As of now we have headphones, neckrest, eye shades, and earplanes. Do we need to take a travel blanket & pillow or do they still give them out?

I'm pretty certain that I was on a 767. DFW to CDG about a month ago,

headphones
blanket
pillow

wrapped in plastic, waiting on your seat.

I flew AA to/from CDG last month and the amenities were not consistent.

On the flight from DFW to CDG we had earphones pillow and blanket waiting for us in each seat. On the return flight - there was a pillow - but we had to ask for blankets and earphones cost $5 or €5

The seats do have those good adjustable headrests (sort of fold/bend to cradle your head) which to me are more comfortable than the neckrest pillows.

But AA is getting to be my airline of last resort - no seatback video and less amenities than most airlines . . . . .

Appears we'll add blankets, thanks for the tips.

Yikes, they charged you for earphones, janis!!

Just FYI, I flew AA to/from London in the last couple of weeks. I was on the 777, where they DO have individual video screens, there was no charge for earphones and blankets were readily available flying both directions. I can see why the video screens are not available on all types of aircrafts, but the charge for earphones is strange.

For the OP's benefit, if I am reading janis' post correctly, they did NOT charge her for blankets, the charge was for earphones, so I really don't think it's necessary to bring blankets. They are very bulky and will take up a lot of space in a carry-on.

Nowadays with headphones, you pay for them once and keep them. I always travel with a set on long flights.

I have the choice of flying AA or BA or VS when travelling between LHR and JFK...well BA at the present time is not a good alternative as terminal 4 is closed and I find having to take a shuttle bus to Hatton Cross underground to be a pain.

So at the present it comes down to AA or VS and the comparison VS wins hands down and by a substantial margin with the same fares the service is like night and day.

In February, because of scheduleproblems, I was forced to fly AA on a round trip between JFK and LHR.

The meal? An inedible couple of pieces of pot roast, a few lettue leaves and little else. For pete's sake, this is a trans Atlantic flight and people will be cooped up for 6 to 7 hours....VS, the meal while certainly not haute cuisine a better slection of beef stew, much more, much more salad, cheese, crackers, chocolate cheese cake...what a difference. And then, on VS they come around and say, "Would you like some wine with your dinner sir?" Free...free beer...free cocktails. AA, $5 for wine, $5 for a beer, $5 for a cocktail..give me a break.

Continental breakfast on VS an hour before landing, a fruit cup and a couple of other things. AA, breakfast (a laugh) a snack pack with a power bar and other inedible garbage. Fares are the same. VS entertainment system 40 movies you can look at at your own leisure...if you have to go to the bathroom you can stop the movie and pick it up at your leisure...AA 12 channels and the movies all go at the same time...if you have to exercise your body functions, too bad.

Return flight AA, same scrawny inedible pot roast meal. VS, a couple of pieces of roast chicken extras as above.....again $5 for drinks on AA, free on VS....a couple of hours before arrival in JFK they give you a small ice cream bar...no such thing on AA...an hour out you have afternoon tea, a small egg mayonaise (egg sald sandwich), a chocolate bar and tea...AA another snack pack with more of their inedible "snacks."

There is simply no comparison and quite frankly anybody who flies AA on the JFK-LHR route is crazy again as noted fares on VS and AA are the same so they're obviously not putting the nickel and diming into any sort of passenger comfort.

OK, I've nod my share of flying. Which airline is VS?? I'm at a loss.

Virgin Atlantic of course...the best airline in the sky today and there is no close second...reminds of the story of the first what was to become the America's cup race...Queen Victoria and her entourage went down to great the finihing ships and of course since there were many British ships and one lone American ship in the race (the America) it was assumed one of the British ships would win.

Anyway on this day, the Queen saw a ship appear in the distance and asked one of her servants which of our ships is that...the person looked into his binoculars and said, "the American ship your majest." "Oh, she said, "Which one of our ships is second?" The servant looked back into his binoculars and said,' "Your Majesty, there is no second." Virgin is the America...the rest well use your imagination.

Yep- AA isn't what it use to be.

Sometimes, it's a no win situation so you do what you have to do.

From BOS it was the best priced non-stop at the time. BA and VS were $200 more pp. Originally back in early Fall when I was looking it was a 777 and by the time we booked it in January it was changed to a 767.

I get cold ... but really don't want to pack it even though it's lightweight(we got it from 1st class Alitalia years ago and it's like new) .

For plane(plain) food, we're making our sandwiches and snacks and having our dinner meal for lunch that day at home.

As my kids and grankids would say, It's totally insane!

xyz123
I kinda thought it might be Virgin. I just went to their web site and I see that Chicago (ORD) isn't on their list of outbound airports. And it looks like London is their only option across the pond. That, typically, does not fit my travel plans so I guess I can't sample "the best airline in the sky today" until they add places like ORD and ZRH to their destinations. I'd sure try it if it was going "my way!"
Carol

AGREED--Virgin is my first choice, BA is also fine.

And this is coming from a former flight attendant with American. I'd rather fly coach on VS that first class on American, merely based on the "entertainment" factor--much better selection of things to watch. I get bored easily!

I was quite impressed with the food on British Airways on January 2, 2006. Free wine with dinner, and when I asked for a third, "cheers" was the response. And chocolate cheesecake, yum.

American is charging for beer, wine and drinks and earphones in coach. Therefore, make sure that American's price is $40 cheaper than BA or Virgins or you are getting screwed.

And expect the movies on American to be sensored a lot. All of the good parts are gone.

If you do bring your own alcohol on the plane, it is illegal, so don't be obvious when you drink it.

And expect the "fasten seat belt" sign to be on most of the time with American. They need to keep the isle clear so the flight attendants can sell those $5 drinks!

Yes, P-M got it right. The blankets were free but we had to ask for them. It was the first time I have ever been charged for earphones on international and I was shocked. If you want to read a tale of woe - check out my trip report and info about the flight back from CDG (just about my worst experience on any flight ever, except for maybe a total cancellation). AA wasn't high up my list to begin with but now it is at the very bottom . . . .

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34786168

The flight description is down at the very end of the trip report if you want to skip the Paris part.

Actually, it's not illegal to bring alcohol on the plane--it's only illegal if your pour it yourself. It's legal if you ask a flight attendant to open and pour it for you. Go figure..I guess it's to allow the FA's to keep track of who's drinking what. We were taught to "keep an eye on" people who just asked for mixers (bloody mary mix, etc..)

Will they normally do that? I may ask on my next trip.