It's not going to be a great summer for people who plan to fly for vacation, work or any other reason. A shortage of air traffic controllers has already led to many airlines slashing their schedule from the northeast by as much as 10%.
In addition, executives from Southwest Airlines (LUV) and Delta Air Lines (DAL) (among others) have talked openly about how pilot shortages will curtail their operations through the fall. After that, airplane shortages will become the problem as Boeing (BA) has fallen behind on deliveries.
DON'T MISS: American Airlines Adds New Fee, Gives Preposterous Reason
All of this is happening in the wake of last winter's Southwest Airlines meltdown that left tens of thousands of passengers stranded over the Christmas holiday. That situation has raised people's anxiety about air travel and led to some broad mistrust of the industry.
That might not be fair, in that Southwest's issues were limited to Southwest, but it's easy for people to project those same problems onto whatever carrier they plan to fly. In the face of that, American Airlines (AAL) has rolled out some new summer offers designed to make flying a little more pleasant this summer.
Image source: Shutterstock
American Offers Free WiFi (to Some)
American has released a number of new perks that it's going to offer customers this summer. The airline has called it an attempt at "elevating the summer travel experience with offerings that will deliver a consistent and connected inflight experience for all customers this travel season," the airline shared in a press release.
Some items, like new meals for international travelers, only reach a limited amount of customers, but a few of the new perks are fairly broad-based. The biggest ones are related to the WiFi service onboard.
American has been adding the technology needed to offer free T-Mobile (TMUS) WiFi on its airplanes. By July, it should be able to do that on all domestic flights. This offer only applies to T-Mobile customers and it only works on phones, not tablets or laptops.
T-Mobile offers a similar service for Alaska, United, and Delta Air Lines customers.
And while non-T-Mobile customers won't get free internet, the airline has worked to improve its overall internet experience.
"While in flight, customers connecting to Wi-Fi expect reliable and fast connectivity. Customers traveling the globe to their dream international destinations should be able to enjoy faster Wi-Fi speeds and a more reliable service for all their connectivity needs thanks to increased bandwidth planned for American's widebody aircraft," the company shared.
American Adds Enhanced Food Options
Customers flying in premium cabins will get new, included food choices this summer. The airline, however, is not forgetting about those flying in coach seats as it has added a new food item for purchase.
"To give American's Buy on Board program a summer refresh, a Fruit and Cheese Plate and Breakfast Bag begin flying in the Main Cabin this month. The Fruit and Cheese Plate features cheese, grapes, and chocolate for a perfectly balanced taste experience while the Breakfast Bag has a healthy and delicious combination of yogurt, granola, and a fig bar," according to the airline.
These new items will be available for purchase on flights (1,300 miles or longer) that depart between 9:46 a.m. and 9 p.m. and between 5 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
