New Travel Planner

[Justme]

I spent 2 minutes on it. Checked a flight from MCO-PHX. Very impressed, in fact, in my opinion it is a:

HOME RUN!

Very clean, presents information logically, and is easy to use.

(My experience is based on a laptop, not a smart phone.)

 

[jimntx]

However, the old system worked just as well and provided more information. For instance, the powers that be who developed the specs for the new system evidently believe that non-rev employees do not need to know whether or not meals are served on the flight. I have access to RES and know how to call up that information. Most employees do not have access to RES. Those who have listed for First Class will either have to "bother" the gate agent for the information, or go buy something to eat in case there is no meal served.

You can't go by the time length of the flight anymore. Whether or not a meal is served is supposedly based on the mileage of the flight. The line I have this month has a flight from Dallas to Detroit. It departs DFW at 8:20 pm CDT and is blocked at 2 hr, 36 min. Up until recently that would have made the flight a dinner flight in First Class--something a number of the F/C passengers were expecting last Thursday, the first time I flew the sequence. However, I had the warm mixed nuts and the warmed over chocolate chip cookies and nothing else to serve. The flight arrives at DTW at 11:56 pm EDT--a hard time to go looking for something to eat.

Since the information is already in the computer, it costs the company practically nothing to display on the screen. I guess they were just figuring that most non-revs are never going to get a F/C seat from now on; so, there's no need for them to have the information.

 

[UPNAWAY]

I think if you click details it shows a Knife and a Fork for meals........if not send that in and suggest they add that. They said they are planning on regualr updates.

 

[ChrisUS]

However, the old system worked just as well and provided more information. For instance, the powers that be who developed the specs for the new system evidently believe that non-rev employees do not need to know whether or not meals are served on the flight. I have access to RES and know how to call up that information. Most employees do not have access to RES. Those who have listed for First Class will either have to "bother" the gate agent for the information, or go buy something to eat in case there is no meal served.

You can't go by the time length of the flight anymore. Whether or not a meal is served is supposedly based on the mileage of the flight. The line I have this month has a flight from Dallas to Detroit. It departs DFW at 8:20 pm CDT and is blocked at 2 hr, 36 min. Up until recently that would have made the flight a dinner flight in First Class--something a number of the F/C passengers were expecting last Thursday, the first time I flew the sequence. However, I had the warm mixed nuts and the warmed over chocolate chip cookies and nothing else to serve. The flight arrives at DTW at 11:56 pm EDT--a hard time to go looking for something to eat.

Since the information is already in the computer, it costs the company practically nothing to display on the screen. I guess they were just figuring that most non-revs are never going to get a F/C seat from now on; so, there's no need for them to have the information.

I was one of the beta testers and made the suggestion that information be shown as to exactly what type of food service the flight was offering, not just a spoon and fork. I also suggested ( and I believe it is being implemented) that you could select TRACK on a flight that you were interested in and could easily go back to check it without having to pull another availability check for the city pair and date. LUS had that.

 

[jimntx]

I fail to see much improved functionality over the "legacy" (as it is now called) system by simply rearranging the data displays. I spent 21+ years in the Information Technology field. One of the basic rules is "If it works, don't fix it." Other than generating income for Sabre which is no longer part of AA, I don't see a benefit to such an extensive re-write.

While we are at it, perhaps you can explain why one must hit the tab key twice to move from entry field to entry field on the Find Flights page? Once should be sufficient.

 

[IORFA]

From my experience with it , it is just a bigger/cleaner display. More along the lines of AA.com. However, I don't like the fact that it doesn't display as many flight options without having to scroll like the original one. So far it seems like a whole lot of wasted time and effort for just a different version of the same. Their cutesy option of looking for the least booked flights from your departure city is dumb. If I wanted to go to Omaha, I'd go. Just because it's half full isn't going to make me want to go all of a sudden. Now, if they'd show me how many people were J/S eligible, their type of J/S and pass category listed without having to go into RES that would be helpful!

 

[UPNAWAY]

I think the main reason for the change is a precursor to being able to accept payment on the system. So if I fly international I pay my taxes, but even more importantly friends and family will not only be able to make their own boookings, check in for their own flights, but pay for their own tickets. Getting us out of the travel agency and banker roll. That is a huge end benefit.

 

[IORFA]

I for one appreciate payroll deduction. It seems the LUS people dispise it. I guess they need to find more trustworthy friends and family. Besides if people would manage their pass travelers correctly, they could today book/manage their own pass travel. They just have to call the wefly number or go to the airport. So I'm cornfused about the excitement of being able to do something you can do today. Another cheap lazy process/product added to AA! P.S. that list of crAAp is quite large and only getting bigger.

 

[UPNAWAY]

Bothering Res or airport agents with non rev questions/bookings is not a good use of their time. And no I don't want guest passes deducucted and then I have to bother to collect. But even more, I don't want 100 calls or text what does this flight look like on such and such day. We had payroll deduction before the new selfserve (for family and guest) system came into place at US in 2008 or so and belive me no one wants to go back that.

 

[ChrisUS]

From my experience with it , it is just a bigger/cleaner display. More along the lines of AA.com. However, I don't like the fact that it doesn't display as many flight options without having to scroll like the original one. So far it seems like a whole lot of wasted time and effort for just a different version of the same. Their cutesy option of looking for the least booked flights from your departure city is dumb. If I wanted to go to Omaha, I'd go. Just because it's half full isn't going to make me want to go all of a sudden. Now, if they'd show me how many people were J/S eligible, their type of J/S and pass category listed without having to go into RES that would be helpful!

I think the best bets option is really only useful if you are trying to find a way home from a city and don't know where they have nonstop flights to out of that city. I've found my way home several times by making my own connections that travel planner didn't show. To look at best bets and decide that's where I'll go on vacation is a bit too capricious for me.

 

[ChrisUS]

I for one appreciate payroll deduction. It seems the LUS people dispise it. I guess they need to find more trustworthy friends and family. Besides if people would manage their pass travelers correctly, they could today book/manage their own pass travel. They just have to call the wefly number or go to the airport. So I'm cornfused about the excitement of being able to do something you can do today. Another cheap lazy process/product added to AA! P.S. that list of crAAp is quite large and only getting bigger.

Those of us who are retired don't have payroll anymore and appreciate the option of credit card billing or bank account debit.

 

[jimntx]

I can only get on an airplane as a D1 or D2 if I'm willing to take a jumpseat. So, since you're getting on an airplane at all as a D2R is as unlikely as the sun rising in the West, they should design a system that works for you? You're the only person I have ever heard of who was actually consulted about the new system. You must be special.

(I'm just yanking your chain. No offense intended.)

 

[ChrisUS]

I can only get on an airplane as a D1 or D2 if I'm willing to take a jumpseat. So, since you're getting on an airplane at all as a D2R is as unlikely as the sun rising in the West, they should design a system that works for you? You're the only person I have ever heard of who was actually consulted about the new system. You must be special.

(I'm just yanking your chain. No offense intended.)

LOL! Of course I'm special but I was selected because I volunteered. They had 7,000 beta testers. I had a friend who also volunteered but she never did any testing on it. For those who think the old way was better, they kept it for you, just scroll down a bit.

 

[diamondcutter]

However, the old system worked just as well and provided more information. For instance, the powers that be who developed the specs for the new system evidently believe that non-rev employees do not need to know whether or not meals are served on the flight. I have access to RES and know how to call up that information. Most employees do not have access to RES. Those who have listed for First Class will either have to "bother" the gate agent for the information, or go buy something to eat in case there is no meal served.

You can't go by the time length of the flight anymore. Whether or not a meal is served is supposedly based on the mileage of the flight. The line I have this month has a flight from Dallas to Detroit. It departs DFW at 8:20 pm CDT and is blocked at 2 hr, 36 min. Up until recently that would have made the flight a dinner flight in First Class--something a number of the F/C passengers were expecting last Thursday, the first time I flew the sequence. However, I had the warm mixed nuts and the warmed over chocolate chip cookies and nothing else to serve. The flight arrives at DTW at 11:56 pm EDT--a hard time to go looking for something to eat.

Since the information is already in the computer, it costs the company practically nothing to display on the screen. I guess they were just figuring that most non-revs are never going to get a F/C seat from now on; so, there's no need for them to have the information.

Wow I didn't think anyone could cared that much about a meal when booking a trip.

 

[jimntx]

Wow I didn't think anyone could cared that much about a meal when booking a trip.

When a flight is over 3-4 hours, you bet I care whether or not a meal is served. I don't want to waste money on airport concessions if I don't have to. And, a lot of non-rev travelers--especially retirees--are on a tight budget. If a meal is included in the amenities why would you not want someone who has to be careful in their expenditures to know that?

For that matter a lot of revenue passengers would like a heads-up on long flights with no meal service. You should see the "that's it?" look on the face of some Executive Platinums when they are offered the snack basket, or even worse, the R service which provides the warm mixed nuts and the warmed over cookies and nothing in between.