77D/2-cabin 772 enters service today

[MAH4546]

AmEx is simply catering to it's upper class clientele, who are more likely to fly American than any other domestic airline. 

 

[737823]

AmEx is simply catering to it's upper class clientele, who are more likely to fly American than any other domestic airline.

Yep many Centurion cardmembers still earn AA status despite the giveaway Platinum Medallion from Amex.

Josh

 

[eolesen]

AmEx is simply catering to it's upper class clientele, who are more likely to fly American than any other domestic airline.

Yep. Perhaps WT can explain why they're not trying to do a Club anywhere near DL's gates at any of the three airports they've opened at.

Then again, Amex Platinum cardholders still can gain access to the SkyClub if they're ticketed that day on DL. DL just changed the policy so that they can't bring a guest, but hey, at least they can get some carrot sticks and pretzels.

 

[WorldTraveler]

precisely because Amex already has benefits that include lounge access.

and DL reduced access for all SkyClub guests.... I know it goes over your head but DL makes business decisions based on strength.

on one front after another, DL continues to receive yield premiums compared to the industry despite you and Josh's perception that all they do is cut.

we'll see by tomorrow but I fully expect that DL will still have the highest yield among US carriers.

 

[jcw]

precisely because Amex already has benefits that include lounge access.and DL reduced access for all SkyClub guests.... I know it goes over your head but DL makes business decisions based on strength.on one front after another, DL continues to receive yield premiums compared to the industry despite you and Josh's perception that all they do is cut.we'll see by tomorrow but I fully expect that DL will still have the highest yield among US carriers.

That's a rich statement - we have seen other carriers make moves that DL copies so DL does not make every decision from a lead position

You like to forget DL closed CVG and MEM - closing hubs are a decision of weakness because it's a failing strategy

It's amazing how you can't grasp basic logic

What meds produce your posts

Hail to DL

How is the list coming along

 

[WorldTraveler]

and you will find out that AA will close hubs too.

they just have to figure out what to do with the extra personnel that they have on the payroll now so they are keeping capacity in place.

in time, they will realize they have to generate returns comparable to or better than the rest of the industry.

and for now, AA has to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to merge the two companies... it is part of the process. we'll see tomorrow how much money they have spent and how close they are to becoming one carrier.

BTW, when will AA have a merged res system? there is a whole lot of the merger process that is dependent on that step.

seems to me that other carriers had managed to merge their res systems within the first year. we're at 10 1/2 months for AA/US

 

[jcw]

Actually US closed hubs as well as AA has and still might close more that does not mean AA is ingpferior to DL

That's right UA did it fast and it was a disaster and AA said it was going to go slow so merger gins res systems fast is no sign of strategic prowess

It's amazing how you change subjects to avoid the point

Did you get kicked off the high school debate team because you can't stay on topic or do the meds produce this result

 

[eolesen]

BTW, when will AA have a merged res system? there is a whole lot of the merger process that is dependent on that step.

seems to me that other carriers had managed to merge their res systems within the first year. we're at 10 1/2 months for AA/US

Yeah, not quite. DL/NW was an anomaly, since both were in Worldspan. There were no incompatibilities in merging the two PNR databases, and only minimal change needed to switch over some of the back-end systems. Sure, there was some work needed, but when you have different departments within Worldspan doing the work, and there's no incentive to drag it out financially, things can move a lot easier.

When you're switching half your operation over to a new platform, it's approaching the same level of doing a system migration, and the lag time between deciding on a new platform and doing the migration is 36 months.

UA & CO did their migration just shy of two years in, and paid a huge price because they rushed it.

WN & FL never bothered with a merge, and it will be approaching a three year process give or take for them to get out of SAAS.

AF & KL merged in 2004, but didn't actually merge their res systems until 2011 or 2012.

So no, "within the first year" is nothing but fantasy when you're talking about a migration. The only way that can be shortened is if the basic PNR is identical, e.g. two Sabre customers merging, or if you do a point-in-time cutover like Airtran did, e.g. all bookings involving travel past March 1 are done in the new platform, with a date set so far in the future that you don't have to migrate bookings.

It's a servicing nightmare, but it's a relatively low risk approach that buys more time to get all the airport systems ready to switch over.

 

[737823]

precisely because Amex already has benefits that include lounge access.

and DL reduced access for all SkyClub guests.... I know it goes over your head but DL makes business decisions based on strength.

on one front after another, DL continues to receive yield premiums compared to the industry despite you and Josh's perception that all they do is cut.

we'll see by tomorrow but I fully expect that DL will still have the highest yield among US carriers.

 
DL and Amex have the long standing partnership but for whatever reason aside from the Admirals Club access benefit from 2007-2014 AA and Amex really haven't collaborated much.  You have never been able to transfer Membership Rewards to AAdvantage miles (but were able to do so for CO OnePass) and Amex has never given away AA status like they do for DL and have done with CO, NW, US, and TW in the past. 
 
Not sure if you have experienced any of the Centurion Lounges or Delta Sky Clubs lately but even with the recent DL enhancements the Centurion Lounge blows even the best SkyClub out of the water.  Amex has free top shelf liquors, free Veuve Clicquot, extensive cocktail lists, gourmet buffet (and formerly offered free Kosher meals upon request), free massages, manicures and facials at DFW.  The lounge access is a benefit people value and I think Amex really got it right here.  I rarely visit the Admirals Club at DFW anymore and look forward to the club opening at MIA next year.  
 
And again the SkyClub policy changes had nothing to do with overcrowding, just like the revenue requirements have nothing to do with providing a more exclusive Medallion experience.  Every man and his brother gets access to DL clubs as it is now, go visit one of the clubs at ATL/DTW/JFK and you can hardly find an open seat its packed to the gills.  So DL upset the few people that actually hold memberships to access their lounges while they monetize them through $25 Amex offers, regular Groupon offers, etc.
 
Josh

 

[AirLUVer]

really? I don't understand how that is cause I believe the seats are about the same size. 

If you go to the seat guru website, you will see that AAs biz cabin on the two class 777, extends quite a bit farther back into the cabin than DLs.

 

[WorldTraveler]

the seat map on seat guru for AA's refurbished 772 is the 45 seat business cabin while for DL it is the 37 seat version - the 772ER and LR cabins are virtually identical.

the AA crew rest cabin is not identified but obviously located at row 22 between the mid-cabin economy lavs.

lavs and galleys are somewhat different between AA and DL but there aren't a lot of differences other than DL has 9 abreast throughout coach while AA has 10 abreast in the rear cabin.

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

And so, quite sooner than anticipated, the 772 shall become the largest aircraft in the DL fleet. Nitpick about the cabin configurations all you want, but at least AA will have the flexibility to optimize its network with its assortment of 77Ws as it pleases.

 

[WorldTraveler]

the 333 seats a few more passengers than the 772 in DL's configuration.

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

the 333 seats a few more passengers than the 772 in DL's configuration.

 
Oh yeah, I believe AA has some of those, too.

 

[WorldTraveler]

actually operated by US and they seat more than AA's 772s.

in fact, AA's 77Ws seat only about a dozen more seats than competitor 772s or 333s.