A frustrated American Airlines elite flyer is complaining that he can’t get upgraded, while pilots fly first class. And his conclusion is that he should switch to Delta – where unbeknownst to him, only 13% of first class seats go to upgrades.
Platnuim pro on @AmericanAir but still cant get upgraded to first because 2 pilot’s are sitting in 2 of the first class seats. bout to eye up delta real soon. pic.twitter.com/Knbvpvu5jF
— JOHNNY "DELUXE" TOWN (@4EverEboy) December 31, 2024
Upgrades have gotten nearly impossible on most airlines, but a massive increase in premium seats that airlines will be offering could shift that dynamic.
One small element that’s crowding out elite upgrades is that pilots now sometimes take priority over passengers. While United prompted this by adding this for pilots in 2020, American Airlines changed its policy with their 2023 pilot contract. For the first time, their deadheading pilots receive upgrades ahead of customers to available first class seats at the gate.
Officially, in American Airlines computer systems, these pilots are coded with a higher priority even than top status Executive Platinum and even ConciergeKey members. Here’s the full detail, from an internal memo, on how pilot priority for first class upgrades works now at American Airlines.
Unsold first class seats now go to employees who are not piloting an aircraft between segments on a trip they’re working. That’s different than commuting to and from their base if they live in a different city than where they’re assigned to start and end their trips.
This is broadly similar to a benefit that United pilots won four years ago.
In fall 2020, after the first round of taxpayer subsidies to airlines ran out, Delta and Southwest didn’t furlough anyone. American and United did. But United didn’t want to furlough pilots. They need to keep flying in order to stay current and it’s costly and time-consuming to run pilots through simulators and get them takeoffs and landings.
United wanted to spread out the limited amount of flying they were doing across their pilots. To get the union to agree to this (yes, it’s an odd world where the company has to give something to the union to avoid furloughs), one of the concessions was that United pilots would have top upgrade priority for available first class seats at the gate.
Some readers said ‘this is business travel’ so pilots deserve it, but most companies don’t pay for first class on domestic travel, and certainly not companies like American Airlines that lose money in what should be their best quarter (their third quarter loss was due to cash payments… to pilots).
I do think it’s a bad look when customers never see an upgrade, but they see pilots clearing ahead of them. I don’t blame the pilots at all. They’d rather have first class than coach, and they negotiated it as part of their contract. The problem lies with management, whose priorities I see as off, and who have failed to keep up with demand for premium products so upgrades have become exceedingly rare – even as they promote those upgrades as a benefit of regularly buying tickets with the airline and spending on their co-brand credit cards.
Not quite about pilots in 1st
Was on a recent full UA hub holiday flight in 1st. Quite a few FA and FC were flying in uniform as pax. Two FA paxs in uniform flying in economy decided to rearrange 1st overhead baggage so there’s could fit. I found that to be a bit odd/much but hey, the holidays are airline crazy time. I guess I should be happy my flights bookended the holidays and I had zero issues.
The issue is more about the airline who promotes that loyalty and status will reap benefits. Therefore, customers who use their credit card and airline for travel exclusively are looking to reap the benefits that the airline promotes. #1 AA changed their loyalty program in recent years making it more difficult to qualify for upgrades. After paying to upgrade to FC for 8 of my 15 trips (all on AA) and using their CC for all purchases ($45K) I still only made it to Gold status. For those who are Platinum or Elite status I understand your frustration. My advice is to diversify, this is what I plan to do going forward. Including my credit card, the cashback I could’ve earned from Discover or another high percentage benefit card would’ve been more beneficial than moving from the back of the plane to the middle and boarding 1 group earlier (with assigned seats).
Good for pilots; I want them well rested and comfortable when they’re flying the plane. If you want first class, PAY FOR IT. if there’s no seats available, FLY PRIVATE. It’s really that simple. You entitled crybabies think “upgrades” are an obligation. LOL!
Lin and Grumpy Stew and all the other airline employees,
please tell us that you have never flown as a non-rev in a premium cabin and then we’ll begin to listen to you.
U get what u negotiate plain and simple
Boy, if you think you feel bad about not being able to upgrade, how about the rest of the Hard-Working employees when they go on vacation time and they’re flying standby for first class and can’t get it?
Buy a fist class ticket problem solved
Common sense. Who would not want pilots to get the best, most relaxing and refreshing seats between flights when they are flying multiple legs on a trip? Let’s hope you are the one who is going to be on the pilots next flight after he has just had a cramped, noisy flight?
One again this proves that AA has no interest understanding what customer service is for those that are loyal to the Airline. Loyalty is not in their vocabulary.
Keep in mind, half their revenue is by the credit card… that is what’s important to them! Sad!
People should stop flying with the companies that do this too. I won’t fly with American Airlines because of stuff like this and their issues with their planes.
So there’s a few issues here. 1) if the pilot is taking an upgrade and not displacing a person who has a paid 1st class ticket (let’s face it, a good chunk it not most people in 1st are not paying for their own ticket, it’s their companies, anyways but the ticket is paid for specifically for that tier) I don’t think it’s as big a deal. 2) This should be a lesson to people that loyalty to a corporation does not make any sense. 3) the biggest argument to be made is that if economy is so uncomfortable for pilots, maybe that says more about how the plebians are crammed like sardines in the back of the plane. Maybe it’s time to see a push to have greater comfort in the economy.
The pilots have earned Diamond Elite, Platnum Gold, Double Titanium whatever status. Give them a break. It’s not like you’re getting “bumped” to economy. You didn’t pay for the First Class seat. They are deadheading between flights. Wouldn’t you rather have them rested for the next flight they are picking up? It could be yours… Hummm!
@NDRJenerprises
You should review your status. You should likely have hit platinum, unless you were only buying basic economy tickets; a ~$285+ ticket average (base fare) should have net you the 30k needed loyalty points.
That said, while 45k isn’t nothing on the card, you only took 15 flights.
I’m Executive Platinum and not even really that close to concierge key…and I took roughly 130 flights (~60 itineraries) + spent ~100k on the card (~320k loyalty points), with 2 months left in the qualifications period.
I do not see a problem with this – their employer bought them a first class ticket per their travel policy. The only difference is their employee also owns the jet. Non story Gary – do better.
@Tim Dunn…I fly nob rev all the time & have never been upgraded. Listen to that!
I use to fly for work, about 15 to 20 flights a year…. I don’t anymore. Flying just became too hard and too expensive. The airline treats you like crap and their employees from from baggage to the gate think passengers are an inconvenience… I could still fly to attend meetings and speak at conferences, but i prefer to drive or attend meetings by Zoom or Teams. Since I now participate online, other attendees are also using Zoom and Teams.
Self called elites don’t deserve the free upgrades at all. Pay for the seat or sit in the back. Enough is enough.
It’s any pilot with a positive space ticket. This includes pilots traveling to and from training. Just fyi.
Old news. This started almost a year ago. The picture provided looks like it was taken one row back….also in business. Must be a slow news day. Bottom line: buy a first class seat. Also, I prefer a well rested pilot in a nice mood. Dont you?
I think the guy flying AA needs to wake up and smell the sewer. AA hates their customers. The only reason most people even fly them is because they can’t get another flight. I think I’d rather fly spirit and get the big front seat.
Maybe the taxpayers should fund the airlines so the pilots can fly around without those pesky, nasty customers.
Oh wait…..we did that for many months during covid.
BTW, the author added “I don’t blame the pilots” because he is way too afraid of getting roasted here. L and LOL
When I purchase a car the dealer does not say you’re a loyal customer, I’m giving you the best car on the lot for the price of an economy car price.
I certainly understand the concept of encouraging loyalty but at what price? If people want it they should pay for it just like any other industry.
Not my words, but I love whoever said them, “the most important people on an aircraft are the two sitting in front.”
I would think every passenger wants the same thing: well rested pilots operating at peak mental acuity in order to respond to an emergency.
I would also think the same attitude extends to cabin crew, who are there to evacuate in 90 seconds or less and not hot fudge sundaes in the front and Biscoffs in the back.
1. Deadheading (or positive space) is not the same as non-rev travel. Deadheading pilots are being repositioned to work another flight. It is part of their duty day and cuts into their 10.5 hour hard time out. It is only provided after revenue seats are assigned.
2. Flight attendants do not receive this benefit.
3. DL pilots are union. DL flight attendants are not. No airline gives perfect parity between the two work groups. Nobody expects flight attendants to be paid the same.as pilots.
4. Commuting crew, employees on vacation, all other non-revenue travel is standby. Those seats are cleared after revenue, revenue standby, and upgrades.
When the flight is full, those employees have to scramble to another flight to make it to work or home.
Why do they commute? Because a Captain’s 250k yearly income doesn’t get much in NYC, SFO, or LAX.
(That generous income is paltry compared to Ed Bastian’s 35m yearly salary. He, and the rest of the C-Suite fly FC. They and their families are also taking up your precious lounge space too, even during their severance period.)
5. Those of you chasing points and status have it all backwards. You should be directing your anger at the banks. They pay the airlines to fly their customers, not the other way around.
6. Flight Crew have a contract (except DL flight attendants). I imagine that is similar to C-Suite execs who negotiate a pay and benefits package, or any business that has a contract with suppliers and clients.
The lack of knowledge displayed in the comments about the Airline Industry is shocking and the frequent punching down on frontline employees is dismaying.
C.K. Lewis said it best…
“You’re sitting in a chair…In the Sky!!!”
Maybe we should be a little more charitable in these uncertain times.
AAwill be the first big carrier to go bankrupt, again following the next big recession. I’ll be happy when that happens.
@Tim Dunn,
The Delta Pilots HAVE IT IN THEIR CONTRACT TOO, stop with your misinformation. Everyone reports on it.
F**K the “elite flyers”.
Peter Westwood:
This is AA, not DL. Not sure shh you are commenting all about DL union policies and procedures,
LOUIS C.K IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM C. K. (SIC) LEWIS (SIC)!
Hilarious!
This will continue to make me not loyal to AA in the future. Was EXP for years (including last year and currently) but when I saw my husband and I were #1 & #2 on the upgrade list from DFW to MIA. Then all the sudden 10 min before boarding 2 employees took our spots: they lost me and my respect and loyalty. Y’all can call me whatever and say whatever to me/about me. I feel the way I feel and will continue to. Pilots should go to their Unions and tell them it’s damaging their reputations and the business as a whole. Ridiculous that they come before loyal paying customers.
I say if it bothers you that much, become a pilot. Problem solved. That’s what I’m currently working on.
Love those folks who are so brainwashed by pilots that they claim these ridiculous pilot upgrades improve our safety. I guess commuting pilots will be next!!!
A few weeks ago I was on a UA (maybe run by a commuter airline subsidiary?) on an Embraer. I think there were 12 first class seats. 2 pilots and 1 FAl (maybe purser).
This was an hour-ish flight back to their PHX hub.
I only fly UA when they have the lowest fare.
This issue has certainly riled people up. Of course the pilots need those chairs when not operating the aircraft, but don’t they have special cabin crew rest areas in the crawl spaces of the airplane? I think a pilot should fly but have to pay to upgrade themselves if traveling up front in the passenger section of the plane. This might ease people’s minds and allow for more room for upgraded and paying passengers. Seriously though, this can’t be a major problem. It’s not like a dozen pilots are sitting up front on every flight.
This appears to only apply to pilots with a deadhead leg in their work schedule. That means they’re about to pilot a plane from the destination.
Call me crazy, but I want my pilots to have been able to rest a bit before they get into the cockpit. Give them the unsold first class or premium seats please.