From what I have heard, AA has saved itself a lot of money through the years by leaving the planes unpainted.
Paint adds weight to the aircraft which uses more fuel to keep it flight. They also figured out that by leaving olives out of the cocktail drinks saved them a million dollars a year.
Of course now they charge you for pillows and blankets. Old AA employee.
AA has saved itself a lot of money by packing people in so tightly they can hardly move.
Last time I flew on AA, the airplane hit a bump in the air and my pencil hopped off the tray-table onto the floor. I could see it down there, but there was not enough room to contort myself to pick it up. No more crossword, so I got out my book to read.
When the guy in front of me put his chair back it obscured my book in normal reading position.
Was horrid.