Comments on: American Airlines beefs up their business class, but will anyone notice?

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:36:23 +0000

What they don’t say is that they’ve reduced the leg room in economy to be able to expand the first class and business class sections. It is not possible to even read in economy any more, as the head of the person in front of you is about 8 inches away when their seat is reclined. This gives a new meaning to “cattle car.” Great marketing: insult 80% of your customers with impossibly uncomfortable and “third world” seats in order to better accommodate 20% of your premium travelers.

By: tseliot

tseliot — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:00:44 +0000

the AA seats do look very high tech. I’ll have to try them out in person though.

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:14:24 +0000

What can I tell you. That’s as far as the seat goes flat in AA’s own virtual online presentation. Their best marketing materials, presumably.

Find a better photo, e-mail it to me, and I’ll gladly publish it. Or feel free to link to it here in comments.

By: Another None

Another None — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:01:29 +0000

That’s still not completely in sleep mode.

How do I know? See personal experience below.

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:00:49 +0000

Actually, just re-reading the comment: I’m not sure the AA seat meets your qualifications for a “cradling” seat, either. Are you referring to the 1990s-era cradle seats, or the flat-but-not-horizontal seats that you find on Lufhansa, American, etc.?

By: Another None

Another None — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:59:52 +0000

You’re showing a picture of AA’s seat in the lounging position vs. UA’s completely flat seat. Very misleading… just because you took it from the press release doesn’t make it not so.

How many of you complainers (author included) have actually flown in AA’s new seats? If I was a betting man, I’d say less than 1.

I’ve had the pleasure on 6 flights now, and I think the seats are great. No, they’re not completely horizontal, but they’re not so angled as to feel like you’re sliding.

Did the author happen to look up how many seats each plane will lose? It will be very enlightening, especially for upgraders.

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:58:22 +0000

Okay… Well, then, how about this picture?

or this one, in fully-extended sleep mode, without the sleepy lady?

By: none@none.com

none@none.com — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:46:28 +0000

>How so?

The UA seat is definitely better by offering a horizontal flat position, but the AA seat reclines further than what is shown. If you’re going to show the UA seat in a sleep position, then show the AA seat in a sleep position too.

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:39:11 +0000

Well, great! Then I guess AA is the airline for you!

I’m sure the AA seat is decent. And it’s better than before, so that’s great, too. But most people sleep better when they’re truly horizontal. That’s why most airlines are migrating toward 180-degree seats.

But to each their own!

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:36:42 +0000

How so? The photo was taken directly from the AA press release page linked in the post. The same press release sent to me by AA’s PR folks.

???

By: none@none.com

none@none.com — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:00:47 +0000

your aa photo is a misleading. http://www.howwillyourtimefly.com/

By: speedwell

speedwell — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:46:12 +0000

NO. I’ll take the cradling, zero-gravity-style, balanced-stress design over a flat, hard, school-nurse pseudo-cot any day of the year. It would be better if the leg rest was higher, though.