American Airlines has made a small but notable improvement to First Class on its domestic overnight flights, which I am pleased about.
American offers extra pillows and blankets on some first class flights
Many years ago, it was standard to have a pillow and blanket in first class on virtually every domestic flight. Over time, this was greatly reduced, and then the pandemic led to even more cuts.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, American no longer offers pillows and blankets in first class on any “standard” domestic flights (except on “premium” domestic routes and flights to Hawaii).
There is one positive development in this regard, which View from the Wing points out: American has begun providing pillows and blankets on domestic transcontinental overnight flights.
These are currently the only flights where blankets and pillows are offered again. Admittedly, these are the flights where pillows and blankets are most needed, considering how difficult it can be to get comfortable on overnight flights without a flat bed.
Although this is just a random digression, I’m curious about the “flow” of these pillows and blankets through the network. Typically, airlines offer pillows and blankets in both directions of travel, so there’s always roughly the right number of pillows and blankets at any given station.
In this case, pillows and blankets are offered from west to east, so how do they get from east to west? Does the airline prepare them on the east coast but only use them for the return flight? Or how are they shipped to the west coast?
I really miss uniform pillows and blankets
I’m glad that American has started offering pillows and blankets again on some flights. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m a big fan of pillows and blankets on all flights. They’re especially helpful for getting comfortable, whether you’re using them as lower back support or just trying to get as cozy as possible for sleeping.
It’s interesting that American has added back cushions and blankets on some flights but hasn’t made an announcement about it. It’s rare for American to invest in its inflight product, so you’d think the airline would at least highlight this…
Conclusion
American is once again offering pillows and blankets on domestic flights. While it’s not like it used to be when they were present on almost all first class flights, this is the best we’ve seen in years. I’m happy to see this change and hope it’s eventually rolled out to more flights.
What do you think about American reintroducing pillows and blankets on some flights?
