Tag: American Airlines

  • American Airlines Is Bringing Seatback Screens Back. Good. They Never Should Have Left.

    American Airlines Is Bringing Seatback Screens Back. Good. They Never Should Have Left.

    American Airlines Is Bringing Seatback Screens Back. Good. They Never Should Have Left.

    American Airlines just announced that seatback entertainment screens are coming back to its narrowbody fleet.

    My first reaction?

    Good.

    My second reaction?

    Why did they take them out in the first place?

    American is reversing a strategy that dates back to 2017, when the airline decided its new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft would not have seatback entertainment screens. At the time, American’s argument was that more than 90% of its passengers already brought a phone, tablet or laptop onboard, so it made more sense to invest in streaming entertainment and connectivity than screens built into the seats.

    On a PowerPoint presentation in a conference room somewhere, I can see how that probably made perfect sense.

    In the real world?

    I think it completely misunderstood the customer.

    Just Because I Have a Screen Doesn’t Mean I Want to Use It

    I travel with an iPhone and an iPad on virtually every flight I take.

    And ironically, I am probably not American’s best argument for bringing the screens back because I usually watch something on my iPad anyway.

    But that’s my choice.

    There is a big difference between saying, “Most passengers carry a device,” and saying, “Most passengers would prefer to use that device instead of a seatback entertainment system.”

    Those are two entirely different things.

    Your phone might be charging. You might want to text someone using the Wi-Fi. You might want to check your email while watching a movie. You might have a child with you who doesn’t have a device. Maybe you didn’t download anything before the flight. Maybe your battery is dying.

    Or maybe you simply don’t want to hold your phone or balance an iPad somewhere for three hours.

    Having a phone in your pocket doesn’t make the screen in front of you unnecessary.

    Sometimes Companies Stop Watching Their Customers

    I’ve worked in enough companies, departments and leadership teams over the years to see the human side of how decisions like this happen.

    Consumers normally see the finished decision.

    They don’t see the meetings.

    They don’t see the personalities.

    They don’t see the person who walks into a room convinced that he or she has the answer, or the people around the table who might disagree but eventually stop arguing.

    Good leadership, in my experience, isn’t simply walking into the room with the best idea.

    It’s bringing together people with different experiences, listening to them, challenging assumptions and then making the best decision possible for the customer and the business.

    Sometimes companies do that extraordinarily well.

    Sometimes somebody falls in love with an idea.

    And once that happens, an organization can spend years defending something customers never really wanted.

    I can’t tell you exactly what happened inside American Airlines in 2017, and I’m certainly not suggesting one person made this decision alone.

    But from the outside, this has always looked like one of those decisions where the spreadsheet won over the customer.

    Here’s the Research I Would Have Done

    This part isn’t complicated.

    Get on an airplane.

    Sit in economy.

    Look around.

    I do it every week.

    When I’m on an aircraft equipped with seatback entertainment, plenty of those screens are being used. My completely unscientific observation from flying is that on many flights it looks like more than half the cabin has something playing.

    Movies.

    TV shows.

    The moving map.

    Kids programming.

    Sometimes people aren’t even actively watching. The map is simply running while they’re doing something else.

    That’s customer behavior happening right in front of you.

    And here’s the important part: those passengers often have phones sitting next to them too.

    The seatback screen didn’t replace their device.

    It complemented it.

    That distinction seems obvious today, but apparently it wasn’t obvious enough in 2017.

    American Is Now Making a Very Big U-Turn

    This isn’t American putting screens on a handful of new airplanes.

    The airline says it plans to install seatback entertainment at every seat across its narrowbody fleet, including both new aircraft and retrofitted planes. New aircraft deliveries with screens are expected to begin in 2028, with the broader rollout continuing into the early part of the next decade.

    And these aren’t going to be the clunky airline screens many of us remember from years ago.

    American says the new system will include:

    • 4K displays
    • Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headphones
    • USB-C fast charging
    • Personalized entertainment
    • Enhanced flight maps
    • Movies, television, music and games
    • Integration alongside American’s upcoming Starlink Wi-Fi

    American is also increasing premium seating on its narrowbody fleet from roughly 25% of seats today to about 40% in the coming years.

    So clearly this is part of something bigger.

    American is trying to make its domestic product feel more premium and compete more directly with Delta and United.

    That makes sense.

    This Reminds Me of the CarPlay Debate

    There’s a similar corporate mindset happening in the automotive industry.

    Some automakers have moved away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of their own integrated systems.

    Again, maybe there is a terrific business case for doing that.

    But there’s a simple customer question that has to come first:

    What does the customer actually want?

    People already live inside the ecosystems on their phones.

    They have their apps.

    Their music.

    Their messages.

    Their navigation preferences.

    Their contacts.

    Their podcasts.

    When someone buys a $50,000 vehicle, telling them they can’t use the interface they already prefer because the manufacturer has decided something else is better can feel incredibly tone deaf.

    The airline screen decision strikes me the same way.

    Technology should give customers more choices, not take choices away from them.

    Want to watch your iPad?

    Great.

    Want to stream American’s entertainment to your phone?

    Great.

    Want to put your phone down, connect your AirPods to the screen in front of you and watch a movie?

    You should be able to do that too.

    But There’s Still Something More Important Than the Screen

    I give American credit for reversing course.

    Companies don’t always do that.

    Sometimes the hardest words for a large organization to say are essentially, “We got this one wrong.”

    And American is putting real money behind the reversal.

    But if I’m American Airlines and I’m making a list of what passengers really want from me, a beautiful 4K entertainment system isn’t at the top.

    Get me where I’m going.

    Get me there safely.

    Get me there reasonably close to the time you told me I would arrive.

    Handle disruptions well when something goes wrong.

    Treat customers like human beings when their travel plans fall apart.

    Then we can talk about the television.

    The entertainment system absolutely affects the experience, particularly when American wants to position itself as a premium full-service airline.

    But reliability is still the product.

    Everything else is an amenity.

    My Take

    I think American made the wrong call in 2017.

    Not because phones and tablets weren’t becoming more important. American was absolutely right about that.

    The mistake was assuming one technology had to replace the other.

    Nearly a decade later, American seems to have reached the same conclusion.

    Your phone isn’t replacing the airplane screen.

    Your airplane screen isn’t replacing your phone.

    They can coexist.

    And sometimes the best market research isn’t another survey, consulting report or executive presentation.

    Sometimes you just need to sit in 28C, look around the cabin and watch what your customers are actually doing.

    American finally appears to have looked around.

    Better late than never.

    Travel Smart,

    Tommy Pags

  • A Pilot Made $458,000. Before You Call It Crazy, Think About the Job.

    A Pilot Made $458,000. Before You Call It Crazy, Think About the Job.

    A Pilot Made $458,000. Before You Call It Crazy, Think About the Job.

    An American Airlines pilot recently shared a pay statement online, and the number immediately got everyone’s attention.

    The Miami-based Boeing 737 captain had earned nearly $458,000 by the middle of December, with a flight-pay rate of more than $360 per hour. Predictably, social media filled up with people wondering whether they had chosen the wrong profession.

    I understand the reaction. When you first see someone earning nearly half a million dollars flying airplanes, it sounds almost unbelievable.

    But the more I have learned about what it takes to reach that level, the less shocking the salary has become.

    In fact, I think many of the pilots earning that kind of money have probably earned every dollar of it.

    The Retirement Flight That Made Me Start Looking

    I first became interested in pilot salaries after reading about retiring Delta captain Keith Rosenkranz.

    After a 33-year career with Delta, he chartered an Airbus A330neo and took 112 friends and family members on a 24-hour retirement trip to Hawaii. The charter reportedly cost him roughly one year’s salary.

    My first thought was simple:

    How much does a pilot have to make to charter an entire Delta airplane?

    I started thinking about the aircraft, the crew, the fuel, the airport costs and the revenue Delta would normally collect from every passenger who would have occupied that airplane.

    That sent me down the rabbit hole of researching pilot compensation. That was when I realized how much some senior airline captains can earn.

    At first, the numbers were shocking.

    Then I started looking at the career behind the paycheck.

    Nobody Starts at $458,000

    The important thing to understand is that the American Airlines captain in this story was not a brand-new pilot walking into the cockpit on his first day.

    Pilot compensation generally increases based on seniority, airline, aircraft, position, schedule and the amount and type of flying performed. A senior captain flying for a major airline is in a completely different position from a new first officer beginning a commercial aviation career.

    Before most pilots can even qualify for an airline cockpit, they must build an enormous amount of flying experience. The FAA says virtually all new airline-pilot applicants must possess at least 1,500 hours of flight experience, although certain military pilots and graduates of approved aviation programs may qualify for restricted certificates with fewer hours.

    Many pilots spend years building those hours by working as flight instructors, charter pilots, cargo pilots or pilots for smaller regional carriers.

    They may begin flying smaller aircraft carrying dozens of passengers on shorter routes. Over time, they can move to larger airlines, upgrade from first officer to captain and eventually qualify on more complex aircraft.

    That progression requires more than simply waiting around for a promotion. Pilots undergo recurrent training, medical examinations, simulator evaluations, check rides and aircraft-specific qualification programs throughout their careers.

    The paycheck at the top may be impressive, but the runway to reach it is long.

    The Bigger the Aircraft, the Bigger the Responsibility

    There is also a major difference between flying a smaller regional jet and commanding a wide-body aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers across an ocean.

    The larger the airplane and the more complicated the operation, the greater the responsibility.

    A captain must understand the aircraft, weather, fuel, flight planning, airport conditions, mechanical concerns and emergency procedures. The pilots are coordinating with dispatchers, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, maintenance personnel and ground crews throughout the operation.

    Most passengers only notice the pilots when they make an announcement about turbulence or when they are standing near the cockpit door as everyone leaves.

    But during the flight, those pilots are responsible for making decisions that can affect hundreds of lives.

    You are not simply paying a pilot to hold the controls while the airplane cruises through a clear sky.

    You are paying for the pilot’s judgment when the weather changes, a warning light appears, an airport closes, a passenger has a medical emergency or something happens that was not part of the original plan.

    You are paying for the moment when everything does not go perfectly.

    That is when you want the most experienced and capable person possible sitting in that seat.

    There Is a Personal Price Too

    The salary conversation also tends to ignore the lifestyle.

    Pilots spend nights in hotels, work weekends and holidays, cross multiple time zones and regularly miss family events. Newer pilots may spend years working reserve schedules, taking undesirable trips and flying when more senior pilots would rather be home.

    Even when they are not flying, they may be commuting to their assigned base or waiting to find out whether they will be called to work.

    Federal regulations limit flight and duty periods and require rest between assignments, but those rules exist precisely because fatigue and irregular schedules are real safety concerns in aviation.

    As pilots build seniority, they usually gain more influence over their aircraft assignments, vacations and monthly schedules. Airlines commonly use bidding systems that award schedule preferences partly according to seniority.

    That can eventually produce a very good lifestyle.

    But it often comes after spending the first 10 or 15 years taking the schedules nobody else wanted.

    You do not receive the preferred international trip, the better days off and the premium compensation simply because you showed up.

    You earn your position on the seniority list one year at a time.

    So, Are Pilots Overpaid?

    When people see $458,000, they naturally compare it with their own salary.

    That is understandable.

    But I do not think the right question is whether that number sounds high compared with what most people earn.

    The better question is what we should pay someone who has spent decades developing an extremely specialized skill and is responsible for safely transporting hundreds of people through the sky.

    When I step onto an airplane, I want the pilots to be experienced, rested, properly trained and well compensated.

    I do not want the airline searching for the least expensive person it can find to operate the aircraft.

    Pilots are not perfect, and high compensation does not eliminate mistakes. However, this is one profession where experience, training and sound judgment can have immediate life-or-death consequences.

    That is worth paying for.

    I Might Have Chosen the Cockpit

    Honestly, if I could go back in time and select another career, becoming a pilot is something I would seriously consider.

    Part of that is because I enjoy flying and traveling as much as I do. There is something fascinating about aviation, airports, aircraft and the entire system required to move people around the world.

    Of course, I am looking at it now as someone who loves air travel.

    I might have felt differently after my fifth delayed flight of the week, my third night in a hotel and another holiday away from home.

    Still, I understand why pilots love the profession.

    The view from the office is difficult to beat.

    So yes, nearly $458,000 is a remarkable salary.

    But after decades of training, responsibility, missed family time, difficult schedules and safely carrying millions of passengers, I am not going to complain that an experienced airline captain is earning a substantial paycheck.

    I am just going to hope the person flying my airplane is worth every penny.

    Travel smart.

    Tommy Pags

  • Basic Economy Just Got Even Worse for Frequent Flyers: Here’s Why I’m Avoiding It

    Basic Economy Just Got Even Worse for Frequent Flyers: Here’s Why I’m Avoiding It

    Basic Economy Just Got Even Worse for Frequent Flyers: Here’s Why I’m Avoiding It

    Basic Economy Isn’t the Bargain It Used to Be

    There was a time when booking Basic Economy came with a few compromises. You might lose seat selection or board a little later, but if you were a loyal customer with airline status, you still earned something for your loyalty.

    Those days are over.

    American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have all made it clear: if you buy Basic Economy, don’t expect your elite status to help you much anymore.

    For travelers chasing status, this isn’t just another policy change. It completely changes the value equation.

    The New Reality

    The biggest change is simple.

    If you’re flying Basic Economy:

    • No redeemable miles on many qualifying fares.
    • No progress toward elite status.
    • No complimentary upgrades.
    • Reduced or eliminated elite benefits.
    • In many cases, fewer opportunities to use the perks you’ve spent years earning.

    American officially eliminated mileage earning on Basic Economy tickets in late 2025. Delta and United have continued moving in the same direction, making their lowest fares little more than transportation from Point A to Point B.

    The message from the airlines couldn’t be clearer:

    Want loyalty benefits? Buy a more expensive ticket.

    This Hits Frequent Travelers the Hardest

    As someone who flies almost every week, this caught my attention.

    For years I was a Delta loyalist. If you’ve been following Pags on the Go, you already know my relationship with Delta has become… complicated.

    Lately I’ve seen Delta pricing become dramatically more expensive than United and American on many of my regular routes. Sometimes we’re talking hundreds of dollars more for essentially the same trip.

    Now they’re asking frequent travelers to pay even more just to preserve the benefits we’ve already worked hard to earn.

    That doesn’t sit particularly well with me.

    Loyalty Programs Are Becoming Revenue Programs

    This is the part that I think many travelers are missing.

    Airline loyalty programs used to reward how often you flew.

    Today they reward how much money you spend.

    That’s a huge philosophical shift.

    The airlines have figured out something simple:

    Business travelers, corporate travelers, and premium leisure travelers are willing to pay more.

    Instead of rewarding frequency, they’re rewarding revenue.

    From a business standpoint, I understand it.

    From a customer standpoint, it certainly feels different than it did even five years ago.

    Should You Ever Book Basic Economy?

    For many travelers, the answer is actually…

    Yes.

    If you fly once or twice a year…

    If you don’t care about airline status…

    If you’re simply looking for the cheapest possible fare…

    Basic Economy may still make perfect sense.

    But if you’re chasing elite status, trying to earn upgrades, or hoping to keep your Gold, Platinum, Executive Platinum, Premier, Medallion, or similar level…

    Basic Economy has become a trap.

    The savings on the ticket can easily cost you far more in lost benefits later.

    My Rule of Thumb

    Here’s how I look at it.

    If Main Cabin is only $30 to $75 more than Basic Economy, I almost always choose Main Cabin.

    Why?

    Because I want:

    • Seat selection.
    • Flexibility if plans change.
    • Miles earned.
    • Credit toward future status.
    • Better upgrade opportunities.
    • The ability to actually use the loyalty program I’m investing in.

    Those benefits usually outweigh the small upfront savings.

    One More Thing to Watch

    One detail that deserves attention is codeshare flights.

    If you’re booking through one airline but flying on another, Basic Economy restrictions don’t always match what you expect. The operating airline’s rules often determine which benefits you actually receive.

    Before clicking “Purchase,” take a minute to verify exactly what you’re buying.

    That five-minute check could save you a lot of frustration at the airport.

    Final Thoughts

    I’ve said it before on this site, and I think it applies here too:

    Airline loyalty is becoming a two-way negotiation.

    The airlines expect us to stay loyal.

    But they also have to earn ours.

    When ticket prices climb, benefits shrink, and elite status becomes harder to maintain, travelers should feel comfortable shopping around. Blind loyalty doesn’t make much sense anymore.

    Book the airline that gives you the best overall value, not just the one with the logo you’ve been flying for years.

    That’s exactly what I’ve started doing.

    Travel smart,
    Tommy Pags