American Airlines discontinuing first-class section to prioritize business class

The Hill ^ | 10/20/2022 | ZACH SCHONFELD

[The Iceman Cometh]

Rule of Thumb: If the flight is going to last 4 or more hours, fly First Class. Your body will thank you.

Being 6' 3", flights longer than 5 hours are pretty unbearable in the cattle car section of the plan. My wife sprung for first class tickets for us a while ago for an anniversary present. That ruined flying forever. Now, I can't fathom sitting in the back of the plane and have a leg go numb from the inability to move it.

That being said, on some of the smaller planes, first class ain't really worth the extra money. You do get to get off the plane first as well which helps waiting all that time for people to grab their luggage from the bins.

[wbslws]

I don’t fly any airline as I do not like being molested at the airport.

[Recovering_Democrat]

I liked having a first class option. This kind of sucks.

[mowowie]

I was bumped to a first class seat on a flight to Chicago once.
Was the only time in my life that I was depressed that the plane landed...

[Zuriel]

A year ago in August my wife and I flew from Nashville to visit her brother in NorCal. I suggested driving since as a 20 yr OTR trucker, I’m accustomed to getting in the ‘marathon driver zone’. Could have driven there in two days, plus see some nice scenery along the way. Same for coming back, maybe diverting some for more sights.

One cancellation going out, and two coming back.

We would have beat the jet on our return if we had driven.

My wife has since declared no more airports or airliners for 48 state travel. Fine with me.

[ConservativeInPA]

Most people in first class are business travelers that fly a lot. They use airline points to upgrade. I bet AA eliminates 1st class on most domestic flights just because it doesn’t generate any revenue in the first place.

[T.B. Yoits]

I suspect businesses are less willing to for first class for their executives and that more executives are traveling by corporate jets but the real issue is that the lockdowns and restrictions from COVID-19⁸⁴ encouraged first class passengers to switch to corporate jets.

Andrew Tate got banned from social media not for any accusations of misogyny but for calling out the sick hypocrisy that during the entire COVID-19⁸⁴ lockdowns, private jet passengers were allowed to fly into countries without proof of the Jim Jones Jab that the same countries demanded of the everyone else. (He's on video saying it was going to get him canceled and sure enough, it did).

[03A3]

A crappy airline with a first class section? Who knew?

I live in a large enough city now that when I take a business class flight I don't even have to get on an American carrier. Wish the Middle Eastern and Asian carriers would enter our domestic market.

[03A3]

Southwest does OK without First Class

SW blows. Their draw is using places like Hobby and Midway which is convenient.

[M Kehoe]

Hi

“Their draw is using places like Hobby and Midway which is convenient.”

I won’t fly into Midway during the winter.

5.56mm

[Nifster]

On overseas flights your seat converts to a bed

[oldbill]

But if you get rid of First Class, Business Class becomes first class, no?

This is like those coffee places that have only medium and large cups.
Or the cereal boxes that come in large and family sizes.

Uh, doesn’t that make the medium or the large the small?

[dsrtsage]

First class today (on US airlines) is not even as nice as peasant class was in the 70s. I have enough status to fly first more often than not, and it is fun to sneer at the peasants as they shamble to the back of the plane, but if I had to pay for it for domestic flights I wouldn’t do it. However, for flights across the ocean, business class is fantabulous, mostly just for the reclining seats alone. I generally can’t sleep on planes, but with a seat that can go close to horizontal, I sleep like a baby. My work automatically upgrades any flight over 8 hours, and the first time I did business, was a flight from DFW to Doha, Qatar. I remember dozing off somewhere between Dallas and DC and when I next opened my eyes I was looking down upon the Sahara desert. Never before had I slept on a plane like that. Now I am spoilt, and will never do a long flight in economy again. Sometimes you can get deals, in fact last night, I got a wild hair and booked a business class flight from Reno to Tahiti for 1100 bucks

[Bernard]

I won’t fly into Midway during the winter.

They haven't had a plane end up in somebody's living room for a long time. And flying through Midway means you get to experience the glamor and traffic flow of Cicero Avenue. A true Chicago experience.

[dinodino]

Southwest is an LCC. That’s a completely different business model.

[T. Rustin Noone]

We share the same height and at 230 pounds, I appreciate the extra seat width a lot.

I was working in UAE several years ago and had to fly from Dubai to Miami non-stop. My partner’s girlfriend was a FA on Air Emirate so she was able to upgrade my Coach ticket to Business Class. What an experience! I had my own pod of comfort and they were pouring Chivas 18 year old blended scotch. I have dreams about it every once in a while. )))

[Howie66]

There is so much more to see and experience by driving. None of the associated government bullscat (TSA) or dealing with the low rent hood rats that seem to be intent on making a ruckus on the flights on a daily basis. Who needs that garbage?

[GaryCrow]

The last time I drove from Atlanta to Paris the scenery was kind of boring.

[Howie66]

Wife and I have decided travel to Europe is not going to be on our agenda with the current situation that seems to be prevalent over there. Thus, that’s a moot point for us.

[Kenny Bania]