We know that American Airlines is trying to once again become a bit more premium, so here’s the latest example of that.
In this post:
American improves business class amenities on select flights
American has announced that as of later this summer (an exact date hasn’t yet been revealed), the airline will once again offer pajamas and mattress pads in business class on flights to and from East Asia, the Middle East, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
So that would include flights to Auckland (AKL), Brisbane (BNE), Delhi (DEL), Doha (DOH), Seoul Incheon (ICN), Shanghai (PVG), Sydney (SYD), Tokyo Haneda (HND), and Tokyo Narita (NRT).
These amenities will be offered in addition to slippers, dual-sided pillows, and duvets, which are are already offered. As this change is described, “American is constantly collecting customer feedback to reinvigorate the travel experience with changes that align with customer needs.”
The rollout of this comes at the same time that American is introducing its new long haul business class seats. However, this soft product improvement is unrelated to which aircraft a flight is operated by. So you’ll get these amenities regardless of whether your flight features American’s new or old business class seats.
This is a positive change, and it isn’t too surprising
We know that American has been trying to improve in recent months. The airline is greatly lagging Delta and United when it comes to financials, and we’re definitely seeing a bit of a vibe shift at the moment.
American appointed Heather Garboden as Chief Customer Officer, and we’ve seen the airline announce it wants to become more premium and customer focused. We’ve started to see some positive changes, and many of those have simply been reversals of previously dumb policies. Each week, we seemingly see multiple positive changes.
For example, yesterday we learned how American restored standby for all customers on domestic flights, and today we learn that American is introducing pajamas and mattress pads on many of its long haul flights.
For what it’s worth, American offered pajamas and mattress pads in business class on some long haul flights until the spring of 2024, at which point they were cut. So they will make a comeback a little over a year after they were eliminated.
While I wouldn’t say it’s the norm, a good number of airlines do offer pajamas in business class. For example, United offers pajamas on flights of over 14 hours, and also has the industry’s best business class bedding.
Arguably, American’s new policy on pajamas will actually be more generous, since even the (relatively short) flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles will get pajamas.
Bottom line
As of later this summer, American will be introducing pajamas and mattress pads on all flights to and from East Asia, the Middle East, India, Australia, and New Zealand. American previously cut these amenities last spring, so it’s nice to see them make a comeback.
It just blows my mind how much time American spends waffling on what kind of an airline it wants to be. But hey, things finally seem to be headed in the right direction.
What do you make of American adding back these amenities on long haul flights?
Flew AA JFK-LHR business class and immediately noticed the bad apple in the flight attendants. The bad apple couldn't help but bark orders in person and over the intercom to both the passengers and the staff. Had I responded in king I would have been thrown off the plane. The negative interactions started 30 minutes prior to departure. New pajamas isn't going to fix the bad apples in the staff.
I have never found...
Flew AA JFK-LHR business class and immediately noticed the bad apple in the flight attendants. The bad apple couldn't help but bark orders in person and over the intercom to both the passengers and the staff. Had I responded in king I would have been thrown off the plane. The negative interactions started 30 minutes prior to departure. New pajamas isn't going to fix the bad apples in the staff.
I have never found the pajamas on flights to be of value and travel with sweats providing a more comfortable option for the flights. More pillows and blankets are of value, though. I travel light but travel with a travel blanket and pillow. Airline seldome provide sufficient pillows.
United doesn’t offer pajamas for every passenger. It is upon request . So few of them are available and the crew does keep quite .
The took away the smoothie included in breakfast on the HND flight about the same time the mattress pads went away, I hope these come back too!
AA’s lazy old flight attendants are NOT going to like this
The other concern is not all airlines, offer a hanger or space to hang your clothes.
So you up with wrinkled clothes at the end of the flight.
When AA did offer PJs I didn’t get them because they had “run out”. Then I see the cabin manager carry an armful of PJs back to her “friends” in cattle class! That was the same flight that I was told that it wasn’t the cabin crews job to refresh toilets - and they were disgusting. Haven’t flown AA since.
Been Executive Platinum for 20+ years. Last year 4 trips to New Zealand business class. Wrote to them year to comment about the downgrade with not providing the mattress pads. Their PJs were no great loss. Got a standard corporate response telling me my ticket entitled me to privileges such as premium check in! They have always been OneWorld’s weakest link.
I flew today from LHR to ORD in 787-P. There were pjs at my seat! I wasn’t expecting them at all!!
I'm probably 50/50 with usage of mattress pads on longhauls. I think I inherited the "even though it's there for my use, I feel weird asking" gene from my parents. I've never once used the PJs, those always get donated to the Goodwill box when I'm back home.
I am a notoriously poor sleeper and the absolute best sleep I get in my life is from pure exhaustion. I always look back fondly on...
I'm probably 50/50 with usage of mattress pads on longhauls. I think I inherited the "even though it's there for my use, I feel weird asking" gene from my parents. I've never once used the PJs, those always get donated to the Goodwill box when I'm back home.
I am a notoriously poor sleeper and the absolute best sleep I get in my life is from pure exhaustion. I always look back fondly on my 20s when I had to travel to and from NZ; the only times when I would get on a plane, immediately conk out and wake up 6-8 hours later in the exact same position. Heavenly. (And this was in coach; I hadn't yet discovered OMAAT!)
Ben, what is the thread count?? I am surprised you didn't mention.
Does anyone on here know if Air Tahiti Nui provides PJs in Business class? LAX to Auckland.
@Ben, do you have any plans to review the new AA 78P Flagship Business Suits?
Interesting how there is notably one US airline that doesn't offer PJs on international flights.
Even JetBlue technically has it with their Mint Studio seat
Yes, under new management. Tim Dunn should be expecting PJ on his Southwest flight to Aruba.
You're such a weirdo. Half of your comments are trolling or just nonsense
Didn't LAX-SYD always had pads and pajamas?
I think that's because it was a Flagship First route that often anyways had them.
LAX-AKL also had them. I don't think they fly First there either.
So sorry folks, I have no idea why people are prepared to spend their own money on such a poor flying experience?
AA are in the fourth division of the world rankings and yet many do not appear to be willing to seek a better alternative …. Why?
Because BA sucks even more especially the non Club Suites seats.
Seriously, how would you know anything about BA, bro?
Oh I forgot, to you, I've never set foot on BA, never flown across the ocean and, believes in SkyTrax.
Well bro, if you had accomplished any of those things which you state, you wouldn’t admit to actually choosing AA before BA to do so, yes?
@aero
Obviously because AA can sometimes be the cheapest option and because some people are glued to the trough, the teat of loyalty programs. There are people whose moniker is ba or bust. That indicates no matter how bad the treatment, how lack the service, people will still choose that option.
Justin, Justin, I understand what you post and agree with you wholeheartedly. However, perhaps what you are unaware of is that for some time now Eskimo, has been BA and AeroB bashing unreservedly. I take pleasure in opposing his views out of principle, verbal pin-pong for the fun of it.
As for my loyalty to a particular airline, I have none. My masters bid me to fly BA twice per month at their behest. Now...
Justin, Justin, I understand what you post and agree with you wholeheartedly. However, perhaps what you are unaware of is that for some time now Eskimo, has been BA and AeroB bashing unreservedly. I take pleasure in opposing his views out of principle, verbal pin-pong for the fun of it.
As for my loyalty to a particular airline, I have none. My masters bid me to fly BA twice per month at their behest. Now retired, as previously, for my pleasure and leisure, I chose to pay my way with other carriers too. No “Loyalty programs” or “Glue” binds me to any carrier. Quality of service, convenience of route selection, aircraft type and flight times are my main concerns. Example; if it’s Boeing …. I ain’t going! …. :-)
I wonder how much price increase we will see for these premium services/products...
If flights to NRT and HND get PJs, why not LAX-LHR?
Could have really used a mattress pad on my recent LAX-LHR flight. The 77W seats really need a refresh at this point, and the gap between the two seat cushions was noticeable.
Why do people fly LAX-LHR on an AA B777, when BA provides a world class F seat on the same route onboard an A380?
Bonkers!
Could have used this DFW-LHR on Friday. Noticeably lacking.
How much you want to bet the flight attendant union is gonna call this a safety concern
You'd think they'd just roll out the thin mattress pad across the whole fleet. Seems odd to separately 'cater' that. Pajamas I get.
More importantly all of the AA 57.5k point business inventory between NY/London seems to have disappeared for the coming months and i'm also not seeing much of any BA inventory? Feels like dynamic pricing is rearing its head right about now. Not sure if others are seeing similar results on their routes.
I’m seeing 57.5K to other destination in Europe routing via LHR. You could book one of them and then throw away the onward segment.
No PJs on flights to Europe. Because, you know, nobody wants to sleep when flying overnight to Europe. Nobody.
Cheapskates.
Wear a VS PJ on your next flight just to send them a message.
Or your birthday suit. That’ll teach ‘em.
Doug Parker and Bob Isom doesn't wear PJ why should customers.
Richard Branson always wears his PJ.
@UncleRonnie:
LOL... That works even better.
not including JFK TO EZE ?
@ steven -- Correct, South America isn't included.
I thought pajamas were going to be offered to the first row of biz suites on all 78Ps now?