- American Airlines is regaining my trust after my terrible experience returning from Colombia in 2021.
- My recent economy flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to New York was on time and comfortable.
- The Boeing 737-800 is equipped with a tablet holder instead of a television screen. I prefer that.
I'll be honest: American Airlines hasn't been my go-to airline since 2021 when a last-minute flight cancellation left me stranded overnight in Colombia with little customer service help.
There was a lack of communication from beginning to end. My rights to the hotel were not clearly spelled out and I had no idea why the flight was canceled in the first place.
Nevertheless, the carrier is slowly regaining my trust.
I recently flew in economy on an American Boeing 737-800 from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to New York's LaGuardia Airport.
As with the few flights I've been on since the 2021 debacle, the flight arrived perfectly on time and I've found that communication has definitely improved.
And while not a fan favorite, I actually prefer American's renovated narrow-body cabin compared to its competitors.
My journey began at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, a huge hub in the United States.
American Airlines had dozens of kiosks and counters, but since I only had carry-on luggage, I quickly went to security and checked in online.
After securing security, automated trains will transport passengers between the gate and the terminal.
I cleared TSA PreCheck within about 25 minutes of arrival and boarded the Boeing 737.
As summer approaches, I've noticed that the TSA PreCheck lines are getting longer.
I waited about 15 minutes. It's a good idea to allow extra time to get through security, especially at larger airports like Dallas and Fort Worth.
The plane had 172 seats in 3×3 rows, each with power, a tray table, adequate cushioning, and adjustable headrests.
The aircraft has 16 reclining seats in first class, 24 additional main cabin seats with more legroom, and 132 standard economy seats.
I sat in seat 32B, in the middle of the second to last row.
Legroom was born out of American Airlines' cabin renovation project, which aimed to standardize the in-flight experience.
Known as “Project Oasis,” American Airlines has retrofitted the cabins of many of its narrow-body Airbus and Boeing planes. This simplifies the vehicle and makes more money with more seats, but at the expense of legroom.
The 737-800 aircraft will be completed in 2021, followed by the Airbus A321s, according to The Points Guy.
I understand the frustration with America's bovine economy cabins, but I don't think this design is a total bust.
I recently flew economy on American, Delta, and United narrow-body planes, and the most noticeable difference is the in-flight entertainment options.
Instead of a TV screen, American Airlines offers in-flight entertainment that is streamed to a personal device that is propped up in a seatback holder.
Tablet holders are now common on airlines.
For example, Breeze Airlines has installed the holder on its Airbus A220 aircraft, and Southwest Airlines' new cabin renderings show seatback tablet holders.
This is common on American Airlines' narrow-body planes, and is different from Delta and United's television-equipped planes.
United Airlines, for example, is welcoming brand new narrow-body aircraft with seatback screens and Bluetooth capabilities.
Delta Air Lines boasts a similar strategy, saying in March that it is “leading the industry with more than 161,000 seatback screens installed on more than 850 aircraft.”
I travel with my Kindle Fire 10 and it fits in the slot with a little room.
American Airlines did not immediately respond to inquiries from Business Insider about the size of its holdings or its availability on planes.
I'm not sure if larger tablets like the iPad Pro series will fit. Regional jets and many of their older narrow-body aircraft do not have tablet holders.
I prefer the tablet holder. Because for people like me who bring their own in-flight entertainment, a tablet holder provides better viewing angles.
When I fly, I like to watch a variety of reality TV shows that airlines don't usually stream, such as Big Brother, Survivor, Deal or No Deal Island, and The Circle.
Viewing pre-downloaded content typically requires placing the tablet on a tray table, but the holder's position in the seatback is much more comfortable.
However, many of my friends and family members say they would prefer to have an in-flight screen for convenience, so maybe I'm an outlier.
Some travelers may not have a tablet to watch the programs on or prefer not to use the small screen of their phone.
For these reasons, a guaranteed in-flight TV from another airline may be better for such travelers.
Other than the tablet holder, my flight in the US was smooth and comfortable.
I browsed American Airlines' in-flight entertainment options, which were comparable to Delta, United, and Southwest Airlines.
I think you can find something even if you don't have pre-downloaded movies or shows.
I was particularly pleased with the T-Mobile WiFi, which allows you to stream content that cannot be downloaded.
I can't download episodes with the Paramount+ app on my Kindle (there may be a fix I haven't found yet), so I use my iPhone for things like Survivor.
However, the Wi-Fi was so good that I was able to stream directly from the app on my Kindle.
Our partnership with T-Mobile is much better than the carrier's paid and advertised WiFi options.
Unlike Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways' free internet, American Airlines offers limited free WiFi sessions when you watch a short ad. On my flight, the session lasted 20 minutes.
This strategy shows people what WiFi is like and will likely encourage them to buy a ticket, although the maximum $20 charge for internet on my trip may be a bit steep for some travelers.
Overall, the three-hour journey to New York went smoothly thanks to fast WiFi, a tablet holder, and an on-time arrival.
As someone who prioritizes convenience and price over airline loyalty, I wouldn't worry about booking American Airlines after a recent flight.
Although still far from perfect, American Airlines' reliability and customer service have improved since my debacle in 2021.
I didn't have high expectations for American Airlines since 2021, but they're improving thanks to new customer service tools and a greater focus on consistency and proactiveness, says American's vice president of customer experience. Kim Sisek said in an interview with BI.
For example, more than 24 hours before departure, I received an email asking for volunteers to fly on another flight.
American Airlines told BI during a tour of its distribution centers in mid-May that it would provide better protection against disruptions, including pre-emptively resolving oversold tickets long before passengers were already at the gate. He said that he is building a system to prepare for this.
Gate agents also proactively informed customers in groups 8 and 9 that their carry-on bags would be searched because the flight was full.
Announcements were made before boarding to give everyone time to organize their luggage and speak to the staff in case there were any issues.
I noticed that all the baggage being gate checked had no effect on boarding. Luckily my suitcase was small enough to fit under the seat, so I was allowed to bring it in.
But I still want one improvement. It's the destruction of transparency.
While American Airlines has built systems to better manage and communicate things like missed connections, weather cancellations, and excess flights, it's still not completely transparent about the reasons for flight disruptions.
United Airlines, for example, tells travelers the exact reason for delays and cancellations, such as maintenance or weather, to help them understand their rights as a passenger.
Cisek said the company is laying the groundwork for its communications efforts, noting a chat feature it launched to make flight changes easier.
“If we launch messaging right now and it doesn't work, it could be disruptive, so we're trying to be very careful about how we build that out,” she said. Told. “But we know our customers want it. It's on the table and we want to look at it and introduce it the right way.”
