Earl Evleth

If the company survives! With food and other services
reaching progressively no lows, why take and American
Carrier???

Earl

*****




American Airlines Adds Fee to Encourage E-Ticket Usage in Europe, the
Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America
Tuesday October 19, 11:47 am ET


FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines
announced today it will add a fee for paper tickets purchased through travel
agents in certain European countries, the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin
America for itineraries that are eligible for electronic tickets.

The paper ticket fee is intended to encourage the use of electronic
ticketing whenever possible. There will be no fee for issuing a paper
ticket if an itinerary is not e-ticket eligible. Today, more than 90
percent of American Airlines customers travel on electronic tickets.

This move will allow American to remain cost competitive with other airlines
that have recently introduced similar fees and is consistent with American's
policy of charging for paper tickets issued by U.S.-based travel agents when
the itinerary qualifies for e-ticketing.

Effective immediately, the fee for a paper ticket issued on an electronic
ticket-eligible itinerary through travel agents in Italy, Spain, Belgium and
France is 25 EUR, while the fee in the United Kingdom is 25 GBP. Fees for
paper tickets issued through travel agents in the Caribbean (including
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands), Mexico and Latin America will be
effective Nov. 8, 2004. The fee will be 25 USD, converted to the local
currency.

Approximately 91 percent of American's passengers travel on electronic
tickets. That percentage has grown steadily since American first began
e-ticketing in 1996. Today e-ticketing is offered throughout American's
worldwide route network, including all of the 40-plus countries served by
the airline. In addition, American offers interline e-ticketing with 21
other airlines -- more than any other carrier -- including all members of
the oneworld Alliance, of which American is a founding member.

Customers benefit from e-ticketing since e-tickets cannot be lost or stolen,
and changes and refunds can be made faster and easier. In addition,
e-tickets enable passengers to avoid lines and move through the airport more
quickly. Airlines and travel agents benefit from reduced administrative
costs and increased efficiency.

Today's announcement applies only to paper tickets on e-ticket eligible
itineraries issued through travel agents in certain European countries, the
Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America. Travel agents in the United States and
Canada can continue to issue paper tickets on e-ticket eligible itineraries
for the current 50 USD.

About American Airlines

American Airlines is the world's largest carrier. American, American Eagle
and the AmericanConnection® regional carriers serve more than 250 cities in
over 40 countries with more than 3,800 daily flights. The combined network
fleet numbers more than 1,000 aircraft. American's award- winning Web site,
AA.com, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus
personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a
founding member of the oneworld Alliance, which brings together some of the
best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their
customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its
own. Together, its members serve more than 575 destinations in 135
countries and territories. American Airlines and American Eagle are units
of AMR Corporation (NYSE: AMR -News ).

Donald Newcomb

"Earl Evleth" <> wrote in message
news:BD9FF82B.20D47%...
    > If the company survives! With food and other services
    > reaching progressively no lows, why take and American
    > Carrier???
    > Earl

Well, I had the misfortune of flying Alitalia this summer and I can tell you
it was no great shakes.

Charles Hawtrey

Earl Evleth <> wrote:

    >If the company survives! With food and other services
    >reaching progressively no lows, why take and American
    >Carrier???

As opposed to what other carrier? The admirably efficient and
well-organized Alitalia? Air Canada, "affectionately" nicknamed
Mapleflot? British Airways or Air France, where customers are
regarded as a nuisance? Granted Singapore Airlines have a reputation
for good service, but the major international carriers are much of a
muchness.

And most of them are in no great shape financially, either.

Randee

We've only ever used United, American and Lufthansa to/from Europe.
American has two important advantages for us, slightly longer seat
pitch, and much better flight times. The AA seat pitch is about the
same as United's Coach Plus, but the only free upgrade from standard
coach to coach plus on United is if you are willing to take exit row
(bulkhead) seats (probably not available in the busy season).
Unfortunately I think I read that AA is going to start charging US$250
for using miles to upgrade to business from economy coach tickets, no
charge for upgrading from full fare coach tickets. But then again,
Delta won't let you upgrade from economy coach, it has to be one of the
higher coach fares. Delta has tight coach seating, as does Lufthansa.

Earl Evleth

in article , Donald Newcomb at
wrote on 23/10/04 14:14:

    >
    > "Earl Evleth" <> wrote in message
    > news:BD9FF82B.20D47%...
    >> If the company survives! With food and other services
    >> reaching progressively no lows, why take and American
    >> Carrier???
    >>
    >> Earl
    >
    > Well, I had the misfortune of flying Alitalia this summer and I can tell you
    > it was no great shakes.


Things are generally down hill everywhere and Alitalia is not doing well.

This summer we only took a Paris-Athenes flight on Air France, no problems.
We have avoided Olympic for years.

We flew to the US last January, on AA, which worked OK. They and several
others have a day flight to London from either Boston or NYC. We hate
overnight flights and dodge them when possible. The food on the
transatlantic flights is better on AA than nationally, which practically
does not exist. We take a bag of peanuts and French pates with us to eat on
US flights.

Earl

Earl Evleth

in article , Charles Hawtrey at
wrote on 23/10/04 23:50:

    > And most of them are in no great shape financially, either.


Curiously Air France seems to be doing OK, at least not running losses.

Bad drives out Good and so the advent of the cheapie airlines will
push the evolution towards a completely cattle car approach.

Earl

Earl Evleth

in article , randee at wrote
on 24/10/04 6:49:

    > We've only ever used United, American and Lufthansa to/from Europe.
    > American has two important advantages for us, slightly longer seat
    > pitch, and much better flight times. The AA seat pitch is about the
    > same as United's Coach Plus, but the only free upgrade from standard
    > coach to coach plus on United is if you are willing to take exit row
    > (bulkhead) seats (probably not available in the busy season).
    > Unfortunately I think I read that AA is going to start charging US$250
    > for using miles to upgrade to business from economy coach tickets, no
    > charge for upgrading from full fare coach tickets. But then again,
    > Delta won't let you upgrade from economy coach, it has to be one of the
    > higher coach fares. Delta has tight coach seating, as does Lufthansa.
    > --


We will go on a trip next Spring, Paris => Miami, Fort Lauderdale =>
British Virgins; British Virgins => Boston, Boston => London and
London => Paris. Except for the last leg, AA handles this best.

We don't have carrier loyalty although historically Air France has
given us the least grief. We use them by preference. We just
returned to Paris from Athenes where we spend each September.
our Big fat Greek vacation is at

http://homepage.mac.com/evleth/PhotoAlbum13.html

and Gaston's vacation in the Var in August is at

http://homepage.mac.com/evleth/PhotoAlbum12.html

We also don`t play the "flyer mileage" game, everybody else does. Actually
if the boats were still running we take boats back and forth between Europe
and the USA. We did in the 60s and early 70s, on the SS. France, and that is
the only way to travel. Air travel is painful and has become uncivilized.

Anyway, after 30 years in France we don't hanker to make trips to the US,
Europe has it all. The Caribbean and sail boats are different.

http://homepage.mac.com/evleth/PhotoAlbum7.html

Boats are the only way to travel.

Earl

Erilar

In article <>, randee <>
wrote:

    > We've only ever used United, American and Lufthansa to/from Europe.
    > American has two important advantages for us, slightly longer seat
    > pitch, and much better flight times. The AA seat pitch is about the
    > same as United's Coach Plus, but the only free upgrade from standard
    > coach to coach plus on United is if you are willing to take exit row
    > (bulkhead) seats (probably not available in the busy season).
    > Unfortunately I think I read that AA is going to start charging US$250
    > for using miles to upgrade to business from economy coach tickets, no
    > charge for upgrading from full fare coach tickets. But then again,
    > Delta won't let you upgrade from economy coach, it has to be one of the
    > higher coach fares. Delta has tight coach seating, as does Lufthansa.
    > --


I flew SAS because I was going to Scandinavia last trip and love it
madly! formerly I've been flying Lufthansa because I was usually going
to Germany. I was much more comfortable on SAS but didn't have a tape
measure along 8-)

Randee

Hmmm, isn't SAS a brand of shoes......... one can interpret this post a
couple of ways.

SAS and Lufthansa have essentially the same seat spacing. Less than
United Plus or AA, which is why we use those. On overseas flights in
coach, every inch of seat pitch counts.......

Carole Allen

Sept 01 we were to fly Athens to Samos via Olympic...got us all on the
plane, then made us get off...they hadn't signed up a flight crew! An
hour later we reboarded and took off...

I didn't even want to GO to Samos, but my born-again sis just HAD to
get to Patmos to see this cave where Revelations was written. Well,
folks, it's get yourself to Samos, then hydrofoil to Patmos and back,
and trust me, it is just a cave. And it was hot as Hades in
there...and it was 9/11 no less ... I would have stayed on the beach
at Naxos...

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:40:51 +0200, Earl Evleth <>
wrote:
    >This summer we only took a Paris-Athenes flight on Air France, no problems.
    >We have avoided Olympic for years.