I’ve flown on AA’s international business and first class. The difference is negligible in terms of the seats and most people in them were complimentary upgrades since they couldn’t fill the seats.

The bigger differences were on the ground with the dining and check in. So all AA is doing is creating a “Business Plus” category that gets you the first class amenities on the ground and then a business class seat. This lets them put more business class seats on the plane and open things up to a bigger revenue stream.

[–] stevehobbes@lemy.lol 6 points 9 months ago (2 children)

AA first has been a joke for a long time. It was an ever so slightly better seat and they served one extra course - a soup - but was otherwise identical to business class service. You can’t charge thousands more for soup.

First class has been dying for years - and the only airlines that will do it, it’s really a prestige thing more than a profit center.

[–] COASTER1921@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

AA is the last United States based airline to even have one. This move is an industry-wide trend now that lie-flat business class seats are standard. Business class has gotten much nicer in the past 10 years and taken away the customers that previously would have flown in first.

I'd rather fly Qatar qsuites or many other si-enclosed business class seats than the first class ones remaining on European airlines like British Airways, Lufthansa, of air France. And doing so is a fraction of the price.

[–] stevehobbes@lemy.lol 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

BA, agree, AF, not a chance. La Premiere is much much nicer than even qsuites. LH is somewhat plane dependent, but the FCT is fun.