It may be troublesome to maintain up with all of the totally different airline services, even when you’re the CEO of the most important airline on the earth.

It is a bit awkward, nonetheless, when it is a main competitor. Or a associate. Or each.

American Airways CEO Robert Isom stated Monday that he was unfamiliar with the small print of JetBlue’s Mint product, to the purpose that he wasn’t positive the product had elongated seats.

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Isom’s statements got here throughout testimony within the Northeast Alliance antitrust lawsuit between American and JetBlue in US District Courtroom in Boston on Monday. The The Division of Justice alleged that the alliance quantities to anti-competitive motion that can result in increased tariffs. Nevertheless, the 2 airways argued that the alliance was the one option to successfully compete with Delta Air Traces and United Airways within the northeast.

“I’ve by no means ridden the Mint product, I do not know if Mint is flat,” Isom stated. Then he clarified that whereas he was conscious that JetBlue “has a first-class home product, I am unable to communicate to all of the facilities they embrace.”

Isom added that he attracts a distinction between home top quality — which People supply on most home routes — and “worldwide enterprise class” and flagships.

The elongated product dialogue got here amid broader questioning by DOJ attorneys concerning competitors and cooperation between American and JetBlue on premium transcontinental routes — particularly these from Boston and New York to Los Angeles. and San Francisco.

Primarily based on questioning, the DOJ appeared to claim that since American and JetBlue each supply a stretched premium product on these transcontinental routes, the NEA is eliminating the competitors.

“With the NEA in place, you do not have to fret about JetBlue coming after American in your premium clients, do you?” DOJ lawyer Invoice Jones requested Isom.

American operates a sub-fleet of Airbus A321s on this route, dubbed the A321T. It contains 20 Enterprise Class seats and 10 Flagship First seats, all mendacity flat, in a configuration in any other case used on long-haul flights.

Whereas it is not unusual for CEOs in any trade to depart the finer particulars to their groups to totally perceive and handle, the transcontinental market is of super significance to US airways, with fare premiums usually paid for by excessive quantity and excessive worth flights. Enterprise travellers.

Whereas a number of home routes from New York and Boston space airports are excluded from the alliance, these premium transcontinental routes should not.

It was additionally not the primary time an American Airways chief admitted to not being conscious of an necessary and related onboard product.

Former CEO Doug Parker got here below hearth in 2018 when he admitted he had not flown within the airline’s new “Mission Oasis” cabins; these cabins obtained heavy criticism from passengers over the cramped seats, tiny bathrooms, and lack of electrical energy within the seats. The airline finally modified the ultimate cabin design, though the coach seats remained cramped.

From the trial: American Airways forgot it had touchdown slots at JFK. Then he misplaced some

Monday noticed testimony from Isom and present American Airways senior vice chairman Scott Laurence, who in a earlier function at JetBlue was broadly seen because the driving drive behind the alliance.

A lot of the testimony targeted on the intentions and mechanics behind the alliance, with little shock.

Boston, which isn’t slot-limited in the identical means as New York airports, was questioned earlier on Monday.

“The Northeast Alliance gave us the chance to be as viable a competitor as potential in Boston,” Isom stated in courtroom.

The trial, which started on Tuesday September 27, is anticipated to last as long as three weeks. JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and Vasu Raja, Chief Industrial Officer of American Airways are amongst those that have testified, with former American Airways CEO Doug Parker resulting from testify this week.

TPG stories on the trial in Boston, so keep tuned for the most recent information.