American Airlines has informed employees they will temporarily lose access to first class seating on narrow body, two-cabin domestic flights when non-revving. Is such a draconian approach really necessary?
In a memo shared by View from the Wing, American explained the rationale for its change:
Team member first class seating when non-revving on narrowbodies suspended
Last week, we outlined a number of inflight social distancing measures for the safety of our flight attendants and customers. We are now seeing first class cabins much more full than main Cabin due to upgrades, so we’re announcing an additional temporary policy change. Effective immediately, first and business class booking sand upgrades on narrowbody and regional flights will be temporarily suspended for team members and their guests traveling on business or non-revenue tickets, unless contractually required. This is or the safety and well-being of team members and customers. We will begin blocking the first row of premium cabin on seat maps for narrow body flights.
Ok, I get that American Airlines wants to encourage social distancing. I also get that first class really doesn’t matter too much when most can have their own row in economy class.
But what if first class is totally empty? On daytime flights I’d still rather have a recliner in first class over a full row in economy class. Wouldn’t a more reasonable policy be to only clear non-revs if the seat next to them would also remain empty or if they were traveling with someone else?
Look, I know it doesn’t really matter now. Service has been cut from most first class flights and a row of three in economy class is more than enough for most domestic flights.
Still, unless blanket policy is being implemented so gate agents don’t get into arguments with employees over upgrades, this just seems a step too far. There’s no need to unnecessarily aggravate already-frayed employees at this time.
image: American
The bigger question is why they were ever allowed to sit in first class, taking away an upgrade from a loyal paying customer.
These upgrades only clear once all elites have been upgraded.
Yeah riiiiiiight
I don’t understand such vitriol against employees traveling in premium cabins once all upgrades have been cleared.
Problem is this: the gate agent puts their friends, f/a’s and anyone they want to up there BEFORE upgrading status holders. These people dont make it on the upgrade list either. It’s not hate but it is resentment that elites arent cleared before the freebie crowd. If every single last elite on the airplane is cleared, then sure put emps up front….but we both know it doesn’t happen like that.
Maybe your company should take your benefits away.
I work at an airline and this would never happen. The consequences of putting nonrev on before paying customers or even nonrevs out of order (compared to other nonrevs) are too large to even consider. Its easy to seem like they would, but they don’t
You as a nonrev understand that its all space available and that you only get first class after revenue and after other higher priority nonrev.
Regarding the policy, I’m surprised that AA didn’t just block off alternating seats in FC to maintain social distancing.
Are you asserting that elites at all levels are upgraded before employees? I don’t buy it. Pre corona I’ve never seen an upgrade list with fewer ppl than the size of the first class cabin, so I don’t see how you could say that. I’m sure it happens occasionally, but probably 1 in a 1000, or less.
Domestically, it never happened before COVID-19. Internationally, it happened all the time. But with COVID-19, cabins are going out half full or less even on domestic routes typically filled with complimentary upgrades.
Probably happens about as often as voter fraud (i.e., quite rarely), despite conspiracy theorists saying otherwise
Or perhaps it’s a time to upgrade even non-elites over non-revs so as to begin to build back the loyalty airlines lost over the past few years. Non-Revs sitting in first does nothing to build customer experience or retention.
Further, these non-revs are mostly traveling to their base as THEY chose not to live there. That’s on them to increase their exposure and hours on a plane because they want to live in, say, Raleigh instead of DC.
It’s time to put customers first again. Especially now.
Agree, but remember, we’re dealing w/AA & Discount Dougie who view paying pax as self-loading freight. I’ve had the displeasure of having non-revs, some in uniform, sitting next to me in the past-almost all were obnoxious & entitled (1 pilot in particular; ugh!). FAs responsible for the front cabin made it clear that the pax took second place to these non-revs, which I also found incredibly irritating. However, I think it’s going to take more than end of the world pandemic to change the mindset of Discount Dougie et al.
Unbelievable, I work for an airline and your comment makes no sense. Your company probably pays for your tickets to fly, what makes that any different from my 29 years of keeping you getting from point A to point B safely getting in an empty otherwise unpaid seat on an airplane? Please help me understand your logic? And your welcome!
“Draconian”? Really?
You need to look up the meaning of the word.
Harsh/severe?
Harsh, severe, really? Sitting employees in first class… Why was it ever necessary?
Still need to make clear who the slaves are. Grrr.
Total against allowing non-revving to use premium cabins. I had several times when I was a paid passenger on premium cabin and suddenly the place became a total zoo right before the cabin door was closed with employees and their families taking over the cabin. They were loud, spent most of the time sitting on each other armrests and chatting and drinking like it was a big family party. It felt like they owned the plane and I was the one out of place.
Curious, this happens to you on Delta?
Yes on international flights mostly coming from South America to the US. Very common to see gate upgrades to family and friends.
I’m all for it. Customers should always come first before employees. You’re in the service industry for goodness sake.
I am really upset w AA refusal to refund ticket purchase in this current state of health/travel. I’ve tried to work through customer service, no avail.
Any suggestions for me?
Dispute with your credit card company.
I am an American Airlines flight attendant. At this time I would like ALL upgrades suspended. Whatever happened to actually PAYING for a first class seat?? Especially now..
Just love it when airlines refer to people/ employees/ customers as “Team members”., “guests” ……. Talk about an over-used phrase…… can’t you (the airlines) just say EMPLOYEES or PASSENGERS ?? Team members are in sports ,… guests stay in hotels. Not everything in this world has to relate to Disneyland or a Disneyland experience.
Now that people are getting used to working remotely and having Zoom meetings there will be far fewer revenue passengers in first class when this eastern virus passes. What a boon for non-revs.
Please understand that non-rev benefits are a part of any employee’s benefits package. In most cases they are negotiated by the unions at the cost of not getting something else such as a higher pay rate. How would you feel if your employer unilaterally took away or lessened the value of your benefits package tomorrow? The employee sitting next to you may feel entitled to that seat because they are entitled to that seat.