Questions and Answers

Hi Ben,

Thanks for keeping the site going! I definitely miss the trip reports, but the updated content has been great during the last few weeks.

Quick question: I keep seeing flight attendant youtube posts where entire 737s or A321s are completely empty. Why doesn’t AA utilize smaller aircraft from companies like Compass Air that have gone under? I know there are probably union specific items for staffing the aircraft and airport gate regulations — but in this current situation why not use the appropriate resources?

Also, why get rid of the Embraer 190 at this point? I am originally from Fargo, ND and live in Seattle, WA now. I personally really enjoy that aircraft on my flights from FAR to DFW over the Embraer ERJ 140 – 145 family. And the Embraer 190 seems like a great fit for reduced traffic over the next few years.

Thanks again for keeping the content going!

Matt B.

If I had to guess (and that is all this is), its probably cheaper long term to keep the 737/A321. Consider – swapping an ERJ for a 737 means you have to change the entire crew including pilots (likely a union issue here given pay scales and such). You have to make sure you have the right parts and tools in the right locations for maintenance. All of that movement and crew change takes money. Range may/may not be an issue depending on routing. When flights resume, you now have to scale in reverse.

It may also come down to customer satisfaction, which AA can ill afford to lose. I am only one data point, but the past few years when I was flying a lot primarily on AA, I would routinely hear complaints regarding the smaller jets because of overhead space (specifically, lack thereof) and agents doing everything they could to get folks to gate-check luggage. If you have packed specifically to carry on, you may not have a smaller bag to put the laptop in, the jewelry, meds, whatever documents you needed, etc. This was particulalry grating to some business travelers I encountered as they had specific rules about putting company gear (data or electronics) in the hold.

[QUOTE=”Matthew B, post: 69370″][…] Also, why get rid of the Embraer 190 at this point? I am originally from Fargo, ND and live in Seattle, WA now. I personally really enjoy that aircraft on my flights from FAR to DFW over the Embraer ERJ 140 – 145 family. And the Embraer 190 seems like a great fit for reduced traffic over the next few years. [/QUOTE]

Primarily because of fleet rationalization, and union contracts. It is the only Embraer that AA mainline operates, and also maintains. And while I believe their great (some?) overlap between replacement parts for the E40s and E70s, the E90s apparently don’t share that commonality. So basically it is a small fleet that by size (seats) the Regionals cannot operate due to contract, and the maintenance costs are allegedly too high. I much prefer the 90 over a 737 on routes like PHL-BOS.

[QUOTE=”RTBones, post: 69405, member: 1686″] It may also come down to customer satisfaction, which AA can ill afford to lose. I am only one data point, but the past few years when I was flying a lot primarily on AA, I would routinely hear complaints regarding the smaller jets because of overhead space (specifically, lack thereof) and agents doing everything they could to get folks to gate-check luggage. If you have packed specifically to carry on, you may not have a smaller bag to put the laptop in, the jewelry, meds, whatever documents you needed, etc. This was particulalry grating to some business travelers I encountered as they had specific rules about putting company gear (data or electronics) in the hold.[/QUOTE]

This +1. I actually like the E90, but I also packed a bag I knew would fit overhead. Many travelers didn’t, and were shocked that a mainline plane would have such small bins. The reality is that D0 had as much to do with it as small bins, because I am pretty sure I could get 20″ bag in the overhead, but FAs would always tell me it wouldn’t fit. It would, but they just prefer gate-checking.