American Airlines experience?

[#1MMFan]

We are due to go to DLR, California in October this year. We got a fairly good price for a flight through Expedia. Travelling with American Airlines from Glasgow to LAX with a change at O'Hare in Chicago. Has anybody had any experience with this airline. What should we expect?

John

 

[Madjock]

Hi John,

We flew American Airlines from London to New Orleans last year. I have to say that we flew business class and it was excellent! however we deal with this airline through work all the time, hence the business class, and I don't think you'd have any problems flying economy with them. They are a pretty good airline with good facilities.

I note you're near Glasgow, how near? I'm from Glasgow and the thought of square saugages and a decent fish supper is enough to make me very homesick

Annmarie

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Flew AA a couple of weeks ago in economy.

Seats are okay (lots of legroom, although recline not brilliant - BA's new World Traveller seats are more comfortable, although they have less legroom), food is okay, we had personal seat back TVs, service was efficient and friendly.

The outbound trip was about half/two thirds full - so plenty of space to spread out. The return trip was completely full: very uncomfortable - especially since I had the middle middle seat (they configure their 777s 2-5-2). So if I wanted to get out I had to climb over two people (one was my husband, the other was a stranger). I waited for the stranger to go to the WC before I went (my one and only time on the 6 hour flight) - so I didn't inconvenience her by making her move. When I came back to get to my seat she glared at me (from under her blankets) and made some sarcastic comment about "just getting comfortable" - nice consideration on her part (I almost offered to swap my middle seat with her isle so I wouldn't "inconvenience" her any more...).

If your route is served by a 777, then avoid the middle middle seat (E, I think) - very claustrophobic :-( (had my husband one side and a solid bloke with sticky out elbows the other side - no arm rest for me!). Luckily I am only a little person...

Otherwise AA are a good airline. Have a great flight to LA.

Boo

 

[#1MMFan]

Annmarie

I'm from Greenock on the west coast, just about 26 miles west of Glasgow down the M8. Easy to get into Glasgow - about half an hour! Which area of Glasgow were you from originally?

John

 

[Madjock]

Hi John,

I know Greenock, not far at all. I'm from the west side of Glasgow. Originally from Maryhill. Even though I've been in London more years than I care to remember now I still get real pangs of homesickness. Still its easy and cheap enough to fly home on a more regular basis.

Annmarie

 

[#1MMFan]

Just wondered if you knew the baggage allowance on AA. I see from their web site that it varies. They state two pieces 32kg each for domestic flights, but we should call for international baggage allowance. Can you remember if it was reduced. Obviously we are only there for a week, but it is nice to know that you have the option should you bring back the Norwegian rock collection as one CM so aptly put it on a previous WDW trip. (How embarrassing was that?!).

John

 

[Madjock]

John,

I'm sorry but I can't remember the actual allowance but I can assure you that it was adequate for a female who doesn't know the meaning of travelling light LOL! We were 2 adults, for 5 nights, and had two medium size cases plus a small lightweight case we took on as hand luggage. We bought so much (presents of course ) that we had to buy another case for the trip back and we had no problem with any of the baggage!

Annmarie

 

[Leeds Utd Fan]

I flew with AA for the first time in May LHR to Chicago, Chicago to Rochester and then back again. They were so good, and I must admit better in my opinion than BA. I flew with BA in March to Baltimore and it was the pits.
Doing the chicago trip again in on the 20th but with BA [say a prayer for me, I am practising sitting with my knees up to my chin], the reason is my boss won't travel with any American airline.

Unless I was very lucky with AA they were tops.

Just a word of warning I flew from LHR, and because I was on AA they have extra security, ie you bags are searched before you are allowed to check in, and I mean every suitcase, don't know whether other airports are same but took 20 minutes that I had not allowed for!!!

 

[Leeds Utd Fan]

Sorry meant to answer baggage question. I had a wardrobe with a handle [suicase] exactly 32k, on the way back I had two of them no problem, and carried on the heaviest lap top in the world

 

[Olaf]

American is my favorite airline. They have more leg room than any of the other american carriers.

 

[disneyholic family]

such interesting responses...
well, as an american i can say that AA sucks....you'll excuse my french....but then so do continental, northwest and all the others.....
you haven't lived until you've experienced an AA check-in line in the states....but all the other airlines are just as bad....
we're currently in the states traveling on an AA vusa ticket....
cheaper than cheap but now i remember why i've avoided AA for the last 30 years....

have a nice flight...

 

[Leeds Utd Fan]

The above reply was interesting, what does that make BA.

On transatlantic, you get a better service on AA than internally in the USA imho. Internal flights are like getting on a bus, and the planes are not exactly new, but on transatlantic they have new planes and more room, there is one more benefit well in my experiance anyway and that is there are less British on the flight which makes imigration in the USA so much quicker to clear than arriving on a Brit flight.

 

[disneyholic family]

which reminds me....
this may be true of the airports in the UK, as i haven't had the pleasure for many years now..
and this may also be true of LAX, but i know it's true of O'hare...
be sure to look out the window as you land and watch the other plane that lands in tandem with your plane.....
they land them two by two (at parallel runways) at o'hare (and lots of other US airports as well)....
makes things so much less boring that way.....
wondering if a gust of wind might make things a tad too interesting...
also note that the FBI has warned that one of the methods the terrorists may use to bring down planes is with small airplanes....something else to watch out your window for...

oh....and one more note.....perhaps you haven't heard the nickname for AA snce 9-11......al-qaeda airways...

but then again....that's the one we're flying......

have a nice flight...

 

[Kid at heart]

I have flown American Airlines many times and now warn my travel agent in advance - I REFUSE to fly AA. Every experience i have had with them has been a bad one. I have also flown Business Class and even though it was more comfortable, it simply does not compare to the other airlines. I hate to be negative, but you should be well informed here. Dont expect anything! Sorry - if you can change your flight - i would.

 

[disneyholic family]

we're in the states now flying all around....
so far we've been treated to equal opportunity torture on AA, america west (do NOT fly that airline ever.....unless you first buy a million dollars in insurance for someone you love)...
the latest was northwest.....as always living up to their reputation of doing absolutely nothing for their customers....

and by the way, foreigners be warned....you will probably be selected for the preboarding special searches (carried out right at the gate)....
the computer tends to select all foreign purchased tickets....
my advice, travel as light as possible to expedite the search and wear sandals unless you enjoy taking off your shoes in public....

age and ethnicity are irrelevant......on all my flights so far, none of the arabs were searched....only the little old ladies and men from japan and england (on our flight yesterday they had to help a 90 year old man into the special search line...)....but the 3 arab men sitting across from me weren't searched at all....interesting security.....if you want to call it that........

 

[bengunn]

No experience of AA but have transferred at Chicago O'Hare before. The terminal buildings are laid out in a circle and I had to transfer to a terminal on the opposite side - it is a fairly long walk and I did not have a dollar bill to get a trolley! So be warned, make sure you have some dollar bills to get a trolley.

 

[disneyholic family]

geez.....another american airlines warning...
this one i still can't believe myself but it just happened to us today....
one of the segments of our trip that was supposed to be on AA, turns out to be on american eagle (AA's regional carrier)....
the flight is listed online as AA...and the flight number is AA....
but it's not AA, it's american eagle.....on a toy plane (a plane that carries 37 passengers....
i couldn't believe it when i found out today.....
it sounds like fraud to me....
but that's neither here nor there at this point...
so i''ve just booked us new seats on northwest (as i'm not willing to fly another pretend airline after our mishap last week on america west......our plane missed the runway in las vegas.....something i certainly wasn't betting on....)...

anyway....all of you who are planning trips in the US......let the buyer beware.....

after this trip i'll NEVER plan another trip flying around the US.....NEVER EVER.....

 

[joanuk]

Disneyholic family

I have been reading this thread over the last few days as we are booked with American Airlines for our trip, you have certainly lowered my expectations! Is there actually any airline you do recommend?
As regards American Eagle, we have a flight with them after our stopover in Miami but we were informed on booking that it would be with them not an American Airlines plane. I think ours is a toy plane too, but perhaps for a slightly older child than yours.

Hope the rest of your flights are uneventful


Joanuk

 

[disneyholic family]

actually, based on our experience this trip they're all bad....
it's amazing to me how much air travel in the US has changed over the years...
i'm an american and have flown way too many miles....
the airlines used to be a pleasure.....now they're anything but...

one thing in american's favor is their added legroom between seats.....they took out rows to make the planes roomier.....it's not just an advertising claim.....my 6' 7'' husband almost fits on american planes which isn't true of the others.....
but in general, the airlines are not at all as service oriented as they used to be...
and the airports are much more difficult to navigate as well....
then add to that the security procedures and it becomes the ultimate test of one's endurance....
the fact that the security is worthless only makes it that much worse (your boarding card is marked if you've been 'randomly' selected for the pregate search.....well......any idiot terrorist knows whether his boarding card has been stamped or not....they either should search everyone or make it a true surprise.....the way they have it now it's a totally ineffective nuisance...)

in any case, to answer your question, i doubt that any airline is better.......they're all bad at this point....
i've heard southwest is nice but i've never flown it...

 

[joanuk]

Disneyholic

Thanks for the info. We booked American because of the more room in coach, so it's reassuring. My DH flies to the U.S fairly regularly and didn't want to go charter or Virgin ( He says there premium economy is worst than other airlines economy.) I can't comment on that as its 12 years since I've flown at all, never mind long haul!

Joanuk