Tag Archives for american airlines.
A dog roamed around the cabin on Tuesday evening’s American Airlines flight 2308 from Raleigh to Los Angeles. It must have been uncomfortable because it needed to do its business, so the passenger who owned it let it out – until it decided to relieve itself in the aisle.
Last week the American Airlines flight attendants union reminded cabin crew at the airline that they aren’t allowed to strike or take other actions that hurt the company, unless first permitted by the government to do so.
They even have to make the optional credit card announcements. At a minimum, they’re warned, that if they write on social media that they aren’t going to pitch the credit card they may be fired.
After Thursday’s tense showdown between American Airlines CEO Robert Isom and the head of the airline’s flight attendant’s union, it may seem like the parties are farther apart than ever. They’re not.
Adapting to the new world of no change fees, and getting things done online or in an airline app, American Airlines has made an important change to roundtrip tickets. It is now possible to cancel a roundtrip ticket online, even after you’ve started flying the itinerary, and get a credit to use later.
Customers won’t choose an airline that doesn’t get them where they’re going. But those are table stakes. Delta and United have pursued a premium strategy. American isn’t. But with American’s high costs, they need to earn a revenue premium for their product. That means customers need to spend more – on premium products, and choosing them over competitors.
The airline’s first quarter losses, and continued financial underperformance compared to Delta and United, show that improved operations aren’t enough. They’re just a start. Airline management, though, doesn’t seem to understand this.
Following Thursday’s American Airlines earnings call, senior management held a company all-hands “State Of The Airline” address. Over 4,000 employees tuned in live to the presentation and question and answer session, and a recording was placed online.
After talking through the news around his own compensation, CEO Robert Isom laid out where things stand with the company’s offer to flight attendants. This proved to be setting up the most dramatic moment of the event.
After American’s earnings call on Thursday, in prepared remarkets to the airline’s employees as a ‘State of the Airline’ event (a recording of which was reviewed by View From The Wing), Isom brought up his pay package and fumbled through an explanation. And as they say, when you’re explaining you’re losing. He came across as defensive and unsure of himself.
An American Airlines passenger flying from Charlotte to Munich purchased a business class ticket that they say cost them $4,600. Once they boarded they discovered that their seat did not move. It did not recline. It did not turn into a bed. It was just a seat – not the thing they had purchased.
One of the more shocking things – beyond dirty seats – has been missing seat backs in first class, with seats taken out of service. The response from the airline (and some readers) has been that it’s better to fly planes in this condition than delay flights to address the problem. But I’ve always wondered, what are they doing when the planes aren’t flying to maintain the interiors so that this doesn’t happen so frequently?
Yesterday American Airlines shared the news with customers who would become ConciergeKey members for the next year. AAdvantage members saw the status update in their account – as happens each year, before receiving an email and (for new members at least) receiving a phone call.
Concierge Key is the status that American Airlines gives to its top spending customers and top corporate travel influencers. It became legendary when George Clooney was portrayed as a Concierge Key member on a quest to earn 10 million miles in Up In The Air.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
