- American Airlines is selling its planes to capacity starting July 1 as more passengers take to the skies for the typically busy summer travel season.
- The airline had previously only sold 85% of seats on its jets and had not blocked middle seats like some of its competitors.
- I saw American's already poor social distancing policies in action during a recent journey from Atlanta to Hartford, Connecticut via Charlotte.
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American Airlines will start selling every seat onboard its aircraft this summer as it abandons a policy of limiting capacity, the airline announced Friday, which was implemented to help assuage fears of full flights.
Taking effect on July 1, the policy reversal comes as more travelers are taking to the skies this summer, with the Transportation Security Administration showing over 500,000 flyers passing through checkpoints nearly every day since June 18. American was previously only selling seats on its aircraft up to 85% capacity, as opposed to the approximately one-third of capacity limits implemented by competitors Delta and Southwest.
"As more people continue to travel, customers may notice that flights are booked to capacity starting July 1," the press release stated.
Passengers on full flights, however, will continue to be offered alternatives including a free rebooking if they chose not to travel due to concerns of crowding.
I flew on American in early June on a one-stop journey from Atlanta to Hartford, Connecticut via Charlotte, North Carolina and saw how the country's largest airline is adapting to the pandemic.
Here's what it's like flying on American right now.
My first post-pandemic journey on American started with a quick flight from Atlanta to Charlotte. The last time I'd flown on the airline was in January.
The seat map at check-in showed most seats open, though some later filled up. I had booked in basic economy so I had no say in my seat selection but I wasn't sure why American had assigned me a seat next to somebody when there were open rows ahead of me.
The gate area was promising, with partitions at the counter and only one lane for boarding. Gate agents also encouraged passengers to scan their own boarding passes.
The only social distancing reminders in the gate area, however, were pieces of tape on the floor that said "6 feet." They were only for those going up to the counter, not the boarding lane.
There were few reminders of the airline's commitment to passenger safety and peace of mind on board. Tiny messages were shown on the information screen that read: "We've enhanced our cleaning procedures for your safety" and "face covering required on board" but that was about it.
It was clear when I got to the gate area that our flight was going to be crowded as the jet had less than 80 seats.
I was given the option to change my flight for free, as a result, but there were no alternatives available. I find that gesture to be meaningless, especially as there are fewer flights available as airlines are cutting back, with no guarantee the next one will be emptier.
American hasn't amended its boarding procedure so we all boarded in the normal order. Elite frequent flyers and first class passengers first, followed by economy.
This was our aircraft for the one-hour flight to Charlotte, a Bombardier CRJ900 regional jet.
American requires all passengers and crew to wear masks, unlike the airports I was flying between, so I masked up before boarding.
Read More: Only 20 of the 25 busiest airports in the US require passengers to wear masks — see the full rundown
It was going to be close quarters in our regional jet but the flight usually takes less than an hour.
Basic economy passengers, myself included, boarded last and walked through an entire plane full of people to the back of the aircraft.
Passengers were asking the flight attendant once boarding was complete if they could move seats to open rows to be away from other passengers. The airline wasn't proactive in doing this and it was up to the passenger.
I moved to the last row when boarding completed to get more privacy. What is normally the worst seat on the plane proved to be somewhat of a sanctuary.
The seats were clean and that was positive. American included in its Friday announcement that it would be working with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council to have its aircraft accredited for following cleanliness and disinfection standards.
Source: American Airlines
There was no in-flight service for the quick hop to Charlotte because of new airline rules so I took the time to dose off. American had suspended food and drink service on short flights, unlike its rival Delta.
Luckily, the flight was only an hour long.
Charlotte Airport, one of American's southeastern US hubs, doesn't require masks, and social distancing was scarce.
I headed to the gate for my next flight, a 2-hour hop up north to Hartford, Connecticut.
Again, I was assigned a seat in a crowded row. This time, it was a middle seat, despite numerous open rows ahead of me.
I had wrongfully thought that American would prioritize aisle and window seats for basic economy passengers, as its competitors are doing. We once again boarded in the normal order, with basic economy boarding last.
I was able to get my seat assignment changed by the gate agent, who moved me to an open row in the back of the plane. Other middle seaters saw open rows and moved back themselves.
The burden was, once again, on the passenger.
With so many open seats, I wondered why I was initially given a middle seat in a packed row. I had hoped that American would place safety and peace of mind over the fact I booked basic economy and assigning seats in empty rows should've been done by the airline, not passengers.
The service had also been suspended on the flight, despite its length, but flight attendants didn't turn down individual requests for beverages.
Other than that, it was smooth sailing to Hartford.
