Here we go again playing musical chairs!

Hatu

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Aug 20, 2002
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MIA
American says it will add seats on many planes

DALLAS (AP) -- American Airlines expects to add more seats to some of its planes, which could mean less leg room for passengers.
The airline's parent company, AMR Corp., disclosed the move in a regulatory filing Wednesday.
American's vice president of flight service, Lauri Curtis, said that the airline constantly examines its operations, including trying to match the number of seats with travel demand.
Curtis said airline officials expect to add seats on Boeing 737 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets, "but we haven't yet determined the right number of seats, and as a result, the impact on revenue and cost."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-says-add-seats-many-221437165.html

Guess it should bring back the #3 bid position for the 737.
 
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Seats on, Seats off, Seats on, Seats off, then blame labor,
Seats on, Seats off, Seats on, Seats off, then blame labor,
Seats on, Seats off, Seats on, Seats off, then blame labor,
Seats on, Seats off, Seats on, Seats off, then blame labor,
Seats on, Seats off, Seats on, Seats off, then blame labor,
 
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This is stupid, another mismanagement blunder. Why not just offer more frequency?
 
This is stupid, another mismanagement blunder.

It appears to be your new management team's decision. So, the word "another" probably doesn't apply here, unless of course you plan to just blame management in general for every decision made that you disagree with.

Why not just offer more frequency?

Adding in 10-20 seats is a far cry from adding 150 seats with frequency.

You guys should be happy. More seats usually increases chances for nonrevs.
 
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This is stupid, another mismanagement blunder. Why not just offer more frequency?

This is classic Parker. Did the same thing to US Airways with his "leisure airline" mentality. Coat closets get removed next in order to add even more seats. Then, time to start beating up on the Frequent Fliers. How else can the New American even think about competing with Southwest?
 
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I doubt US mgmt is making these kind of decesions yet, this would have been in the works for a while IMHO, he might have given it his blessing buit I doubt they inniated it. Has a lot more pressing issues to deal with than things like that.
 
I doubt US mgmt is making these kind of decesions yet, this would have been in the works for a while IMHO, he might have given it his blessing buit I doubt they inniated it. Has a lot more pressing issues to deal with than things like that.

And yet, the article states:

American's employees got an update on the seating plans during a meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, with executives who'll lead the airline after it merges with US Airways Group Inc.

Given all the announcements AA made on MCE and flat seats not too long ago, do you really think they would have just kept this in their back pocket?... Doubtful.
 
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I doubt US mgmt is making these kind of decesions yet, this would have been in the works for a while IMHO, he might have given it his blessing buit I doubt they inniated it. Has a lot more pressing issues to deal with than things like that.
This would be illegal. US and AA are still separate companies and competitors. Until the DOJ clears the deal, US leadership cannot manage the AA business and vice versa. I've been through three mergers at three different companies, and this has been stressed each and every time.
 
This would be illegal. US and AA are still separate companies and competitors. Until the DOJ clears the deal, US leadership cannot manage the AA business and vice versa. I've been through three mergers at three different companies, and this has been stressed each and every time.

Not exactly. Until the merger is final, AA and US may not share pricing, scheduling or other competition-sensitive data and obviously may not make any agreements to restrain trade. AA execs are still making operating decisions in competition with all of AA's competitors, including US.

But incoming executives hinting that, in their view, the seating density of AA's 738s and MD-80s is insufficient and that once they're in charge, some "changes will have to be made" and the seating density will have to be increased, violates no laws.
 
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It appears to be your new management team's decision. So, the word "another" probably doesn't apply here, unless of course you plan to just blame management in general for every decision made that you disagree with.



Adding in 10-20 seats is a far cry from adding 150 seats with frequency.

You guys should be happy. More seats usually increases chances for nonrevs.

But here is something that many people miss: droves of people were leaving UA and DA for the service offered to EXPs at AA. You takeaway F seats which is what will havet o happen to make room for the coach seats, means you take away upgrade chances, hence removing a HUGE incentive for people to fly 100k miles a year or 100 segments. You then become just like UA and DA, and now can only compete on price as many of the routes are the same for each airline.

Still believe being a smaller high service airline caputring the high value customers was a smarter business plan, its why SA, Emirates and other "foreign" airlines offer better service, because they are not trying to attract the 1x per year traveler, but the multi-trip customer.

Cheers,
777 / 767 / 757
 
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But here is something that many people miss: droves of people were leaving UA and DA for the service offered to EXPs at AA. You takeaway F seats which is what will havet o happen to make room for the coach seats, means you take away upgrade chances, hence removing a HUGE incentive for people to fly 100k miles a year or 100 segments. You then become just like UA and DA, and now can only compete on price as many of the routes are the same for each airline.

Still believe being a smaller high service airline caputring the high value customers was a smarter business plan, its why SA, Emirates and other "foreign" airlines offer better service, because they are not trying to attract the 1x per year traveler, but the multi-trip customer.

Cheers,
777 / 767 / 757
This addition of seats does NOT automatically mean that the number of F/C seats will have to be reduced. Remember, AA just spent thousands of dollars to remove seats from coach for their MCE (Main Cabin Extra) promotion. Just like when they removed seats for the MRTC (More Room Throughout Coach) promotion. The problem: it seems that passengers are just as unwilling to PAY for the extra space afforded them on an MCE row as they were unwilling to pay for the extra space afforded them on a MRTC row. They do not want to pay for space, they just want to #### about the lack of it. As my aunt in Alabama would have said, "Consider my pearls clutched."

For all we know, they may just be spending more thousands of dollars to put back the seats they just removed. Which of course will mean renumbering the rows on all S80s and 73s. We were almost at the point where the seat maps in the computer actually agreed with the reality of the number of seats and the row numbers on most of the airplanes. I haven't had a passenger board for a couple of weeks now with a seat assignment in row 7 (which is now row 8) on most 80s and 73s.

All together now...
"It seems that I have heard this song before. It's from an old familiar score. I know it well, that melody. It's funny how a theme recalls a favorite dream..." etc, etc, etc.
 
This addition of seats is just the start of the America Westicization of AA.

Is there a pool on how long if will take before the incoming transcon A321s are brought to HP/US "standards"?