Doug Parker Begins His Destruction of American Airlines

[HUGE AL]

As I've predicted verbally to some of you: Doug Parker has achieved his life long goal of purchasing a major USA carrier. He will destroy American Airlines.

Sudden changes effective suddenly today include:

• Elimination of One World Distance-Based Explorer Awards
• 20% increase in US redemptions to North Asia via Europe
• Decreased baggage allowance for Elites

UPDATE (20 minutes later):

• Full Fare Tickets will NOT have free baggage allowance anymore

[milehighj]

Crikey. Better start saving for a VLJ then.

[MSPeconomist]

Also, no free stopovers at international gateway allowed on award tickets.

[Savage25]

Also, no free stopovers at international gateway allowed on award tickets.

This one hurts

[SilverChris]

This one hurts

Drop the act already!

[MAN Flyer]

As I've predicted verbally to some of you: Doug Parker has achieved his life long goal of purchasing a major USA carrier. He will destroy American Airlines.

Sudden changes effective suddenly today include:

• Elimination of One World Distance-Based Explorer Awards
• 20% increase in US redemptions to North Asia via Europe
• Decreased baggage allowance for Elites

UPDATE (20 minutes later):

• Full Fare Tickets will NOT have free baggage allowance anymore

This stuff, along with DL's recent actions, was always gonna happen over there with all the consolidation. The party's coming to an end I'm afraid... Credit Card earnings are running FFP's for frequent flyers...

I have about 50,000 AA miles, which I keep forgetting about. What's the best use of those ?

[inkoherent]

UPDATE (20 minutes later):

• Full Fare Tickets will NOT have free baggage allowance anymore

Seriously?

BTW, love the #tool on this thread

[HUGE AL]

Crikey. Better start saving for a VLJ then.

No doubt! That NetJets Card is looking nicer and nicer.

Also, no free stopovers at international gateway allowed on award tickets.

Oops…in my rush to rebook the five I have outstanding, I forgot to mention this one.

I have about 50,000 AA miles, which I keep forgetting about. What's the best use of those ?

You could jet down to Africa, or transfer 20k more in and burn it on CX to Asia.

Seriously?

BTW, love the #tool on this thread

Yup…THAT'S the more ridiculous one.

Remember: Doug is the same person who hasn't fully merged US and HP in NINE YEARS and also wanted people to pay $1 for pop and water.

[HUGE AL]

737 Reconfiguration in whY

Frequent short hop flyers know that AA's 737s had to be reconfigured years ago to keep the seat count down in economy for the 3 required FAs. The result was rows 16 & 17 (in most cases) or the two rows behind the Exit Rows having the middle seat outfitted with a drink holder. The jury is still out on whether it is better to have nobody next to you as opposed to more legroom.

Unfortunately, an entire crew on the LAX-SFO route just informed me that Doug has decided to roll the dice with the FAA and they will be adding those four seats back into the mix within the next 30 days.

[HUGE AL]

737 Reconfiguration

I can confirm that the two rows behind the exit row now have their drink holders removed.

But the new development is that Doug also increased F by one row and the result is less legroom up front. Because of the 8 additional seats, another FA is now onboard.

Question is: Is an additional FA worth the eight extra seats from a purely financial perspective?

[MSPeconomist]

I can confirm that the two rows behind the exit row now have their drink holders removed.

But the new development is that Doug also increased F by one row and the result is less legroom up front. Because of the 8 additional seats, another FA is now onboard.

Question is: Is an additional FA worth the eight extra seats from a purely financial perspective?

Eight seats filled 75% of the time with revenue passengers at a $200 one way fare would be $1200 per flight. Subtract $200 for the cost of handling those passengers, additional fuel, catering, customer service, their free bags, etc. and we get perhaps $1000 additional earnings per flight, which is far more than the cost of an additional FA. Everyone gets better service so all is good unless the aircraft seems so cramped that it has a negative impact on AA's reputation.

However, adding seats erodes capacity discipline so the bigger question would be what those eight seats on every 737 route (even allowing for some reshuffling of aircraft types) end up really adding to revenue. Do fares fall noticeably as a result of more tickets being available?