About a week and a half ago I wrote that if you must travel now, you should consider turning down the first class upgrade. There’s not much service or food to speak of, so you really just get a bigger seat. But first class is more full than coach. You’ll be more comfortable – and more socially distanced – by sitting in back and spreading out in your own row.
American Airlines has basically taken this approach and made it mandatory for their employees who as traveling as non-revenue passengers. “Nonrevs” can no longer fly first class on narrowbody aircraft.
The airline is also blocking the first (bulkhead) row of seats in the forward cabin, distancing passengers from flight attendants.
This makes good sense, in many cases coach may be better than first class now anyway.
I flew roundtrip on AA from NYC to Phoenix earlier in the year. Got a free upgrade on the outbound. My return economy seat was significantly more comfortable, in part thanks to seatguru which helped me pick an exit row set with no seat in front of me, and the middle seat was empty.
I will never fly AA. The things they are doing to passengers and crew members is terrible.