American Airlines has sent a reminder to flight attendants not to go above and beyond for passengers in economy, as first revealed by aviation watchdog JonNYC. The airline told cabin crew that they shouldn’t give economy passengers blankets, pillows, or treats from business class. American framed this as consistency, which is to say making sure that there are no occasional surprise and delight moments in the coach cabin.
As part of our commitment to ensuring a consistent customer experience, please refrain from offering Premium Cabin amenities/service items (i.e. pillows, blankets, amenity kits, and certain food items) to customers who are not seated in a Premium Cabin.
AA: pic.twitter.com/UN8aVpAbsZ
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) November 7, 2023
No meaningful effort is being made, of course, to ensure a consistent customer experience in premium cabins – such as that predeparture beverages are provided consistently.
Since there’s little actual enforcement of service standards – aside from telling flight attendants not to go above and beyond using company resources – some cabin crew feel emboldened to create their own makeshift barriers that ensure they aren’t approached by passengers.
Hey @AmericanAir. Do @FAANews, @FAASafetyBrief, @USDOT, and @Transport_gc allow your crews to block off access to rear exits DURING flight so your FA’s can sit and chat ? Seatbelt harnesses connected together. AA2804 DFW-YYZ, 29 Oct 2023. #safetyfail, #clueless, #infuriating pic.twitter.com/iGJ1KUVJaj
— Lori Soler (@lorikaycan) October 31, 2023
While American Airlines is telling flight attendants not to offer amenity kits to passengers in economy, prior to the pandemic Delta actually made that a standard for their international coach product along with a welcome cocktail, hot towels, and mixing and matching choice of appetizer and entrees with dessert served as a separate course.
Delta hasn’t returned to this. Indeed, Delta’s operation overall isn’t as good as it was prior to 2020. But they repeat the mantra of ‘premium’ over and over while American – with an equally high cost base and need to for customers to pay more – is telling crew not to do little extras when warranted to make passengers more comfortable. Indeed, a year ago American told flight attendants to keep passengers from moving to otherwise-empty seats that have extra legroom. And this isn’t even The Onion.
I have been flying since 1958 when air travel was a true privilege. It is ridiculous to pay huge prices for sitting in a larger chair for a few hours with a flimsy blanket and tiny pillow. The perks of better meals, alcohol and more polite staff are over hyped and just a waste of money. I can afford business class but will continue to fly cattle class
My assessment is, you hear more complaints than praise in most situations as people are inclined to vent on the negative rather than the positive. I have taken numerous flights in AA biz over the past few years and have for the most part been pleased with the professionalism of the flight attendants.
Meanwhile, United is doing a great job upping their quality of in flight service in every cabin.
Hey passengers, don’t treat American Airlines as an Airline, treat them like a barely working bus restored from a junk yard. Any other airlines would be much better deal for your dollars than AA. The only reason airlines have become greedy and arrogant is there is no competition like high speed rails as they have in Europe. If one could get from NY to Chicago in 4 hrs by train why anyone would ever fly? Need to spend some serious money on high speed train coast to coast.
Seems a lot of complaining on here. Dont expect to buy the cheapest fare and then complain you are receiving McDonalds level quality service.
If people flying In F/J hate AA, fly private. At $20k a flight hour, then you will really have something to complain about if the product isnt up to your standards.
Oh my gosh! This is misleading! Flight attendants ( inflight first responders) are encouraged to assist ALL OUR PAX!
I love taking a hot fudge Sunday to a pax and singing happy birthday! AA has never asked me to stop. Or taking a pillow and blanket to a nursing mom to provide comfort and privacy for ALL.
Service standards are changing – but even management celebrates the humanity and heart of its front line employees!
40 year plus FA with AA here.
AA will soon claim that this is all for the good of their passengers! Can’t wait to see the videos of fistfights and bad behavior on social media. Great job AA! Treat all passengers like dumb sheep!
I don’t get the uproar. You should get the service in the class you paid for. Someone who paid less should get less. You want FC treatment, fly FC.
Daughter and I were flying BC on ME airline when my daughter asked if she could have some more champagne. The FA said they didn’t have an open bottle in business so brought one from FC. That was above and beyond and nice.
You purchase a seat…you sit there…period. Basic economy…seat assigned at the gate. No moving around because you’re wanting a better seat. You should have purchased a better seat. You put your carry on in the overhead adjacent to your seat. You order a special meal within the time frame (usually minimum 24 hours BEFORE flight) and you don’t get it…you’re entitled to some compensation. Flight attendants main job is safety. However, they are in a front line CUSTOMER SERVICE position. Then ACT LIKE IT! Without the customer…there is NO paycheck. While the customer is NOT always right, he/she IS the customer and can jolly well go elsewhere. Stay within the rules BUT if needed to go a “bit outside the box”, then do the right thing. The sad thing is apparently American Airlines goes to great lengths to annoy their customers and their staff goes to great lengths to further annoy the customers. It’s a vicious circle and the vortex is getting tighter.
You definitely are pro delta anti AA you can feel it in your writing when reading the way you write. It doesn’t seem that you try and be non biases.
I’ve got both AA and Delta regular the last two weeks I have flown in delta four times. I travel on average every other week.
Delta is amazing company, but you seem to write very towards one company and more negatively towards another. It feel more opinionated then factual or policy based.
Don’t lose sight that airlines receive federal money. That’s taxpayers money!
This airline is not the only game in town as we say, The service sucks on most airlines, But this airline is really out of control.
Airlines are trying to squeeze every penny out of its paying customers at the expense of customer service and a decent flying experience. Unless you have deep pockets you are packed into your seats like sardines in a can and in most cases paying extra for checked luggage, more comfortable seats, and boarding perks. All of those things USED to be standard in addition to meals. The airlines use government funded FAA services, airport facilities paid for by taxpayers, and bailouts during the pandemic in the billions of dollars which never got passed on the the flying public.
I think a lot of the uproar is people just venting about the overall level of service provided by airlines. They sell one product based on promises of quality service and then once your on board it’s “we’re here just for your safety” and “our job is strictly to deliver you from point A to point B. Period.”
If an airline is NOT going to guarantee good service, whether it be in First, Business, or Coach, then don’t sell the message that you are. Be Spirit Airlines — and embrace it, wear it like a badge.
You are able to bring your own pillow, blanket, snack and amenity kit on board if you are not seated in a premium cabin. Why would one expect more than they paid for? Per-planning is key. Pack your own items. That’s what the “personal item bag” is for. And it’s under your seat right in arms reach. I don’t get it. Such an easy fix.
There are a specific amount of amenity kits and blankets/pillows onboard. So, if the flight attendants use them for economy passengers they might not be able to replenish them at an out-station for the business passengers on the next flight. Why is this even a story?
I don’t think American Airlines service can get any worse than it already is
I refuse to fly American airlines. They are rude and treat you like your just a piece of luggage. If other people start boycotting AA they would just fade away!!!
Customer service and safety should go hand in hand. You should learn from the old F/A days when flying and talking with the passengers on board was fun, delightful and inspiring. We learned of many new places to visit from our passengers and stories they had to tell us made our time fly by on international flights spend time with your passengers. They are your bread and butter. No, Airlines should forget that.
@Chel B, you sound like a delightful flight attendant. I wish all flights had flight attendants like you.
Layoff the crews, people are not the same anymore. People are rude and disrespectful to crews. Since COVID the world has changed. Too much entitlement. AA doesn’t provide the tools to give descent service. Do your research.
American Airlines has a bad habit of charging their partners double for the segement of flight that is with them. To purchase a first class ticket through their partner all the way from ANC – ORD – BDL was over $3000 per ticket. If the segments are purchased separately from the respective airlines it was only $2000 per ticket. However, American will not check your bag through on the partner segment. Even though the partner did it one way. AMERICA AIRLINES is UNamerican. Won’t fly them again, told the partner I’ll look for another airline before I purchase a flight that uses them in any segment. Word up to everyone though – if you’re flying with a carry on – book your segments separately!
They want incentives to upgrade for $. Flying coach , in their eyes, should be like riding Greyhound. We don’t like to fly anymore. My brother lives 2000 miles away. We’ll drive there next time. There is no direct train from New England to TX. Maybe the bus companies should think about using double length trailers with sleepers. I’d pay extra for that. Or maybe the airlines should raise the coach rates, widen the space between seats and offer better service, like it was 20-30 years ago. .Airlines should compete with busses, and buses should offer more comfortable service.
People should get what they pay and agree to. That said, I fly a lot, and on overseas flights with both United and British airlines, blankets and pillows were provided to all seats.
On the other hand, I think on short flights less than 2 hours, any service is more of a hazard because of short time to serve and pick up trash.
Our multi generational family flew to Japan in February. Many months ahead of time we all bought bulkhead seats. As we boarded our flight we realized we no longer had these seats and were refused a refund re: the difference of what we paid to what we actually got. This was the first time we flew AA internationally and won’t do it again.
Ah America West…
I am surprised they are not asking FAs to take stuffed animals from children because…uh…you know…um…SAFETY! Yeah, safety……so they can send it to the executives in Dallas.
I’m sure everyone that flies no mater what airline would love to sit in first class or business but there are some of us that just can’t afford the price. I don’t think we should be penalized for that. I for one do not like American Airlines and will never fly with them again.
Another thing about all airlines that is a problem is boarding. I think boarding should be done as follows: board first class first then parents with small children and then the elderly that need help. I then think you should start at the back of the plane and move forward to keep everyone from piling up and standing in the aisle. That way you can get in get settled and out of the way for the rest of the passengers and it would probably go faster and the plane could maybe leave on time for a change. People get on and take their time getting settled and tie up the other passengers. Also the zones are not done right and it causes passengers to have to get up and move to let someone in that is sitting in the same row and that too holds up the line of passengers going further back. Whom ever designed all of this needs to rethink it because it isn’t done right and that person probably flies first class and doesn’t care about the rest of the passengers.There really should be some changes made to better organize the loading of passengers .
I recently flew with American….they suck. The staff from desk to flight attendants are rude.
I have flown American airlines a few time because other airlines did not service the location I was traveling too. Every time it was horrendous, flights were late, in-flight service was obismal and checking in for my flight was a nightmare. Started flying delta to the closest airport that they serviced and driving to my destination from there. Much happier and I don’t have to deal with American Airlines again.
From personal experience, apparently a cup of water is also reserved for 1st class!
After a mad dash to make connection at DFW ( & long tram ride) bc my arriving flight was delayed, during said dash I came so close to wiping out ,but made it to gate with 4 minutes till door closed, sat down, winded & red faced… not a peep from stewardess, & since no refreshments were being served, I never got a chance to ask bc she hid herself in cubby at back of plane.
I spent close to a grand to be treated like I wasn’t even there.
I have no problem with this service distinction. Just because you’re in a store doesn’t mean you get everything when you only buy a can of soup.
I fly first class on AA, the service is less than stellar. You almost never get offered a pre flight drink. They don’t reserve the space in the overhead bins for your bags (in first class) like they are required to. The flight attendants are often sassy or downright lazy. They would rather sit in their chair and gossip with the other flight attendants or the pilot than do their job and serve you. It’s rare they will ask if you would like another drink. It’s flight attendant dependent. If you get one with a good attitude, you will receive good service. But if you get a lazy entitled one, you will receive poor service. There are no standards and the airlines don’t hold them accountable.
Lazy in flight trash being lazy in flight trash.
That’s bullshit the service should be the same for all passengers it’s discrimination
Let’s be honest AA flight attendants don’t give the best service to business or first class, so neglecting economy sounds on par with their service standards…….
It actually is important for consistent customer experience. If an FA gives one economy passenger something extra, then every other economy passenger could ask for the same. There clearly wouldn’t be enough to go around and people would feel they had been “shorted” of something they should have and be dissatisfied with the service.
American also provides blankets and pillows on long haul internacional , just like delta . And delta also does not allow customer to move to extra leg room seats , United also does that . So .. what’s your actual point ?
Well, that is why US airlines are the worst. Domestically you unfortunately don’t have a choice. Flying internationally I would always choose a non-US airline, if available. It is just a world of difference. It actually does not take much. Just look at the professional service of Asian airlines and how they treat their passengers in comparison.
A lot of hooey; unless it is so stated like Spirit or handled like SW. Besides the good seats seem always taken for one reason or another.
Just be up front and Truthful without all the high priced pro mos which are seldom available to vets and/or elderly. I am now both and flying is altogether horrid. Thanks For Nothing AA.
American Airlines doesn’t do anything but economy what are they talking about the nasty peanuts in the drink they can kiss my ass I’ll fly with another airline. I’m done with American Airlines and everybody else should too let them go bankrupt. That would be the great answer to their bullshit.
American has worse seevice than Spirit Airlines in this regard.
Clickbait.
They said not to provide “amenities and service items” from premium cabin. No where did they say not to offer a high or higher level of service.
Anyone who has flown premium class knows that food, beverages, gifts, etc. are often different/better up there. OFTEN, service is as well, but not always. Regardless, I don’t think anyone would be disappointed not to get a food or drink or gift that was only available to premium cabin passengers.
I suggest that American and Delta fly with empty coach seats and let passengers in first class and business section pay their opération expenses.
US Arlines are the worst in the world. Expensive and terrible customer service !
The amenities are just that. If 1st gets a Reese’s and Coach is issued cracks, it’s just part of what I paid for. But restricting use of vacant seats sounds like; well, don’t blame a ‘aisle walkers’ for always standing and moving.
Yup. It is just a bus ride in the sky.
Even AA’s domestic first class is garbage. Never again for me. Filthy planes and surly FAs. I’ll take Delta.
This is one bitchy blog. American is right in not allowing premium class items in coach. If coach passengers want premium item, pay for the premium cabin.
I have only flown American a few times, but will never do it again.
.moving a passenger to an empty seat costs them nothing.
Greeat Way to show customer appreciation.
Gary what’s your deal??? Did you not get hired at AA or did you get dumped by an AA employee??? Tired of your AA is the worst when DL and UA do the exact same thing. You’re really just a PITA looking for some justification.