Flight Review - American Airlines Transcon not on a Transcon Plane - LA to Charlotte in "First"
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- čas přidán 1. 07. 2024
- The things I do for you, dear viewer.... Instead of flying back to the East Coast on a lie-flat equipped A321, I chose to travel on a "regular" A321 to show you the differences in the experience. And those differences are stark!!! It's by no means a bad experience - hey its "First Class" after all, but it isn't quite the same experience....
⭐ #flightreview #AmericanAirlines #MattsPlanet ⭐
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⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1.39 - LAX Terminal 4
6:06 - The Plane and Seat
8:27 - The Service
11:03 - Conclusions
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. This video may not be copied or reproduced without written permission.
a glass of Piper-Heidsieck at 6am? you're hardcore😂
It's 5 o'clock somewhere....
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sets minimum standards for aircraft operations and safety, it does not have a requirement about shades. Instead, it leaves the decision to the discretion of individual airlines to enforce it-and most don’t. On the flights I have been on, the only shade that must be open is for seat 1A, so the gate agents can look in. Great video as always.
That's good to know - in Europe it is usually requirement to have the blinds open. Most airlines usually do what the Americans do but I guess not in this instance!
I’ve never been on an US flight where the blinds were open. Like you Matt I Can’t understand why this is allowed whether it’s legal or not. Basic safety should make it obvious that blinds should be up
I'm a former flight attendant and I wish the FAA would mandate shades being open for takeoff and landing. It's a saftey issue as you mentioned. In the event of an accident on takeoff or landing, with the shades open you can immediately assess the conditions outside the aircraft for evacuation. My airline required shades to be open for takeoff and landing. I don't understand why passengers want the shades closed.
This cheered me up & made me smile, after a 3hrs 'on ground' delay for missile avoiding re-routing to the Mid East overnight; only helped by being in BA First & avoiding the choldren going on hols.
It's your little 'details' that make Matt's Travel unique - 'disability section' films indeed!
Thanks Matthew - I hope you got there in the end.... A lot of planes ended up in the wrong place yesterday but it looks like airspace is open again now...
Great video as always, but sounds like I’ll also need to be revisiting Matt’s Oceans soon? :)
Soon but not immediately!!! Still a bit of work to do over there!
Love watching these types of trip review videos, I wish they were a bit longer, 12 minutes seems a bit short.
Thanks for that - they are trending longer over time so I'll not be scared if that trend continues!
The pilots were not wrong when they stated the mileage between LAX-CLT. They gave the correct distance in nautical miles.
Indeed! I had no idea a nautical mile was so much shorter than a human mile!
@@MattsPlanet A nautical mile is longer (~6076 feet); a knot is 1.1508 of a statute mile. But of course would be a smaller number for length vs miles.
Great video, I am doing a non transcon redeye, SFO - MIA in Nov as part of a TPR. It will be an "experience", your video succinct and objective as ever.
Thanks - and good luck!
Informative as ever. I am very much enjoying this series - though I will join the crowd asking for the videos to be a shade longer. Hoping once the series gets back to London you'll have a 'there' and a 'back' video. To me, tier point runs are both fascinating to plan and fascinating to dissect on return - especially if you've had any irregular operations along the way.
Now that you've flown AA domestic first - do you prefer the way the US handles domestic business class seating or the way the EU handles business class seating?
Thanks! The votes for longer videos are building up!!! I have made out and back videos which will be along in the next couple of weeks. And things did go badly wrong on the way back! And I'm looking at making a video on whether US or Euro short-haul business is better.... I thought to include Asian flights to make it a three way battle but if I did, it would be a walkover win for Asia!!!
As others have mentioned the US airlines don't care about window shades, but weirder to me is that when I was landing at Heathrow on United, they didn't care either - I would have thought the rules of the country you were in would have been what counted.
Weird all ways round!
Very good review - as usual. Thank you a lot!
Thanks for watching!
I've flown on 3 Delta Airlines flights over the past week, 1 long haul international, 2 short haul, on all 3 flights the crew allowed the window shades to be pulled down for take off and landing.
Other commenters have reported that the US authorities allow this which is unusual to me as all around the rest of the world they need to be open!
And that Flagship Lounge at LAX is also...OK! Those 2 separated lounges used to be 1 big Admirals Club and now ended up as 2 smallish lounges. Speaking of the tier point chart, on my 1hr First Class flight on AA under 500mi, BAEC gave me less Avios BUT more tier points, than what was officially listed for the appropriate class and booking code under AA. I let it go because it won't count anyway, as this was on 27 March. Just wanted to test the waters! Also my IB Express flight on 10 Apr didn't count toward Avios nor tiers. Ugh!
Swings and roundabouts! The IB Express flight should have kicked out a few tier points?
@@MattsPlanetNada I'm afraid. Not even an "eligible flight" count. I'll submit a claim and see.
Another excellent review! 👌
Thanks for watching!
10:08 I wonder if the confusion on distance is a nautical miles vs miles thing ? Although 1900nm is about 2185 miles so still doesn’t quite balance up. 😂
Glad you got the 140 tp though :)
Great video as always.
Thanks - indeed it was nautical miles.... I always wish I'd work these things out before I record the voice over but its also good to be educated! I had no idea there was such a big difference between a nautical mile and a... Er.... Terrestrial mile? Reward Scheme Mile?? Proper mile???
@@MattsPlanet I’ve never really understood why we keep using so many different measurements for distance :)
The flight might have been "ok" for you but the video was special 😜
Thanks for that!
Thank you for the video matt
Thanks for watching!
Window shades on AA operate very differently to airlines in Europe and Asia. Having all the window shades closed on boarding and staying closed from gate to gate is typical. Plus it is common to get awkward stares or even quite negative comments from other passengers if you dare to open the shade to look out at the view. As someone who likes to be able to look out of the window I find it a real downside of AA. A 5 or 6 hours transcon daylight flight sitting in the gloom gate to gate with the window shades closed isn't a great experience even ignoring any safety issues.
As I said to a previous comment, keeping the blinds shut could make passengers sleepier which gives the crew less to do.... Or am I being too cynical???
Matt I always when possible walk round to the Qantas lounge at LAX as I think the AA Flagship lounge leaves so much to be desired compared to Chicago and Dallas Flagship lounges where a chef will cook you a good omelette etc Happy travels and keep up the good work Ian
Thanks Ian. I've been through LAX four times now and never made it to the Qantas lounge... I suppose its not that long a walk around from T4....
First, the window shade thing is incorrect. AA requires only the emergency exit rows to keep them up for takeoff and landing.
Second, the pilots aren’t the ones wrong about mileage on their flight plan. Actual flight planning is in nautical miles, which is a slightly different unit of measurement than a statute mile. I assure you that their distance measurement is more accurate than whatever rewards value the revenues/marketing department assigns to your ticket.
Cheers Sam! I am surprised that US airlines deviate from how the rest of the world handles window shades.... And I had no idea that a nautical mile is that much shorter than a reward mile!
@@MattsPlanet a nautical mile is longer than a mile, which is why there’s less of them between LAX and CLT than what your rewards miles say. 1 nm = 1.151 miles.
@@samuanovich Of course! Because of maths.... If you need me I'll be standing in the corner with my special hat on....
Still better than European business class 😂 great video
Probably... Starting to think there may be a video in that question!
This episode describes the sort of airline travel I typically do, except: I have never been inside an Airport Lounge, don't have Precious-Metal Status for anything, and globe-hopping to collect tier points is not my goal. I fly only when necessary, and being a Yank (sorry), I fly (US) domestic first-class (economy is torture), mainly to get to a cruise ship port. This LAX-CLT flight is in line with my travel experiences, and I do appreciate your insights into the various aircraft serving these routes.
Thanks! And don't apologise for being American!!!
Hi Matt,
It might be a good time in our relationship to mention to you that I am from Belgium. It is a crime punishable by jail term to say that Brussels sprouts stink!😂. All jokes aside, for some strange reason I looked at both videos, with lie flat first, and then this one,..... and I would go for today's video product. A lie flat that is so cramped, claustrophobic vs a nice armchair,...it just looks more space for some reason!
As always, keep up the good work!
Regards
Thomas
Thanks. I would like to formally apologise to Belgium for this insult to the national vegetable.... Perhaps it was whatever they were cooked in rather than the sprouts themselves.... And for a day flight, this was perfectly acceptable!
Any time is a good time for a Bloody Mary, but an early one in the lounge or on an early flight always tastes nicer!
The traditional breakfast tipple!!
You'll find the US does not require you to have exit rows empty of luggage either. Feel free to put your big duffle bag below the seat infront of you in the emergency exit row, and turn those window shades down. In case of an emergency, you'll wonder if people died due to tripping off the duffle or blinding by the sun as the run through the emergency exit.
The FAA ceases to surprise me.
And you think the US is the most risk averse environment...
A most definitely OK video!
Thanks! I think that's a compliment!!!
US domestic “first” class has evolved to approximate long-haul premium economy. It would be fine if the prices are not ridiculously multiple times expensive than economy.
Calling it "First" still sits uncomfortably against that product though!
I like this seat, I think the leg room is good, trying to get my head round around the online entertainment system was a pain but I got there in the end..
If you have your own device you can endure a good few hours in this seat - during the day at least!
Agreed would not make a nignt flight. BTW you said foir flights what where the other three of course one Lhr to Dublin
Thank You ✈️
Thanks for watching!
Cheers Matt, an enjoyable, albeit brief, introduction to AA top shelf product, though I would not have been bowled over by it myself. As for the availing oneself of the "beverages", I would have to say that although it was 6am... 'ish there, the old adage of it being "5pm somewhere in the world" would come into play, as you have got the expensive tricket allowing you the priviledge. Chin chin 😉
Thanks! A few people have commented that they wanted the video to be longer!!! Feedback noted!!! And I have to sample the catering for the video.... I take no pleasure out of drinking at 6am!!! And if you believe that....
@@MattsPlanet 😆🍷🍸🍹🍺🍾
Standard AA first class product. Thank you for taking us along.
Thanks for watching
The shades thing is very common with American Airlines. I fly often between London and LA (tried that lounge you were in once!) and they actually ask you to close the blinds before takeoff and don't like you opening them throughout the flight. They also come round and immediately close blinds if people aren't sitting in the row. Sometimes they say this is to keep the cabin cool which I can kinda get in the heatwave season but during takeoff and landing it shouldn't happen for the reasons you mention. I also think it's a shame to miss out on the views.
Thanks - I remember boarding an American flight from MIA to NAS and it was so hot on board that had the blinds not been down the interior could very well have caught fire! And crew do like them closed during flight as it makes passengers sleepier and gives the crew less to do.... Or am I being a cynic here? But for takeoff and landing though I would like them to be open, even if (apparently) the US FAA doesn't require it
I flew DL from LAX to AKL, blinds were down when we boarded, and they stayed that way.
and this is another reason why I dislike those electronic window shades on the 787 so much. If the crew is on a power trip, they darken the windows and lock it down, absolute no-go for me.
This was an extremely okay review.
Thanks!! I think....
No lounge access for domestic first-class. Very useful info, as I was considering booking first class SAT to DC as a treat. Cattle class will do
& I’ll use the savings for a better hotel.
Nice to see you looking well.
Thanks. Domestic "First" really isn't all you might at first think it is!!!! Feeling good here too so thanks!
@@MattsPlanet I don’t mind skipping 1st class if I can upgrade to the Willard! That’s higher on my bucket list. Let me know if you are ever in Munich!
@@barbarawissinger Never been to Munich actually! Which is even more odd as I quite like beer....
I do like your sarky scripts and delivery 😅.. and I don’t travel much to America, but I get the impression that the directors and shareholders of US airlines really are happy with providing only mediocre (or OK!) products .. maybe there’s more profit lying therein etc .. thanks 🙏..
Thanks! I'd love to get access to their management information to find out how it all works!!! 10 times as many economy seats on a plane as "First" so how much profit the First cabin contributes would be interesting to know
yes, that would be perfectly good for me on a day time flight. I'm interested to know what your routing was to DUB...
LAX-CLT-JFK-LHR-DUB - I video about it will be along in a couple of weeks!
USAir love that airline
Indeed - well spotted!! USAir is still the airline I've flown third most, even though they disappeared 20 years ago! Used to like them a lot....
The seats look not bad for a daytime flight, wouldn’t want them for an overnight flight though!
Day - good! Night - backache....
Looked acceptable enough for four hours. The device holding gadgets are a good idea. I've never understood USA airlines' policy of not giving lounge access for domestic First - seems so mean spirited. I can only assume the lounges would get cramped. Nothing wrong with champers at 6am and a bloody mary is an excellent choice too.
Cheers Dave. Some complex economics behind how US lounges work that I don't pretend to fully understand! Alaska is different and does allow F pax in, which is yet another excellent reason to fly with them!
@@MattsPlanet I've been on Alaska but only in Economy/Coach. They were excellent! Would love to try their First.
@@MattsPlanet Matt, just so you're aware, Alaska cut that benefit last year for most flights and now only grants access to F passengers on itineraries over 2100 miles. Love your videos!
@@andrewdunckelman5322 American Airline lounge access rules are so hard to keep on top of!!
Hi, is your tier point run route going to be published once done? Would be interesting to know which flights you took to Dublin
I have made a video about the outbound and another about the return which will be released in the next couple of weeks... Coming back was supposed to be LAX-CLT-JFK-LHR-DUB but - spoiler alert - it didn't go to plan....
I was in the LAX T4 AA Flagship lounge on Friday.
Enjoy the champagne???
@@MattsPlanet Yes, like you he was very keen to pour me a glass... I was inbound from LHR on BA (F) and connecting out to LAS on a very tired AA A321... Looked like the same seat types you were in. Window blind was stuck down on one of my windows... It was not exactly a First/Business class service on the 40 min flight but it was part of my BA ticket. My routing back is LAS-DFW-LHR
Great videos Matt. Do you know if lounge access is granted when travelling on US domestic first but as part of a business class ticket from Europe, say a United flight booked with Lufthansa, say FRA->JFK->Wherever on domestic first? Or is the lounge access only in FRA and not in JFK for the onward leg?
Access is granted to US lounges with an international leg at either end... They may need to check their notes but you should be OK
@@MattsPlanet Cheers Matt. Much appreciated!
Nice report. Take a bonus-point for enduring the early champagne.
Five flights in a day? Not much room for error in that schedule.
P.S. Did you see BA's pushing an Avios flight to Barbados? Even to my inexpert eye it looked like appalling VFM. And Virgin Atlantic is probably the better option.
5 flights in 1 day did indeed prove to be problematic!!! I don't really understand the all-avios flights.... They may work well for people who are avios-rich with millions of avios to burn but I can't get excited about them....
I thought that a domestic first class with AA would get you lounge access as long as there was a long haul business /first leg on the same ticket and taking place on the same day as the domestic flight. Isn’t that right? I want to know as I’ll find myself in that situation later this year.
The key word is international - if its a same day long haul international leg then I believe you will be allowed in. Connecting to a long-haul domestic - no entry
You could have been sat, in a middle seat. In coach. In a row that doesn't recline.😂
At my age with my knees that's a scenario I work hard to avoid these days!! That sort of travel doesn't make for good videos either....
@@MattsPlanet some of us remember your Agean vlog where you were hoping to upgrade... and were stuck (!)
Few things Matt: I too enjoy the AA Flagship lounges; I don't believe they get the credit they deserve. On window shades: you will find in the US no airline enforces the "shades open" rules. Bugs the crap out of me since I like to see out. On the domestic First cabin, which you seem to dislike quite a bit: I'll take it any day over European Business Class (sic) seats. And in closing, TSA PRE is not a "privilege" -- you pay for it and were background checked as part of your Global Entry app. And no, you can get newbies in there (they're the ones taking their shoes off), PRE can be assigned to the elderly, for example. Thanks for the review; nothing wrong w/champers at 0600 either :-)
Thanks for that! I hope my liking of the Flagships comes through in the videos!! Didn't know non-qualified people could be sent through TSA Pre... And the Europe versus US "Business" class debate is an interesting one.... Perhaps a topic for a video!!!
@@MattsPlanet That would make an interesting segment.
@@ahumpage Its on the "to think about list"!
Ugh, I'll take this over Euro intracontinental biz class any day.
So would I!
Any idea ehy they dint even hsbr a foot rest on thd FC seats? It is ostensibly idebticsl to the premium economy seat otherwuse
No idea... The "First" cabin is 2 - 2 whilst premium and coach behind are 3 - 3 so that's the main difference
@MattsPlanet Thanks Matt, where they actually premium economy seats or E+ with extra legroom?
I fly it on a day flight at a push it
Its very comfortable for 4 hours during the day
For First Class money I expect premium gin ( the whole bottle ) and a personal cat waiting on my arm rest to keep me company on the flight. I don't care about IFE as most of it is rubbish anyway. Just give me good streaming speed and I'll watch Alex Jones with my gin ( to annoy the other passengers )
American First Class means you probably wouldn't get the cat, but otherwise I agree! Matt Jones rather than Alex Jones though....
*1,900 nautical miles
Indeed - I've learned something!
Maybe 1900 nautical miles?
Spot on! 2,186 real miles. I had no idea there was such a difference!