Is American Airlines a better airline than we give them credit for? They have made a decade of boneheaded decisions and the customer hasn’t been at the forefront of their thinking. But they’ve also made real improvements, and I don’t think they’re doing enough to tell that story.
Schedules have been built for aircraft utilization rather than timed to when customers want to fly. Policies like baggage interlining, standby and confirmed flight changes are built around avoiding revenue leakage rather than thinking through how they’re experienced by the customer. And their long-term focus on competing with Spirit and Frontier rather than Delta and United led them to a product that fails to command a revenue premium – for instance not having enough extra legroom or business and first clas seats to sell.
But in many ways they’ve been getting a lot better. They’ve been getting a lot better even in ways they don’t take enough credit for. They were the first airline with sufficient bandwidth to offer high speed wifi to everyone, they just didn’t make it free. They’re rolling out high speed wifi to their regional jets… I’m now writing from one right now… but don’t really tell the story.
- Where is the web page tracker showing the progress updating this fleet?
- Where is even the announcement on my flight that this aircraft has the fast wifi?
American’s lounge food lags what Delta offers, but it’s actually improving quite a bit. It probably still lags United in many cases, but not by much. I was shocked to find that the cole slaw in the Philadelphia Admiral’s Club was legit by New York deli standards.
Philadelphia Admirals Club Cole Slaw
Even in my home club of Austin they’ve ramped up much better food in the past few weeks, against an already improved offering. American just really doesn’t tell this story.
I write this from the Austin club where they have the new dishware that first appeared in the Washington National E concourse club and that makes everything just look so much more appetizing.
Washington National E Concourse Admirals Club
Their new business class and premium economy products are shockingly gorgeous. They aren’t putting their new business and premium economy in the 787s and 777-200s that are already in their fleet. They’re allergic to capital investment.
Boeing 787-9P Suites
Boeing 787-9P Suites
Their new lounge template is stunning. They aren’t building enough new lounges or retrofitting lounges to this standard.
Washington National E Concourse Admirals Club
Philadephia A-West Admirals Club
Still, the airline isn’t the same one it was before the pandemic, or under their previous CEO, even though some of these initiatives (like the Adient Ascent suite on the new 787-9P) began under his leadership. The current CEO isn’t out talking to employees and selling them on a vision the way I think he needs to be. But that’s also what underscores American’s problem.
- American undersells their improvements and achievements
- While competitors oversell theirs
Now, American’s approach to many of its improvements seems to be ‘the same, but less than’ – at least for now. But if they’ve just gotten started on their coach food for sale program, then offering fewer choices on fewer routes that aren’t as tasty as what Alaska and United offer is ok – these things take time. They just haven’t articulated where they’re going, what that will look like, and when they’ll get there. In other words, it’s a failure to tell their story.
In contrast, Delta Air Lines is a pretty good airline! They just aren’t close to as good as they claim to be. Their business class suites aren’t as nice as American’s new suites, and their Boeing 767 business class product (on both the -300s and -400s) lag American’s old business and United’s current business even. Their domestic coach product has TVs, and their flight attendants often a bit happier, but otherwise isn’t really differentiated.
Delta Air Lines tells a story and keeps repeating how premium they are, enough that people start to believe it, like Obi Wan Kenobi telling imperial stormtroppers that ‘these aren’t the droids you’re looking for’ as he enters the security checkpoint in Mos Eisley on Tatooine. He’s Jedi mindtricking everyone. When Delta does something good, deep in their bones they need to exaggerate it.
United Airlines keeps repeating how premium they’ve become, and they’ve no doubt gotten better over the past 10 years. But their Polaris business class was designed to be just good enough for customers not to avoid buying – signed off on by disgraced former CEO Jeff Smisek, its key attribute is density.
And while they’ve revealed new business suites those too will go on new aircraft deliveries without any announced plan to retrofit existing aircraft. Their coach seats are too hard. Their boarding process doesn’t respect customers’ time.
They have a good app, good coach buy on board and they’re adding free Starlink wifi which is great (but most planes don’t have it, so for those American’s offering is better). United isn’t that premium, and aren’t as reliable as Delta (even as Delta isn’t as reliable as it used to be), no matter how many times CEO Scott Kirby groups the two airlines together.
United and Delta overclaim, American underclaims, and the marketing and positioning of these airlines has a lot to do with magnifying our perceptions.
US Airways sold an inferior product at a discount, their bread and butter was coach travelers buying on schedule and price, and I think this management team had a bit of an inferiority complex around what they could provide.
What American needs is a clear vision – both for customers to understand them and also for employees to understand the service they’re meant to deliver. There have been too many mixed messages about whether it’s a Spirit product or a Delta one. Give employees tools and inspiration and they want to offer a product they’re really proud of. The inspiration piece is marketing!
Diverted because of storms in DC
I left American after 10 years of Platinum/Executive Platinum status and now with Delta. I doubt I will ever go back to American.
@Gary, Have to disagree with you on this. My recent experience with AA is that they suck. Diffident FA atttitudes, crappy food, including the ludicrously overhyped nasty sundaes, mainly carrot sticks hummus and crackers as the main attraction in lounges, frequently delayed flights and now, often higher prices than other mainline carriers
Stockholm syndrome.
Their planes look more like Spirit than Delta’s or United’s (where are all the screens with fun entertainment?) and their people are set to be working for the company.
After having not flown on AA for a couple of years, (the last time was when I was trying to book MSP – MIA and AA tickets were a little over half what the Delta prices were so I couldn’t find a way to book it on Egencia without flagging as out of policy) I have a couple of AA flights coming up.
The key thing I noticed earlier was that the flight attendants appeared visibly angry. Let’s see how me experience is. I hope there’s some improvement.
You make a reasonable point that AA should market their improvements a bit more, but the reality is that the experience the typical passenger has on any of the “big three” airlines is likely to be about the same. Few are going to experience — much less notice — the quality of the coleslaw. These airlines are basically copies of each other, and any rational consumer (not all are rational, of course) will pick their carrier based on price and schedule, with very frequent flyers factoring in their loyalty benefits.
Let me address the flight attendant issue- FAs are simply a reflection of who we are as a society. We are an angry, yet focused, efficient country that does well on the whole taking time out for each other When Needed or Asked. I don’t expect flight attendants to be much different that that, or me for that matter.
@1990 — Wow @Matt’s back indeed! I completely missed this. Wahoo! The hero we need but don’t deserve.
“Oh, and @Gary, kinda odd how you posted an article about vomit in an AA plane right before a piece trying to tell us AA has gotten better, LOL!”
Must be because the vomit is dry this time. (sarcasm)
Overall, AA’s not bad but I cannot stand their policy of refusing to through-check bags on separate reservations. Even when it’s with their own bloody airline! Or OneWorld partners! It’s like they’re trying to win the gold medal in Passenger Inconvenience.
I don’t know what is going on but recently AA is changing my flight times calling it a minor inconvenience it is not helpful but living in Charlotte not many options.
I’ve been living in Miami for 5 years. I’ve had just good or, at worst, mediocre experiences with American, which dominates MIA. I can’t talk about them before that (I flew mostly Alaska). I actually prefer taking American when going to NY (both JFK and LGA) than Delta, and them over United when going to Chicago.
Long time First Class AA flyer finally gave up on AA. Last flight: Tray mechanism was dirty, food awful and on a red eye from Las Vegas to Charlotte, lone attendant turned out lights and went to sleep, offering zero service
At the end of the day there’s isn’t a whole lot of difference between the US3. They all can suck at times. What they have other than a few cities (Chicago, LA, New York) is hub power. Do you really think I’m going to do a connection in ATL going from MIA to ORD in the summer time? Of course I’m going direct on AA. Ditto many other routes.
The basic economy flyer doesn’t care. For a cheap $49 fare to Chicago they will do a 40 minute connection in ATL and probably be sleeping in the ATL airport when it doesn’t go right. Airlines aren’t all that concerned about that passenger.
I don’t get the hate for Polaris seat. It’s excellent and I prefer it to many alternatives. I’d prefer a cool United cabin over a bigger seat in a stuffy overseas carrier.
The problem is UA’s food quality is insulting. That’s why I book revenue J flights on Air France and fly Polaris only with miles and upgrades
AA has always been a losing battle. Just wait until every station goes to single gate agent processing. If you think I’m kidding, it’s allowed in their contract and is actively being tested system wide.
Their new gate boarding program is a joke, too.
I’ve seen several stories about American Airlines miraculous change just because they brought a new business class airplane into service. Some people really, really want AA to be terrific.
I’m very pleased to read this, as I worked for this company for 44 years. I’m not sure if this was mentioned, but if you are a regular reader of the department of transportation, monthly statistics. American consistently loses more bags and damages more wheelchairs than almost in almost any other airline, and it has been this way for years. You will also see that Delta never involuntarily bumps anybody. American has the highest rate of involuntary bumps. I have always felt that their hub locations, especially Miami, Philadelphia, and New York are prone to travelers who file a lot of reports.. Delta has hubs where the communities are generally made up of “ nicer” people. Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and even Atlanta. The fall of American began when US Airways came into the picture. When they took over it, it became a toxic work environment. Their aircraft were in poor condition and they had low morale. AA. Did not have unionized agents at the time, But US Airways did and I think this contributed to the, shall we say ,more defiant attitude once the AA agents became unionized as well.I’m very pleased to read about interior of aircraft improvements and better food and lounges, but until I see that lost baggage numbers have gone down and voluntary bumping numbers have gone down, I won’t get too excited about these developments. American has also had a long history of policies that don’t favor the employee. As an example, the flight attendants, no longer have supervisors. They have attendance managers, the title of which shows their attitude toward questioning sick calls, etc. over praising those who have done an excellent I wish the company luck because they have nowhere to go, but up.
Who wrote this and what have you done with the real Gary Leff 😉
@SB — You’re onto something as some of us ‘elites’ seem to have undiagnosed ‘Stockholm syndrome’ for our preferred carriers. Like, the day that @Tim Dunn says anything less than 10/10 for Delta, please, check on him. I like me some Delta, too, but, like, I have my limits.
I have been flying them all for years. They are all the same. I want everyone to do me a favor, close your eyes, and think back to 2005… or even 2015… LOL… my how far they ALL have come. Hell, i remember when Continental was the best of the bunch.. and now its gone (nevermind their terrible CEO Smisek, i liked Bethune). What is important to see is that American is improving – and it is, and its noticeable. I have flown them the most recently, and in my own personal experiences, they match or outpace Delta.. I am an AAdvantage member and have the Executive Card, but am not even Gold Status and the treatment has bene excellent. American Flagship product, especially the new one, is the best any US carrier has to offer. Period. And the old one is still quite nice, just flew it to Hawaii.. AA gets knocked for inconsistency because of the two seat types.. but .. who really cares – thats just petty griping. Anyone been on one of Delta’s 40 year old planes.. or one of Uniteds.. they have their dirty messes too, lol, have experienced (Delta may have a pigeon fly out of a overhead bin and United may beat your ass off the plane, lol). Its always luck of the draw with these three. Whats exciting, to me, is the new offerings, which if they can pull it off, and elevate the customer experience (see new Chief Customer Officer – the fact the have on is amazing, with a Customer Experience Board that has Disney and 4 Seasons?!?!) then they will be the market leader for the US legacy class. The new food is excellent and i have heard rumor once the widebody upgrade is well underway, the domestics will get the same treatment… same can be said for future lounges (I may have insider info lol) Its a big IF.. but stranger things have happened.. I think its exciting – All three have improved by leap and bounds, and i think its great all 3 continue to. Delta is kinda gimmicky, United is too sterile/corporate… American is TRYING to carve out something warm & classy.. kind of a nod to the old days. I am here for it! Good luck, American!
Gary – I know it’s one of your most common refrains that United’s Polaris is just good enough not to be bad, but I will gladly take it on any aircraft configuration over AA’s 787P seat, which is very cramped and offers no storage except for a tiny passport compartment.
@Nathan
I see Delta and sometimes Southwest flight attendants to be different, much my cheerful. On a couple of United flights that I took in the recent years they were indifferent, but professional.
I think they do try to gaslight the world in to thinking that a layover from major population centers (pick one!) to a middle of the country hub is attractive…but they have declined so much that United can boast about being number 2 which is sad given the nasty food they still serve in Polaris and the low cost Newark airport they fly out of.
@John – storage on the 789P is lacking. It’s a dense seat. But storage is certainly lacking on the dense Polaris seat. Not sure what universe Polaris is better in tbh.
When I flew AA EVERY flight was delayed. Always some issue or other.
Plus the FA’s were the nastiest bunch o byotches you’d never want meet.
I saw one muscular man verbally assault what must have been an 80 year old woman. I will never fly A A. the ghetto of the skies.
Sorry Gary. Been a lurker for years but this was egregious enough for me to write my first post.
American is by leaps and bounds below Delta and United… and has been for a while now. Former AA Platinum Pro, the only thing I can honestly say is that I felt I got more complimentary upgrades. But for what? Constantly late flights, horrible service (it’s a spiral – they’re just beaten down now and don’t care about the customer experience), lounges that aren’t at the same tier, complete lack of food options, a sub par app experience, the list goes on and on.
I’m Delta Platinum and United 1K. I do about 40k of corporate spend and another 15k personal annually. For the past few years, AA will see maybe $500.00 of that. I have zero intention to give them anymore.
Well delusional is why we have TDS and is this article. I flew American for the last 4 months and they ARE NOT better than Delta.
Their customer service sucks, their wifi is difficult to connect to and both airlines have some inconsistencies but Americans far greater.
Pre 9-11 I flew almost always American; this is not the same airline. They use to care, now, not so much
For once I think this piece is absolutely spot on. AA not nearly as bad as their reputation and they are improving and the others overstate their “premium” image. I fly all 3. I’d say their domestic first class on 2.5 hour plus flights handily beats the competition. Coach service is sad but they are working on it. The lounge staff AAngels are best in business. I’d say their international business class is consistent and pretty good. The others seem to have better training of their front line staff outside of lounges and they seem happier on average. No denying that.
But they can’t run an on time flight to save their life. So who cares about the rest of it?
I fly all big 3 airlines almost equally due to living in Miami with heavy travel to ATL IAD and ORD. AA is the worst of the 3, but their wine is far superior for whatever reason. AA snacks and food are way worse and the app is practically useless. I prefer DL or UA because I feel AA in MIA is chaotic, but I do look forward to the wine, especially the sparking wine. DL and UA wine doesn’t taste as good and it also gives me a headache.
Give me my AA any day! Delta hype is from leisure travelers going to Cancun. As a business, weekly EP, AA meets needs. I don’t need a tv just security that if my flight is delayed/cancelled that I have other connection options. AA needs to reduce CLT until it’s built up and bring back JFK and LGA flights to IAH.
Thank you, Gary. I agree with you.
I think @Paul really likes to whine, I mean, wine!
@Taylor — So, to you, Delta is the ‘leisure travelers going to Cancun’ airline. Huh. @Tim Dunn, can you believe that? I’ll say, that description sounds more like Southwest Airlines, but ok. And, didn’t the ‘esteemed’ Senator from Texas fly United there? Glad you don’t ‘need’ something (a TV), though, objectively, having an IFE screen is better than not having one. Even United knows this; that’s why that included IFE on most of their newer aircraft, like the 737 max. AA is the only one of the ‘big three’ that has doubled-down on BYOD. It’s lame. As for Houston-NYC, you know IAH is a United hub, and LGA/JFK is a Delta stronghold, but Spirit also flies EWR/LGA-IAH, and since you don’t use IFE screens, and NK doesn’t have them either, maybe they’d be a better ‘fit’ for you. You know, NK, the code for Spirit, not to be confused with North Korea.