Observations on AA flights as DM
 

Couple interesting points that I found on my latest trip to the US.

I recently had an AA flight from ORD to LAS in Y and on both trips I was offered a complementary snack/sandwich of my choice as a "valued executive platinum member". I didn't know this benefit was extended to us which is great, but they were almost yelling it out to me in the exit rows thanking me for my business and everyone was staring and me and my sandwich.

In my connection from my HKG flight to LAS via ORD, I was scheduled for a 5 hr layover but asked if I could standbyfor an earlier flight. The agent at the transit desk said the chances were low and that I had better hurry since the flight was boarding in 20 min and was in another terminal (arrived 2:10pm, boarding at 2:40pm for 3:10PM departure). I didn't rush since I didn't expect to get on the flight so I arrived at the gate at around 2:55pm and ask the Gate Agents. To my surprise, they had an exit row window seat with my name on it ready to go so I was in Vegas 4 hrs earlier than expected ^.

It was a great experience with an amazingly smooth connection (transit desk tagged my bags for the earlier flight just in case). Felt like I got a peek at what being an EXP AA member is like without the unlimited domestic upgrades:p

AA system cannot tell the difference between OW and their own Plat/EXP.
I also enjoy the ability to standby for early flight when on a discount ticket.

Yes, AA treats OW elite members pretty well.

Things I've used:
- Free 2pc baggage allowance (myself and all others on same PNR)
- Free standby for earlier flight (when normally have to pay)
- Free snack as OW Sapphire (I get it sometimes, not regularly)
- Priority baggage handling (not a published benefit, though always extended)
- Fast track security at some airports (Priority AAccess)
- One free drink in lounge - this is something AA doesn't even give to its own members

As far as hard product comfort goes, AA is pretty lousy, but you have to give them credit where it's due for recognising OW partner elites in a meaningful way.

Yes, They're nice to us
 

Few more data points

1) myself (DM) + fiance (SL) upgraded from a not overly expensive coach ticket to biz on a three class JFK-LAX (August 2011)

2) Fiance upgraded to wife and CX GO, and both of us got upgraded from cheap coach to domestic first on a 2-class SFO-ORD redeye (April 2012)

3) Free drinks on a bunch of Eagle and Connection flights (in fact, i thought that the cabin crew on these were a lot warmer than on mainline flights- and yes, i was addressed as a Exec plat.)

4) Schedule change (ORD-DTW) on a SFO-xORD-DTW-xDFW-LAS set of flights made our 1.5 day stopover in DTW into a 1.25 day one. Initial options were a full refund or reducing our 2 day stay in SFO with re-booking on an earlier UA flight having been ruled out ("only for irrops"). Couple of emails and they accommodated us on the UA flight.

Now, if only we didn't have to take 1-change options out of SFO for our usual destinaitons in the US. (SFO is usually our base for US trips)

Agreed. Even as a lowly SL, I received priority check-in/security/boarding, free baggage allowance, exit row seat selection, and even got op-uped on a 2-class ORD-BOS flight that got downgraded from a 737 to MD80 ^

As AA has to compete with UA head-to-head, the dAArkside has one of the best elite benefits in the world.

However - keep quiet - you don't want people to know these perks...:D:D:D

I never got op-upped on AA, but perhaps I have not flown enough.

This is kind of interesting. As an AA elite, I have been told recently on this board that the "paltry" amount of AA miles I needed to secure a CX F award should entitle me to 2d class status, i.e. CX paid members should have access to "preferred" F seats before AA award members. I don't agree, as once I am able to obtain an award seat (already capacity limited to AA members v. CX members), I think that everyone should be on a level playing field.

I am very happy to see that you all are treated well. In an alliance, the perks should run equally both ways, and I am glad it does from my airline.

planecrashlaw, at the risk of going OT, i personally don't see anything wrong with CX rewards going 'cheaper' with AA miles. At best, annoying, if i think really hard about it- but i doubt.

+1 for a strong AA-CX relationship - i doubt CX is even remotely as close to any other OW member.

Its a free world, aint it :) We all have our choices and no one's stopping another from moving to a different program.

Like, for most of us MPC elites, we traded away reasonable earn-burn rates and lack of fuel fines etc. to CX's (imho) outrageous levels and fuel fines, for our seat guarantees and more love from CX, knowingly.

BTW- i vaguely recall reading on the OW Forum a long while back, something about OW requiring that the same award availability be made available across OW carriers. Wonder how that plays out in real life (only ever redeemed for CX and 9W), especially with priority rewards and the like, and CX, in the past (and hopefully, soon again) releasing revenue seats for award redemption by CX DMs.

+ 1 I confirm even for SL (oneworld Ruby).

I could select exit row seat on aa.com reservation. Used priority check-in at TPA, AA Priority Security and Boarding, free baggage allowance on domestic. Those perks I suppose are the same as their AA Gold (oneworld Ruby).

I was connecting CX HKG-ORD, with AA ORD-TPA both round trips but booked on seperate tickets as it was actually cheaper. All in Y. Kudos to AA for that ^

Does anyone know if CX reciprocate this to non-CX oneworld elites? I suppose they'd do for non-CX oneworld Emeralds.
But for example would an AA Gold (oneworld Ruby) traveling on CX/KA in Y get business class luggage tag? Maybe, but I suppose in that case they wouldn't get lounge access like CX SL would though, which is understandable.

Observations on AA flights as DM
 

In all these instances, do you use your CX frequent flyer number at booking?

I don't know what others on this board may have said, but CX policy allows you to select any open F seat. CX does not reserve any F seats for elite members. The only exception is a bassinet seat and there is some debate as to whether these are still open for pre-assignment.

Ha, I'm one of those who (somewhat) agrees with this, but as of now it seems you can book any F seat you like. My beef is just last-minute paid pax and CX's own MPCs are often at a natural disadvantage booking F seats, because AA awards pax have booked 6 months in advance and seem so diligent and persistent in getting the seats they want. And rationally, they select the best seats for themselves, like any intelligent person would do. It's not really about the cost (yup, they're cheap for you, but that's the way it goes we could accrue to AA if we so determined, so I'm okay with that), however it's more that I wish CX would give extra benefits to their own members and cash pax as an added incentive (like how BA does it with select F seats). It seems like it makes sense as a policy from CX's perspective, although they haven't instituted anything like that.

I've done the bulk of my travel to LAX, SFO and JFK in J and F for the last 5 years or so, on average say 10x round trips a year, often times booking at the very last minute, and in many anecdotal (and very friendly, I might add) discussions with AA pax on board it seems like every single flight, at least a third of the F seats are AA redemption pax. I recall reading a poster on here who was a CX DM member buying a last minute cash F ticket, and was sitting in 4D I think on 74A. I sympathize with him because I've been in that situation before.

I just wish CX would hold back a few seats for elites or last minute cash pax, that's all. Nothing against AA pax, there are just so many of them and it seems so much demand for F Cathay redemption seats that it would be nice to know if I was booking a ticket at the last minute for a busy flight that I might still have a shot at a preferred seat. Which right now usually isn't the case. Without trying to be rude, I hope that makes at least some semblance of sense.

Among my 200 AA sectors never had op-up as oneworld Ruby/Sapphire and mostly Emerald.

I would thought many AA members standby for upgrade using sticker or whatever would have a better chance to be upgraded than non-AA member? Since AA's upgrade procedure is clear and sound? From what I understand op-up is terribly rare.

I never expect an op-up on AA because they have free op-ups for virtually all of their members and therefore I'd be way too far down the list to even figure in.

Having said that, while I never look forward to a flight on AA they treat us well enough that it's not usually a chore to travel. Granted, I avoid AA transcons and usually fly for short hops only. My normal exit strategy from the US is to fly AA to the nearest CX hub and connect from there :p