Flyers don’t think much of American Airlines. That didn’t used to be the case. I know that up until a decade ago, when I needed to travel somewhere, I’d go straight to AA.com to see what my options were. I was so happy with how I was treated through the AAdvantage program that there wasn’t a reason to consider other options.
Even before the pandemic the airline’s data showed that frequent flyers were moving away from American. The percentage of revenue that the airline derived from infrequent customers grew between 2015 and 2020, while the revenue from frequent customers declined during that period.
That’s not surprising because it’s people who fly the most who (1) understand the difference in product [they are repeat buyers!] and (2) are willing to spend more to get the experience they want. They suffered from degraded product and service – less legroom and seat padding both in the front and back cabins, less food and lower quality meals on board (again in both cabins) and myriad cuts across the board.
These reputational issues have now gone mainstream, beyond just frequent flyers. Degraded product, less food, and lackluster service – combined with choices like removing seat back entertainment screens – has produced a huge gap in net promoter score between America and its peers. It’s actually a double digit gap with United – and, as aviation watchdog JonNYC notes, the data shows a gap that is twice that large with Delta.
as in if the deficit to UA is "X" the deficit to DL is more than 2x "X"
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) February 27, 2025
A counterpoint from someone I trust:
"I'm not super optimistic but at least they've acknowledged reality (via the NPS score deficit etc) and have begun the 12 steps– I feel they are acknowledging that tinkering around the edges or improving D0 won't reduce that gap"
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) February 27, 2025
American Airlines used to ignore net promoter score entirely, preferring to look at their own post-flight survey results for ‘likelihood to recommend’. So even considering NPS is progress. A month ago I reported exclusively that American was plotting a pivot to premium to address the gap in flyers’ choice to buy from United and from Delta rather than from them.
I laid out a blueprint for how American Airlines could become a premium carrier. It’s not about touting the premium initiatives already underway, like new business class seats, more domestic first class seats, and a new Philadelphia business class lounge.
Credit: American Airlines
Instead, it’s about making symbolic efforts that show caring about details matter, signaling to employees that things have changed and there’s a new premium mission, and revisiting policies that don’t start with customer needs.
To be sure, $8 wines in Flagship First Class don’t cut it, and giving the same amenity kit contents to premium economy passengers, business class passengers and first class passengers won’t cut it either.
However, shifting the mindset of the company needs leaders out talking to employees, but delivering a message about the vision for how the airline will win and making big symbolic changes to demonstrate the message is real. And it takes investing in more than business and first class, because most passengers fly coach.
@Lee — THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Actually, I happen to agree with you–often a safe bet to blame management, and here, yes, totally, it is on them. They got greedy (as usual) and thought they could get away with sacrificing service and labor to save a buck. Clearly, most of us who actually fly them have noticed the impact–and we aren’t pleased.
It’s actually fairly simple. AA has lost their way and has lostsoght of the passengers’ needs.They’ve cut frequency between some business markets. Only offer single class in markets with HVCs have let some of their hubs fall into disrepair. For example 1x to NYC abandons the business traveler or forces hours of extra travel. I am status with AA, but fly DL because I can get home 4 hours faster. The staff at CLT, specifically the Piedmont employees are unfriendly and will run you over, so ATL is becoming a preferred hub. Please wake up AA before your frequent flyers move on.
Well I can some what agree with this article. 42 years as AA employee and I am done. There is no focus on the customer. And now what they want the employees to do. No concern for the employee or customer on how they get serviced at our main check in. So glad I am done and feel so bad for the rest.
AA adopted all of the worst attitudes towards customers from USAir, and continues to have lackluster service. The difference between them and Delta is striking. I will go out of my way to fly Delta as the experience is so much better.
Economy class is the least profitable of all cabins, so I don’t understand why they would focus there.
New data quantifies the oligarchic structure of the US today, where 10% of individuals account for 50% of the nation’s purchases.
Focusing on the part of this 10% (except those who fly private) is the way to go. These people are generally discriminating and expect screens (have you ever seen a private jet without a screen?), good food and wine at mealtimes, good service, not being lied to, and all the other aspects of travel thar are considered by them as basics.
DL’s focus on providing this is paying back in spades, while AA’s focus on ripping out screens and cost cutting, plus abdication of managing employees, is literally putting the company on a route to bankruptcy.
Recently flew AA from DEN to MAD. Bought business class seats. On my way to tge airport I was told they were overbooked from DFW to MAD. They involuntarily bumped us to premium economy. They offered $600 and fare difference. One month of fighting, sending emails and legal notices I finally get my $600 and a lousy $800 for fare difference on a cross Atlantic flight.
No way they get my business in the future beyond the $600 credit.
Terrible, terrible airline with NO commitment to customer service.
I would really prefer to fly Delta, but the cost has gotten too much for me. I fly American but there is a notable difference and not in a good way. I was really upset to fly on one of the aforementioned one-class flights since my ticket stated I was economy and I was actually 1st class. No priority check-in, no up front seat, no extra baggage, no group 1 boarding…nothing. The gate crew were ill-mannered and rude. . However, I will say that their sister airlines in Europe still have high standards, which is nice when flying internationally.
At the end of the day Isom still has the LCC mindset, and he and others around him will burn the company to the ground before they make any meaningful change. They still stubbornly say they’re not adding IFE on domestic, they won’t add amenities other carriers offer, they’ve cut services (cutting the second service on cross country flights and only offering limited food, Doritos, almonds and fruit plates on flights over 1300 miles) and they refuse to invest in any kind of customer service training or follow up on customer service being provided . It is long time for the america west management and those that think like that be removed from the company, and while acknowledging there is a problem is a first step, acting like the problem is something else, or refusing to offer the solutions people are asking for because management thinks they know better than the customer isn’t going to cut it. It’s going to continue to be bad and I’ll believe true change is coming when I see the changes implemented consistently and not just a 6 week trial they abandon at the end because they think it cost too much money.
Ah, the shifting sands of airline allegiances. American Airlines’ dwindling Net Promoter Score, coupled with a discernible exodus of loyal patrons to Delta and United, paints a telling portrait of the current aviation landscape. The erosion of service quality and passenger satisfaction serves as a poignant reminder: in the relentless pursuit of profit, one must never forsake the essence of customer trust and loyalty.
I fly AA primarily because I live near CLT and 90% of the flights out there are AA. I sometimes take Delta to remember what service felt like. I have status with AA because a job I took 6 months ago has me traveling a lot, but I am ready to start paying a bit more personally for a nicer experience. I should have stopped flying AA after they left my entire plane of people stranded in Costa Rica and kicked us out of airport at end of day when they were closing. Took 3 days to get home, fighting to get their help with cost since it was a mechanical problem. Awful!
@Jeffery Hill — I hope that is the case. If there actually is still any resemblance of a ‘free market’ with actual competition, as opposed to regulatory capture, monopolization, etc., then bad behavior by management and these companies should be reflected by negative consumer sentiment. At times, it really does feel like everything, especially these loyalty programs, are simply a scam–as if our spending of tens of thousands of dollars on these airlines and at these hotels really means little. But, in the aggregate, it should mean something. I think they’re due for a reckoning. Time will tell.
They abandoned travel agencies, offering no incentives, and coming after us relentlessly. Naturally we are now pushing the others. Especially as their products are lackluster at best. Get your act together AA before you are added to the trash heap of many of your predecessors….
They have made it nearly impossible to maintain any kind of status and you don’t get anything for it. It is almost predatory in the way they set it up and encourage you to go into credit card debt just to achieve the status. As a recurring executive platinum member, I am out. Hopefully they read these comments
Goes back to Doug Parker, who really wanted to run a LCC. Removing screens and no free Wi-Fi sums up their disconnect. There are many more.
Frequent fliers are sticking with Delta? The same Delta that said “screw you” to their frequent fliers, and kicked them out of the lounges (with int’l itineraries)? This company is an AMEX affiliate that happens to fly planes.
I recently flew MIA-LHR in business class. The amenities kits included no socks. FA told me they had cut those permanently… socks!
This should come as no surprise to AA or their management. I have been telling them this right from 2002 when I organized a group of US flyers to protest a projected change to the DM program (miles would only count toward status if full fare). It took them 10 days to walk that back, and I had a voice with them for a few years (they did not listen though). I suggested that they read Gordon Bethune’s book “From Worst to First”, and again they failed to adapt. In 2007 or so I engineered a mass defection of almost 300 high value flyers from US to CO after US failed to fulfill a promised made to me to reach out to 10 customers affected by a software changeover within 14 days. I mention US because their management team eventually took over AA–sad to say they are still stepping over dollars to pick up pennies