ARCHIVE: Airbus A321 Transcon / A321T / "32B" 3 class (consolidated 2012-2014)
Jul 23, 2012, 11:15 am
#76
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Plat
Posts: 295
Anyone notice in the video that there's no livery on either of the planes? Also, the logo used was all white (and not blue and red).
A rebrand would be exciting.
A rebrand would be exciting.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:16 am
#77
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: Alaska FF
Posts: 302
Planes arrive in less than one year. Interiors need to firm up, now. These aren't plans, this is happening. AA probably firmed this up about 6 months ago, since interiors are typically set in stone about 18 months before delivery. It's also why the 772s will have a better J product than the 77Ws: AA had to do a rush job firming up the 77W J product.
As to the J Seat on the 777W, it has been reported that it will be a fully custom seat. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if it were based on the same platform as the Cathay J Seat.
Whatever the case, please note that the First seat on the A321 is a more custom version of the Cathay J Seat. The arm rest on the inside has been modified for the better it seems.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:26 am
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,220
I question here about E+ and particularly the A321Trans Cons. With only 36 regular Y seats if a Y pax (non PLT or EXP) purchases a flight but the 36 Y seats are already filled I would assume the pax gets "Unassigned" for a seat assignment. Now upon checking in at the airport if Y is still full but Y+ has seats would that pax then get a Y+ seat for the cost of a regular Y seat.
Could it make sense then to not choose a seat if purchasing just Y and take a roll of the dice.
Could it make sense then to not choose a seat if purchasing just Y and take a roll of the dice.
Flying with 102 pax solves the problem of westbound range. The A321neo can't fly transcon west with a standard configuration without stopping. It sounds as if AA has decided that the combination of lower operating costs plus premium revenue will make this work. That's good news for pax, because it means that without major advances in engine efficiency, they are unlikely to change their minds and try to cram in more seats.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:27 am
#79
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
AA is also going to have to increase frequency, or else they're coughing up around 1000 seats/daily to B6/DL/UA/VX.
Yes, I know, AA is going for premium pax. Well, as a completely non-scientific experiment, go look up how many AA flights are available on SAAver F award this week, JFK-LAX, and compare to how many AA flights are available on SAAver award JFK-LHR this week. AA doesn't sell all their AFS F, not even close. Maybe improving the product will increase demand, but if it doesn't and AA isn't going to increase frequency, that's a lot of real estate to have sitting empty.
It will be interesting to see if this works... I'd also have to wonder if the 321neo will also fly some select JFK-Europe markets in this configuration, when those deliveries show up down the road.
Yes, I know, AA is going for premium pax. Well, as a completely non-scientific experiment, go look up how many AA flights are available on SAAver F award this week, JFK-LAX, and compare to how many AA flights are available on SAAver award JFK-LHR this week. AA doesn't sell all their AFS F, not even close. Maybe improving the product will increase demand, but if it doesn't and AA isn't going to increase frequency, that's a lot of real estate to have sitting empty.
It will be interesting to see if this works... I'd also have to wonder if the 321neo will also fly some select JFK-Europe markets in this configuration, when those deliveries show up down the road.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:28 am
#80
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
Presumably the new F/J seats are very heavy, so that would offset at least some of the reduced weight of the passengers. But I have to think AA has done the math, and subject to the aircraft meeting its performance specifications (not always the case with Airbus...), they think this configuration will work with a specific cargo load. That said, they may view something like a 5% diversion rate during the winter as "acceptable" so I'm not sure we can say with any certainty at this point whether or not these planes will always be able to make the westbound transcons non-stop.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:30 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,220
I think the 1-1 configuration in F is quite curious. There will very likely be some paid F passengers who will not like this. I specifically think back to a flight not so long ago where Mary Louise Parker was sitting next to her 5 year old son in 2HJ and the nanny was on the other side with her new baby. Or Clay Aiken sleeping in 3A next to his bodyguard on the redeye. (No, that's not a gay reference).
Jul 23, 2012, 11:31 am
#82
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Amex MR, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 518
Jul 23, 2012, 11:32 am
#84
Join Date: May 2010
Location: SNA
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 529
Jul 23, 2012, 11:33 am
#85
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: England
Programs: Executive Club Silver
Posts: 711
This is certainly a stride in the right direction, clearly AA gets a lot of paid revenue for F and J otherwise they would have created smaller cabins.
Having lie flat beds on A321's seems quite a phenoenom, British Midland intended to put lie flat seats on A321 a/c from Heathrow to the middle east with Swiss seats. They put it on hold until BA bought them and BA are going ahead with the conversions.
Anyone noticed on the video link the complete lack of any branding? No AA logo and with the AA and the V thing between the 2 letters, no livery. Normally videos like that would open up with the AA title and logo and end with them, aswell as containing the livery among other branding related items. Looks like a new brand is on the way.
Looks a lot better than the UA/CO PS service, newer and more efficient aircraft, the seats look a lot nicer also.
Looks like a lot of 'AA needs to merge' people are keeping quiet with all the recent positive developments.
Having lie flat beds on A321's seems quite a phenoenom, British Midland intended to put lie flat seats on A321 a/c from Heathrow to the middle east with Swiss seats. They put it on hold until BA bought them and BA are going ahead with the conversions.
Anyone noticed on the video link the complete lack of any branding? No AA logo and with the AA and the V thing between the 2 letters, no livery. Normally videos like that would open up with the AA title and logo and end with them, aswell as containing the livery among other branding related items. Looks like a new brand is on the way.
Looks a lot better than the UA/CO PS service, newer and more efficient aircraft, the seats look a lot nicer also.
Looks like a lot of 'AA needs to merge' people are keeping quiet with all the recent positive developments.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:38 am
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,220
To be fair (and I think it's been mentioned) the J seats look identical to what UA already has on its (pre-merger CO) international fleet of 757/777/some 767s, and are the same seats that will be going into their refreshed p.s. offering (timetable uncertain). So UA J and AA J on these routes will have substantially similar hard products at the end of the day. Perhaps the additional width of the 321 vs. the 757 fuselage will allow for a slightly larger J seat on AA, but it's unlikely to be that perceptible.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:43 am
#87
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
Jul 23, 2012, 11:45 am
#88
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL / NYC / PSA-BLQ
Programs: AA PPRO, Marriott/Hilton Gold, AMX-Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 3,106
Maybe two extra dailies on each, I can foresee.
One one hand, the reduced capacity by keeping frequency flat ideally lets AA grab the premium marketshare while giving the junk yield to others (DL, ironically, not B6 nor VX, is the junk yield airline on JFK-CA). But realistically, you can't just hope to grab only that share, it won't happen. You need to have competitive coach fares and the coach capacity to make those fares work for the bottom line.
One one hand, the reduced capacity by keeping frequency flat ideally lets AA grab the premium marketshare while giving the junk yield to others (DL, ironically, not B6 nor VX, is the junk yield airline on JFK-CA). But realistically, you can't just hope to grab only that share, it won't happen. You need to have competitive coach fares and the coach capacity to make those fares work for the bottom line.
Two extra daily each way would make me a much happier camper. Today, I find myself waiting or hurrying to catch flights and I really miss being able to land in SFO late afternoon, take a cab to the hotel, check-in and then get to the bar at Gary Danko for a nice meal by 6 or so.
Jul 23, 2012, 11:46 am
#89
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
While the A321 highlighted it, the video "fly through" of the 77W conveniently ignored the Y class cabin and 10-abreast seating. I guess they didn't want to say "Squeezing in an extra seat across - a first for a US carrier"?
Jul 23, 2012, 11:49 am
#90
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
It sounds like AA really wants to hand off the low yield stuff to other carriers. Remember in the 2006 documenatry when the JFK/LAX flight was examined and it only made a net profit of $200 (of course that was one sole flight six years ago).
