orbitmic

Exactly, you keep a category which meets the OW formal criteria whilst keeping an additional category you exclude from those rules but may decide to offer to some of your own elite members, hence my comparison with BA row 1/exit row or others with the QR lounge policy.

nldogbert

This is indeed a big loss for BAEC elites. I did read on the AA forum that this is because of Alaska joining OW and that MVP elites will fill up the cabin. If this is truly the case, they should do it like the partnership between AF/KLM/DL - where each other's elite can still get these seats complimentary (limitation to day of departure in most cases).

Cheers!

aztimm

What similar benefit does BAEC provide to AAdvantage elites?

The last time I flew on BA in coach, the system wanted to charge me a rather steep fee for an exit row. I was able to select seats in advance for free, but there really wasn't anything special about those seats (other than on the A380 there was one seat in coach that had a door in the floor in front of me, so tons of extra legroom).

LHRagain

I have a domestic flight booked with AA in July next year and have already reserved MCE. As I already have the seats reserved, will this allocation stand or will I be re-seated further back in the cabin?

AKGAZ

and free spirits on International

GBOAC

No I don't really have a choice.
So I either pay more (which I won't, certainly on anything below a transcon or TATL) or have a less comfortable flight. Indeed if TATL services from LHR are going from T5 in the future, and I would almost certainly switch to BA metal and try to get an exit row seat, as the only justification for AA was the CX and QF lounges in T3....

Loyalty works both ways, I have been very loyal to OW over the past decade, and don't see why I should now be shelling out more for the same product, or having a less comfortable experience for no fault of my own!
Net result, AA won't gain (i.e. I won't pay for MCE seats), but I suffer.

nachosdelux

more of my travel budget will now go to Southwest versus AA. Sorry to see this change.

South London Bon Viveur

Shame, but probably fair enough in all the circumstances. It might mean that BA get more transatlantic Y business from me, but who knows. Frankly I'd like to just be able to fly anywhere long haul or transatlantic atm. I miss my old life

RoyalSwazi

Over the next couple of years we’ll probably see a massive culling of people with elite status. Even if the economy bounces back, many employers and road warriors have seen the savings and benefits of less travel (as many have also said on this forum). Some people have elite status through leisure travel, but the vast majority get it through work. Data point: this morning I read about a local council in my country that estimate a saving in the region of £1 mill over the last six months. This council has about 7000 residents, and they estimate this to be equivalent to financing 14-15 long term care places.

Of course it’s annoying for us travellers, but the airlines are under massive pressure to generate revenue. As a non-AA elite travelling on a OW through ticket you’ll quickly end up on an AA flight. Unless you’re connecting to another destination on the US west coast there is no OW alternative.

aztimm

If everything remains the same, chances are high that your seat reservations will remain as they are today.
However, given the likelihood that AA will make changes between now and then (very high), you will be re-assigned to seats that you are eligible for at the time. When AA does this currently, often even AA elites who are eligible for special seats may be assigned poor seats. Always best to review your booking at least monthly at this point, and more often as the time nears.

corporate-wage-slave

Were you Sapphire at that point? Emeralds should get exit row without charge.

aztimm

I don't remember what status I held at the time. I do recall there was an AA CK who cause a ruckus during the boarding process (IAH-LHR), and he and his companion were moved so that they were seated in an exit row. He of course wanted more (he pointed out that the PE cabin was nearly empty).

Why should AA provide a benefit to all BA elites when BA refuses to do the same for AA elites? Having been through this on multiple AA, "partners," and receiving no special seat, my initial thought is, "what took them so long."

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, ExPlats and CKs get exit rows and benefit from Theoretical Seating on BA. Plats get advance seat selection - but not exit row seating until closer to departure - and reduced TS. Some CKs have a CIP or CIV, which would help with upgrades, but BA is different from AA in that upgrades are essentially by necessity to the airline (e.g. over-selling) rather than because there is empty space somewhere. ExPlats and Plats without CIVs probably won't do well on upgrades, there again BAEC members won't get that on AA either.

BA has long had WTP as a concept on most of longhaul, and never had a MCE concept, whereas for AA, MCE is of some vintage, and Premium Economy a newer concept.

flyertalker28120

For all practical purposes, I disagree.

Well, I'm DL PM and I do get complimentary access to DL's Comfort+ as well as to KL's Economy Comfort seats (which also offer an additional 4 inches of legroom over regular economy). I also get access to AF's Economy Plus seats, Economy Duo seats, etc.

And as FB elite, you do get complimentary upgrades to Comfort+.

Sure, it's not a ST benefit. But it provides essentially the equivalent. If you're based in the UK or the EU and flying ST to the US, you get your complimentary Comfort+ seat (or equivalent), regardless of flying AF, KL, or DL.

If you're a OW guy, your choices for flying to the US are BA and AA (I know there's AY and such as well, but realistically it boils down to AA and BA 95% of the time). And for me as a BA Silver, having access to MCE and AA Flagship lounges was a key benefit. Certainly important enough to sway me towards ST in some cases.

ISTFlyer

Nice to know that FB is an exemption and DL provides Comfort+ to FlyingBlue elites.
Thanks for correcting my statement.