When American Airlines last month launched an option for passengers to pay an extra fee in exchange for priority boarding, discounted change fees and more flexible flight standby, it sounded like so many other fee-for-service initiatives airlines have deployed in recent years. However, American's move is different in one key way: It is the first a la carte offering the carrier is selling exclusively through direct channels at the time of booking, effectively leaving the new "Boarding and Flexibility Package" out of the hands of corporate travelers unless their agencies opt into the controversial American Airlines Direct Connect.