I was with American for about 13 years and Delta for nearly 15. Four million miles with American and nearly two with Delta. (I used to travel mostly international while in Dallas and mostly domestic after moving to Atlanta).

In just about every aspect, I have liked Delta always better. However, there are a few things American scores better than Delta to me. First, the passengers are far more orderly while boarding in American flights. Also true for United. Somehow boarding in Delta flights reminds me of the queue discipline that I used to experience in India.

But my biggest complaint with Delta passengers in first class is that they always keep the windows closed. It is like we are always in the dark. I can’t understand why would we sit 35000 feet up in the air and not look outside and marvel at the beauty below and also what we have created. Plus, I am claustrophobic and it creates anxiety.

American haas no TV for every chair. So at least that partially explains why they do not care about it being bright inside. But they also work on laptops and watch videos on phones and iPads. But somehow the American windows are always open. Delta’s are closed.

Never quite figured out why.