We’ve predicted it for years, but a knowledgeable insider suggests that international first class on American Airlines is finally on the way out.
Insider: American Airlines Will Eliminate International First Class
Currently, American Airlines offers its international or premium first class product onboard select Airbus A321 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Just last week there was intense speculation that the Airbus planes with first class, known as the A321T, would undergo a retrofit which would remove first class and add premium economy class by 2024.
That would have left only the 777-300ER fleet with first class.
Last night, industry insider JonNYC posted the following message:
The end of first class on @AmericanAir https://t.co/KupgBs2RSr
— Matthew Klint – Live And Let’s Fly (@LiveandLetsFly) August 25, 2022
American Airlines is introducing a new business class seat for its 777-300ER as well and with that will come a retrofit. JonNYC, who is almost always accurate, says the first class seat is likely to be removed during this process.
And let’s face it, it just makes sense. American Airlines has chosen not to invest in its onboard first class product (truly, a missed opportunity) and it simply does not make sense to have extra cabins of service.
> Read More: Five Ways American Airlines Can Offer A Leading First Class Product
Even the old “but Hollywood contracts require a real first class” argument is no longer the case…contracts have been renegotiated. First Class is generally not required.
Now all of this, if true, is years away. We won’t see a new business class seat unveiled until next year and likely won’t see it on the 777-300ER for several years to come. But it marks another step toward the elimination of first class. This time, though, it is more than speculation.
What Will AA Do With Flagship First Dining?
Currently, AA offers an innovative restaurant-like service for those passengers who fly in international first class. I don’t expect AA to close down these Flagship Dining facilities. Instead, I think AA will either create a special oneworld Emerald lounge (this has been rumored in cooperation with joint venture partner British Airways) or will integrate the dining experience into the Flagship Lounge, much like United Airlines does with its Polaris Lounges and like Delta is rumored to be developing with its new line of Delta One lounges.
In either case, I would expect these dining facilities to remain. After all, AA has already invested in this beautiful common space and it does mark a product differentiator than can be. monetized in another way should first class disappear.
CONCLUSION
I do view the elimination of international first class on American Airlines as a loss, for the reasons I outlined above. As the only U.S. carrier to offer it, American had (and still has) a chance to differentiate the product and sell it…trust me, my wealthy clients at Award Expert are willing to fork over the money if the product is compelling. Sadly, AA has all but given up on first class already. The news concerning the A321T last week and 777-300ER this week suggests that AA will shortly make what we already predicted the official news.
image: American Airlines
Any plans to fly this product before it’s phased out ( if you haven’t already)?
Yes. I’ve flown it once many years ago, but want to fly it again.
Klimt – I don’t quite follow why you believe this will be a loss for American. They clearly are not seeing the returns on their first class product. Perhaps you can call their first class product a differentiator, but it must contain the words “money losing” in front of the word “differentiator” to be more accurate.
Business class products have become so good on other airlines that it has eroded the perceived value of first class. I struggle to see any major differences between the two classes other than a little more space. That added benefit is not worth the 3X to 4X the price of a business class fare.
Edit: sorry I meant to say Matthew.
Hey, they serve a soup course with dinner/lunch in FC. So there is that.
Isn’t this a chicken vs. egg problem? How can AA say that first class failed when it has failed to invest in it?
AA has it which by default means they invested in it. You may have your own opinion it terms of ways to tweak the product, but they have had first class for well over a decade and have made many changes to the product with not much success.
But surely you would stipulate that by failing to place specially-trained FAs in the role or by meaningfully distinguishing the soft product from business class, they’ve failed to offer any sort of meaningful value proposition to paying extra for first…which is why it is usually dismissed as “employee class.”
Exactly. I’ve flown first class a lot on both the 773 and the 321T, and it really is about missed opportunities. There was a time when AA did differentiate on the meals between J and F (soup! more and better appetizers! more entrée choices!); after the pandemic, forget it. Only once was I ever greeted personally by the lead FA or purser; never have I been offered slippers, even though they’re stocked on the 773. I’ve even had FAs “forget” or opt out of the second meal service. So, when Matthew says that American has refused to invest, it’s about money, sure, but it’s also about training, which is another point he made. I’ll be sad to see it go because I like the seat and FF Dining, but otherwise F on American isn’t worth the money, and no way it compares to any other F product out there (except maybe BA, but that’s not a compliment).
I see this as a small net win on the margins as it might make it easier to redeem a J award. I’ve only ever flown F on AA when it was the only way to redeem and award, and I never found it remotely worth the extra miles — the difference between F and J on AA widebodies has been de minimis since the installation of lay-flats.
For the LAX transcons the wine is no longer different save for the port and champagne. The meal is now two step – you get the salad, app, and soup at once. So that’s identical to biz save for the small soup. And the main is larger but not materially different than biz. Flew it this week and the FA didn’t offer any refills, not even a top up of water.
Basically it’s become UA PS first in its second half of existence. Somewhat more private, barely more premium.
The biggest difference is flagship dining room access / flagship checkin. That probably won’t go away for some J fliers.
Too bad, it’s nice to have a differentiated cabin. Still the nicest way to fly across the country all in all but not as nice as it was even a few years ago onboard, though much better ground service when you consider the flagship dining.
I don’t value that as much – takes too much time on the ground. Would rather have good champagne/wine/food in the sky where I have spare time and something basic on the ground.
AA never had a real international first class product. What they have is a joke which only people that have no clue what a real first class would pay that money to fly there. I was upgraded to their international first class once and I felt bad for the other people sitting there as they were paying for that seat. Cheap wine, cheap salad and cheap chocolates and a service that was not warm or engaged. When you have the opportunity to fly real first class on Singapore, Air France, Lufthansa, Cathay, Emirates, reading that AA has a first class makes me laugh.
I still aim to fly it at some point lolll. Reminds me of the old United global first. Such a random class. My wife flew lh first with our one year old to Rome and then back on United global first. She actually preferred the latter as the flight attendants were super helpful with the baby
It’s certainly a better seat and overall product, but probably not worth the effort unless the pricing (via AA web specials) is on par with business class.
You start out making it sound as though they’ll eliminate First Class and have only Premium Economy above Economy, but then talk about Business Class. Will they still have Business Class after eliminating First Class? If so, it feels like a nomenclature quibble more than anything else.
No, there’s a historic difference between the personalized service and added courses in first class versus business class.
I may be in the minority here but is F even needed in this day and age? If you have a fantastic J product like Qatar or Etihad, then who needs F, unless you really crave top shelf bubbly and caviar. If this helps AA by focusing on one less cabin, then that can (theoretically) be a plus for the J and Y pax. I feel like AA wouldn’t and shouldn’t chase after the La Premiere crowd and instead focus on their product as a whole.
If you have a great J then it would be analogous to Volkswagen stopping Bugattis: sad but then they will still sell you Porsches and Bentleys.
Will somebody please check in on Gary Leff and give him a hug!? Please you guys, quickly!!
For me it’s the thrill of the chase. Finding a qf f seat to aus or an etihad apartments redemption. It’s not needed but it’s a different experience. I am still a firm believer in the curtains lolll. Why doesn’t American put curtains around their f seats instead of doors. Such an easy solution
Great point. Agreed.
This is a mistake on AAs part.
There is a market for international F. It is very high end leisure travelers.
If anything, they should consider eliminating J and focusing on improving O (PE). Businesses these days mainly only pay for O, not J, so that defeats the purpose entirely of having J. Create an O seat with a pitch of 45-48 inches and introduce multi course dining. Can raise the price of O 50-75% over the current price. Make it a real difference from Y, more so than simply the difference between Y and domestic “F”
Laughing at all the non-revs crying at the news and realizing…”I’ll be lucky to fly in Premium economy now.”
No love for AA here. Flew AA 73 (LAX-SYD) in F, January 2021. Early pandemic in Australia, so there were 36 passengers, 6 of us in F, and 30 in J and premium economy. The crew was disinterested in serving customers, food was served wrapped in plastic due to COVID concerns, and drinks and service items had to be requested. The seat was mediocre, and overall the experience was poor value. Since then I have flown to the US using Delta, Emirates via DXB.
No first on AA? Where will the cabin crew work who really hate their jobs and passengers in future?
I have to confess..in all those years flying with AA in domestic First or intern. Flagship First for the sake of getting OW Emerald, it is just mediocre at best. If they can revive the brand as a Premium Business Class like QR that will worth flying. For now it is definitely a pass.