What will become of First Perks when there is no more First?

[justinbrett]

So it seems soon US airlines will be in a crazy situation where "First" means domestic business, and "Business" is superior international business, making Business superior to First (which I believe is how Eurotrains operate?)

Regardless, what do you think will happen to all the international First perks like Flagship First dining? I can't see them opening this up to all J pax - would they just choose to get rid of it? Or make it only for OWE?

Same deal with First check in - it will effectively become OWE check in.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I wonder if they will keep Flagship check-in for OWE/CK etc and probably ditch the Flagship dining completely given that there are so few lounges offering it and easy to combine into the main space.
It hasn’t been the same since they ditched the Krug anyway

 

[dk4]

...what do you think will happen to all the international First perks like Flagship First dining? I can't see them opening this up to all J pax - would they just choose to get rid of it? Or make it only for OWE?

They are already using the term "Flagship Business" in some marketing. And AA competes (on the ground) in a market with the likes of AC Signature & UA Polaris, which offer business class ONLY lounges, where no matter what your status you won't get in (DL's new lounge concept may be similar) - so AA will need to offer a cabin ONLY based, exclusive ground service, to J passengers at some point in time (and I doubt they will want to turn away OWE from the Flagship lounges) and the lounge(/dining) within a lounge concept seems to work for them - so I reckon "Flagship Dining" won't go away, maybe even get expanded!?

 

[justinbrett]

They are already using the term "Flagship Business" in some marketing. And AA competes (on the ground) in a market with the likes of AC Signature & UA Polaris, which offer business class ONLY lounges, where no matter what your status you won't get in (DL's new lounge concept may be similar) - so AA will need to offer a cabin ONLY based, exclusive ground service, to J passengers at some point in time (and I doubt they will want to turn away OWE from the Flagship lounges) and the lounge(/dining) within a lounge concept seems to work for them - so I reckon "Flagship Dining" won't go away, maybe even get expanded!?

From what I recall the Flagship Business brand goes back a few years at least.

Just by scale, you're opening something that was for a very limited number of people (on a 777 there's 8 first and 52 business, not to mention the routes that only have J currently). If it is offered to J pax it's going to be cut to the bone.

I can't imagine they wouldn't have a dedicated check in for OWE though.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

At the start of the pandemic flagship dining was opened to business class passengers for a $150 fee. Then the dining rooms closed, Not sure if that’s been brought back. But I could see it being offered to full fare J pax.

Now with AA and BA moving to the same terminal at JFK there’d be opportunities for select invitees to join BA F pax perhaps?

I used the dining facility at JFK earlier this year and enjoyed it. The food and drink were - for the most part - pretty good. Certainly of good restaurant quality. I was in the last flight out of the night… 8/8 F pax were in the dining room and 8/8 skipped the meal on the flight and went straight to sleep. The cabin crew had nothing to do service wise except help pax make beds and distribute bottles of water!