JB agreement is never that straightforward.