I flew American in economy from Dallas to New York. The plane had a tablet-holder instead of seatback screens and I prefer it that way.

Taylor RainsMay 29, 2024, 04:23 IST

The tablet holder on the seatback.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

American Airlines is regaining my trust after a bad experience flying home from Colombia in 2021.
My recent flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to New York in economy was comfortable and on time.

I'll be honest: American Airlines hasn't been my go-to airline since a last-minute flight cancellation left me stranded overnight in Colombia in 2021 with little help from customer service.

The communication was lacking from start to finish. There was no clear indication of my rights to a hotel, and I never found out why the flight was canceled in the first place.

Nevertheless, the carrier has been slowly regaining my trust.

I recently flew in economy on an American Boeing 737-800 from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to New York's LaGuardia Airport.

Like the handful I've taken since the 2021 fiasco, the flight was perfectly on time, and I found the communication has definitely improved.

And, although not a fan-favorite, I actually prefer American's retrofitted narrowbody cabin compared to competitors.

My journey started at American's giant hub, the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Dallas/Fort Worth is among the busiest airports in the world, according to data from the trade association Airports Council International.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I was through TSA PreCheck and onboard the Boeing 737 within about 25 minutes of arriving.

I was on a previous-generation 737, not the problem-ridden Max. Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The plane offered all basics: 172 seats in 3x3 rows, each with power, a tray table, acceptable padding, and an adjustable headrest.

An adjustable headrest is a must for me if I plan to sleep on an airplane.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Regular coach offers 30 inches of pitch, which was fine for my five-foot-three-inch self but likely cramped for taller travelers.

The author's legoom. Some of United's 737-800s offer the same 30 inches of pitch, per SeatGuru.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The legroom results from American's cabin retrofit project meant to standardize its inflight experience.

The legroom is fine for shorter people.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I understand the frustration of American's cattle-like economy cabin, but I don't think the design is a total bust.

Many customers were upset when American added more seats at the expense of legroom.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Instead of TV screens, American offers inflight entertainment streamed to a personal device that can be propped on a seatback holder.

Watching Deal or No Deal Island on the tablet.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

This is common across American's narrowbody fleet and differs from Delta and United's TV-equipped airplanes.

The inflight screen on Delta's A220.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I travel with a Kindle Fire 10, which fit into the slot with a little bit of stretch to spare.

American has fit tablet holders on its Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A321 planes, but not all aircraft have them.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I prefer the tablet holder because it creates a better viewing angle for people, like myself, who bring our own inflight intertainment.

My neighbor used his holder to play his Nintendo Switch.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I may be an outlier, however, as many friends and family say they prefer having that inflight screen for convenience.

The tablet holder on American's 737-800.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Aside from the tablet holder, my American flight was smooth and comfortable.

The Biscoff cookies were good and I was happy the flight attendant gave me the entire can of soda.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I was particuarly happy with the T-Mobile WiFi, which allowed me to stream stuff I couldn't download.

Screenshot of the T-Mobile inflight connection option on the author's iPhone, which is also available on carriers like Alaska and Delta.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The T-Mobile partnership is much better than the carrier's paid and ad WiFi options.

Screenshot of the free WiFi option on the author's iPhone.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Overall, the fast WiFi, the tablet holder, and on-time arrival made for a solid three-hour journey to New York.

The first-class seats had the same tablet holder.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Still far from perfect, American's reliability and customer service have improved since my 2021 fiasco.

This is the queue of people in Miami in 2021 waiting to speak to an AA customer service agent after I landed from Colombia. The poor logistics and communication shocked me.Taylor Rains/Insider

For example, I got an email more than 24 hours before departure looking for volunteers to take a different flight.

Screenshot of an email from American asking if plans are flexible.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The gate agent also proactively told customers in groups 8 and 9 that we would be checking carry-ons as the flight was completely full.

American has never checked the size of my carry-on but still has the checker available, just in case.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

However, I'm still holding out for one improvement — disruption transparency.

An American Airlines Boeing 737.AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Cisek said the company is setting the foundation for its communication efforts, noting the chat function it has launched to ease flight changes.

The American Airlines check-in desk at Dallas Fort Worth Airport.Tom Pennington/Getty Images

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