US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Coach Seating on the 319

I know this is a bit off the topic of Dividend Miles, but was just wondering...

Are all US A319s created equal? I flew from BDL to DCA on Monday on a US 319 and could swear I had more legroom in Coach than I ever remember having. It appeared to be a newer plane, but I wasn't sure. According to the seat map, the pitch in Coach on the 319 is 32", but it was the roomiest 32" I've ever had. Just wondering.

The Airbuses are new. They may seem roomier because the seats are slightly wider.

Jay

Originally posted by jmiyazawa:
I know this is a bit off the topic of Dividend Miles, but was just wondering...

Are all US A319s created equal? I flew from BDL to DCA on Monday on a US 319 and could swear I had more legroom in Coach than I ever remember having. It appeared to be a newer plane, but I wasn't sure. According to the seat map, the pitch in Coach on the 319 is 32", but it was the roomiest 32" I've ever had. Just wondering.

Actually not all A-319s are created equal. While the mainline craft should all be the same, US is now placing A-319s on the Shuttle routes between BOS and DCA. Smart move.

Most planes flying these days were designed before they started crammming people in the way they do now. As they have squeezed more folks in, the rows get tighter than the original designers anticipated. Just look up at the console above your head. Often the lights are behind you. In the case of the new stuff, these planes were designed knowing that they would run full. Hence, seats that feel roomy, whether they actually are or not.

[This message has been edited by deelmakur (edited 10-11-2000).]

US is using A319's on the Shuttle ... I thought it was A320's ...

That would surprise me mainly because DL is using 737-800's, and that would mean that US Airway's would be using a smaller plane (by about 18 passengers or so I would think ...).

Originally posted by Beckles:
US is using A319's on the Shuttle ... I thought it was A320's ...

That would surprise me mainly because DL is using 737-800's, and that would mean that US Airway's would be using a smaller plane (by about 18 passengers or so I would think ...).

US has two different systems for Shuttle. The DCA-LGA-BOS traditional Shuttle is run by the A-320s (which replaced the 727s). The newer Shuttle is the DCA-BOS Shuttle. There was basically always hourly service between DCA and BOS, but US decided to officially proclaim it Shuttle late last year or early this year. Anyhow, DCA-BOS was run with 737-300s converted over to Shuttle configuration. In an attempt to get commonality on the Shuttle routes (after all Shuttle pilots still often fly Shuttle routes), the A-319 has been introduced onto the DCA-BOS Shuttle.

This could also give some flexibility to the DCA-LGA-BOS shuttle if US feels that the loads on a particular flight are VERY light and wants to substitute in a less heavy A-319.

Additionally, US has been doing some scheduled flight work and charter flights using the A-320 Shuttle craft between NYC and Florida. IIRC, there is a Saturday only non-stop flight between LGA and MIA which uses a Shuttle A-320. This is done to full up the plane with cruise ship passengers amongst other things.

The weekend use of Shuttle aircraft for Florida trips was begun by Eastern, and continued by Trump, which also had maintenance done in Orlando by Page. In the latter case, the flights doubled as ferry trips.