When you upgrade to first class, you expect a certain level of treatment. But one American Airlines customer was left feeling sorely disappointed.
All major airlines—including Spirit and Emirates—offer a first-class experience. However, when it comes to American Airlines’ first class service, TikToker Haley Worden (@haleywarden3) felt it was lacking. In her TikTok, which has amassed 2,243 views, she began by explaining that she flew directly to Los Angeles from Cleveland via American Airlines.
She says she upgraded to first class for the first time ever because it wasn’t much of a difference, and she wanted to take advantage of the two free bags permitted under first class.
Worden added that she knew how “unique” the first class experience was from flying as a child. She remembers staff offering drinks, taking care of you, and offering stuff like pillows and blankets. In turn, she says that she was “pretty disappointed” by her first-class experience.
How Did Her First-Class Experience In American Airlines Go?
Things started off OK: she was asked what to drink, offered snacks and a hot towel, and then asked what she’d like for dinner. It was after dinner that things started to go downhill. Staff said there was no dessert, but coffee and tea were available. This was a red flag because, as Worden pointed out, she was paying for this service.
After that, nobody came back to check on her “for hours.” Bear in mind that this, as she said, was a 5-hour flight. During the flight, Worden said she also felt cold. She wore a thin zip-up and was shivering, but nobody offered her a blanket or a pillow.
Worden has a family history with airlines. Her father retired with U.S. Airways, and she says she’s been flying her whole life.
She described her service as “basic economy treatment,” and added, “I am just shocked that that’s what you guys call first class.”
Worden was so disappointed by the experience, she says she was questioning whether she even wanted to fly first class.
The TikToker noted that she appreciates this is a “first world problem.”
Ultimately, however, if someone wants to fly first class, she brands American Airlines as “not worth it.”
BroBible reached out to Worden via TikTok direct message and American Airlines via email.
People Generally Agreed With Her
In the comments, people were on the same page.
“The FAs are so lazy,” one complained.
“Nowadays its only more leg room, more bags,” a second said.
“Domestic first class in general is just not worth it anymore,” a third opined. “Different when it was $900-$1300 or so per seat.”
And a fourth said, “Not worth it domestic. No pillows. No blankets. They don’t offer anything. Other than having a bigger seat, that’s the only benefit. Even whatever food they have is sus.”
@haleyworden3 My experience with flying first class with @American Airlines and honestly just a lil disappointed bc it wasn’t cheap 🙁 #foryoupage #firstclass #losangeles #americanairlines
American Airlines’ First Class Problems Continue
Worden isn’t the first passenger to feel let down by American Airlines’ first class.
According to TikToker Hess Hembree (@hesshembree), American Airlines is booting out first class passengers from their seats in favor of pilots.
“Just when you think that American Airlines couldn’t be any worse, they are now kicking people out of first class that have already paid for that seat,” he said.
“So just imagine if you were in first class. You work hard to pay for that seat, whatever the case may be, and then they come to you with your drink in hand or whatever it is, and then they say, ‘You need to go back to economy and, you know, sit essentially in someone else’s lap,'” he said.
While airlines are technically allowed to do this, it certainly isn’t a popular decision.
Update:
In a TikTok direct message interview with BroBible, Worden shared more about her background. She explained that her father worked on the simulators for U.S. Airways prior to its acquisition by American Airlines. As a result, she says she “grew up flying,” and had first-class experiences flying on U.S. Airlines. Consequently, she says she was “excited” to fly first class—so much so that she made a post expressing her excitement—but she ended up feeling “underwhelmed” by her experience.
“I just remember feeling very pampered and taken care of,” she shared.
Worden recounted how the flight attendants were “very attentive,” and that they were constantly checking in about things like drinks.
“I remember—and it’s just funny because I remember little details—like I remember I had to go to the bathroom so many times because I just kept getting drinks,” she added. As well as constant drink top-ups, Worden recounted how she got things like blankets, headphones, and pillows.
She repeated that, by contrast, her first class experience with American Airlines was “underwhelming.”
“I was very uncomfortable, honestly,” she admitted. “Like they say it’s more room, and I just wasn’t comfortable per se.” She went on to add that she had “flown mostly coach, and I didn’t feel like the experience was that much different, other than you got food and hot towels.”
“But I don’t know,” she continued, “I just felt like the experience was not worth the money. I ended up flying back in coach, and I actually was more comfortable in coach. So, I don’t think I’ll be flying first class anytime soon again just because, in my opinion, the value that you’re getting isn’t worth it. The service isn’t what it used to be. The accommodations, the pillows, the headphones, all the stuff that you used to get, you don’t get that anymore.”
In terms of audience reception, Worden noted how some commenters retorted that she wasn’t flying international and were “discrediting [her] opinion on it.”
“But, you know, everyone’s opinion is valid,” she told us. “I was speaking from an experience that I had in the past and comparing it to now, and I just didn’t feel that it was worth the money. I didn’t feel like it was, you know, a great experience. I was very uncomfortable. I was cold, and like I said on the way back I flew back on American [Airlines], but I flew back in coach, and I felt like I had better service. I felt like all around it was better, and it’s like, why would I spend money, you know, more money, to fly first when I can just literally fly coach and it’s pretty much the same. So you don’t even really get that much room.”