Like United and Delta before it, American Airlines has announced plans to add premium-economy seating to all of its mainline aircraft.  The new product, which they are calling Main Cabin Extra, will offer a number of rows of seats at the front of the economy class cabin that have four to six extra inches of legroom.  The seats will begin to appear on some flights this fall, and within a year and a half should be in substantially all of American’s domestic and international planes.

American’s main competitors, United and Delta, already have a premium economy product.  United’s, called Economy Plus, has been part of the United fleet for several years and is now being installed in all of the planes that formerly were part of Continental.  Meanwhile, Delta launched its Economy Comfort product last year on international flight but plans to add them systemwide by summer.

- Visually, the site’s been cleaned up a little and made more contemporary. This has practical implications, too, because some pages will render differently depending on your screen resolution. If you have an above average-sized monitor, we’ll take advantage of that and show you more information at a time than we used to.

- When we show you results for a flight search, we’re now going to provide a lot more information about each flight option. This includes the flight duration, the fees for checked bags, and the on-board amenities like WiFi and Live TV. For most airlines, we’ll also show you the on-time percentage and even the availability by booking code for the real savvy flyers who maybe want to get a clue as to their chances of getting an upgrade. Finally, we are giving each flight a “quality score” grade like A, B+, C-, etc. to give you our opinion of the quality of the flight based on factors like flight duration, directness, on-board amenities, and the number of alternate flights on the same airline in case there is a delay or cancellation.

- We’ve made things faster. Flight searches, log-ons, and general site navigation are all quicker in the new version than in the old.

- You can now search for a flight in a “premium economy” class in addition to the basic economy, business, and first. This includes Southwest’s “Business Select”, Virgin America’s “Main Cabin Select”, and the international somewhere-in-between-coach-and-business-class cabins that more and more airlines are now offering.

- You will now have the option to search for “Refundable Fares Only”.

- If you’re like me and you hate using the mouse, you’ll love how easy it now is to enter your travel dates. Our system will recognize just about any format you can think of. For instance, if you’re traveling on November 13, you can type “11/13″ (we’ll automatically figure out the year for you), “11-13″, “1113″, “nov13″, and many others. For last minute trips, you can even type something like “tue” and it will automatically convert the date to next Tuesday. If you do like to use the mouse, that’s OK, too. In fact, our new calendars that stay on the screen make it easier than ever to select a date.

- If you are going somewhere but don’t know the closest airport, we will now allow you to type the name of a town or even a zip code into the “From” or “To” box. If you do that, we’ll immediately show you a list of the closest airports.

- For 3 or 4 leg trips, you will now be able to select your flights one leg at a time instead of having to choose a pre-packaged set of flights for the whole itinerary like you do on the current version.

- For domestic one way and round trip flights, we already search more itinerary combinations than any other booking tool, but in this new version we are making our international searches more comprehensive by presenting more itinerary combinations to choose from, once you select your outbound flight. This is also true for 3 and 4 leg domestic trips.

We’ve been testing the new version in house for over a month now. There are still a few minor bugs that we know of, but overall it works pretty well. By default we will continue to present users with the current version of our site, but if you want to give this new version a try, just go to www.Amtrav.com and log out if you are already logged in. Then, from the log in page, type your e-mail address and password as usual but also check the box that says “Try out the beta version of our new, enhanced booking tool.” Once you’re in, please play around with it, kick the tires, and, by all means, let us know what you think by sending an e-mail to DevTeam@Amtrav.com. Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, and what you’d most like to see added. Constructive criticism is welcome and valuable — don’t worry, we have very thick skin.

The group of improvements in this new version does not represent any sort of finish line. Rather, it’s just a dump of everything we have been working on that as of this moment is finished. Rest assured, we continue to work on a variety of additional enhancements and new functionality as part of our ongoing commitment to make Amtrav.com the industry’s best online corporate booking tool. In the months ahead, expect a lot more announcements like this one.

American wants to use the bankruptcy process to reduce its costs, including labor costs, which are well above the industry averages.  Delta, United, Continental, and US Airways have all previously gone through bankruptcies, a fact which American says has put them at a competitive disadvantage.

The process is likely to be quite length and we are not anticipating any significant impact for American flyers, at least in the short or medium term.

For more information, there are further details on the American website.

Economy Comfort seating will be free for those who pay Delta’s higher fares or for those who are Gold, Platinum, or Diamond members of SkyMiles.  For other travelers, it can be purchased for $19-$99 per flight (depending on distance) through Delta.com or an airport kiosk. Or, you can let your Amtrav travel consultant know you are interested and we’ll be happy to make all the arrangements for you.

The Economy Comfort enhancement is part of a $2 billion investment Delta is making through 2013 in order to upgrade its airport facilities and in-flight experience.

The bonus miles will be awarded automatically but you will need to register with United first.  You can do that by visiting their web site at www.united.com/offer/MPI051.  Registration is free.

The upgrade is valid for travel between now and October 31st on tickets originating in the U.S. or Canada (except Los Angeles) to London or beyond.  It is not valid with negotiated corporate rates, and is only valid with “full fare” business class tickets.  In some cases and some markets, there are discount business class tickets available that won’t be eligible.

Some other restrictions apply but feel free to ask your travel counselor about it.  He or she will be happy to help if you want to try to take advantage of this offer.

"The history of mergers in this industry is not a good one," Ayer told the Seattle Times. "There have been rumors about somebody buying Alaska Airlines as long as I've been here, and probably longer than that."

What Ayer means when he says that the history of mergers has been tainted is that more often than not the partnerships are born out of desperation. Carriers realize that they absolutely need to partner up or face extinction. In the wake of the economic downturn, it appears nearly every major airline is feeling that pressure. United and Continental has merged, Delta partnered up with Northwest, and Southwest bought out AirTran in the latest round of mergers.

Many thought that Alaska would be a good target for U.S. Airways, a carrier that has made it clear it is looking for a partner. However, Ayer isn't willing to deal. Alaska turned a profit during the first three months of the year, when many airlines lost money because of rising fuel costs. The small carrier dominates much of the Pacific Northwest, with multiple flights to Alaska and a home base at Seattle.

For business travelers that typically fly smaller regional airlines, a merger usually works out favorably. Bigger companies with larger route networks will typically incorporate any frequent flier miles earned on the smaller carrier into their program, making your accrued miles more valuable. 

The New York Times reports that many carriers are choosing to scale back on first class seating, as the sections are proving to be much less popular, with many opting for business class instead. Even on long-haul international flights, where first class tends to be somewhat popular, the seats have dropped into the single digits.

"There's been a clear trend for long-haul international flights to reduce or eliminate first-class cabins in all but the most lucrative and competitive routes," said Bryan Saltzburg, general manager of TripAdvisor Flights.

Lufthansa's recent configuration for its new massive A380 jumbo jet is a prime example of a trend that has expanded to include the entire industry. On a flight that seats 526 passengers in total, 98 seats are reserved for business class passengers. First class, on the other hand, is allotted just eight seats.

At the same time, airlines have started to go all out with first class amenities to really distinguish these sections from their business class service. The smaller amount of seats allows carriers to provide a personalized experience that goes above and beyond even the most opulent first class services of yesteryear. Perks like direct shuttle service to and from the plane, sleeping suites similar to a small hotel room and even in-flight showers are becoming increasingly common in the first class seats of some planes.

Of course, the price of these seats are going up as well. The news source quotes "upwards of $16,000" for many first-class tickets on international flights. According to airline consultant Vern Alg, the new clientele for these sections is now a "crown prince or movie stars or somebody eccentric with a lot of money." As such, carriers are going further to provide an experience similar to flying on a private jet.

That might work for airlines like Singapore, Emirates or Lufthansa, which already cater to more high-end passengers than most carriers. Yet the rest of the industry is moving things a step beyond simply reducing first class sections – they're eliminating them all together.

"To carry around a first-class product on a wide-body airplane for the few people who buy it is a huge cost," Alg told the New York Times. "Nobody buys those seats, but business-class seats are sold to businessmen."

Airlines that have followed this trend include Air New Zealand, Delta, Continental and most recently Qantas, which announced no first class for its new Airbus A380s.

This is nothing but good news for business travelers, as the result is the combination of first and business class into what some airlines refer to as "business first." With technology becoming cheaper to install, carriers have shifted the big investment of first class to upgrading business class seats. Many travelers on international flights now expect a lie-flat seat with a built-in entertainment console, as well as upgraded cuisine and plenty of power outlets for getting work done.

"Many of the business-class seats we see today are better than the first-class seats from 10 years ago," Saltzburg told the news provider.

In general, the shift in strategy among the major carriers is largely a reaction to strong demand from the business travel sector. First-class tickets have fallen off in popularity sharply. Meanwhile, businessmen appear to be returning to the skies at a faster rate than leisure passengers. According to the International Air Transport Association, coach tickets were up just 3.3 percent in February, while business class rose by more than 8 percent.
 

Singapore Airlines is a popular choice for travelers who fly across the Pacific, and its business class is recognized as one of the best around. The company has recently made a push to upgrade to more expansive Airbus A380 models, but the reality is that most of their routes still feature Boeing 747s.

If you find yourself planning to book a flight on a Singapore Airlines 747, it can be helpful to know which business class seats will provide the best experience. According to Australian Business Traveler, the section is divided into two sections – one on the upper deck and one on the plane's main deck. Ideally, passengers should aim for the upper deck of the plane, as it features a 2-2 seating configuration as opposed to the more crowded 2-3-2 on the lower deck.

Up top, the best seats are in row 11 and 17. Both of these rows offer almost unlimited legroom, as 11 is near the front and 17 is right behind a large gap. "C" and "H" are aisle seats, while "A" and "K" will be window locations.

If you must sit downstairs, try to avoid anything ending in "E" – these are middle seats. Aim for something in row 22, as this is up near the front and away from the noise of the kitchen and bathrooms.  

Yet some airlines play the "pampering lounge" game better than others and truly go above and beyond. While the lounges are generally the same around the world, some carriers choose to go all-out at certain airports. So what are the best ones to check out? AOL Travel recently released a list suggesting some of the top lounges in the world.

If you find yourself at JFK International Airport in New York, you have two top-tier options for lounges. AOL singles out the American Airlines Flagship Lounge and British Airways Concorde Room as two of the very best. The former features such amenities as showers, an extensive beer menu and even personal music stations, while the latter will serve you champagne in your private cabana.

Across the pond, definitely seek out the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport in London. As usual, Virgin goes above and beyond, not only offering food and drink along with business suites but also retro arcade games and a pool table. Another top choice is Lufthansa's lounge in Frankfurt, which features soaking tubs, a cigar lounge and a full spa.