JMN57

Thanks - appreciate the link to the thread. Hopefully, a SAAver J award comes open on the redeye. I can live with Y for the return but it really helps a lot to do J on the eastbound segment.

ConorW

I am ticketed for this route in June next year and wanted to choose my seat early, but the US Airways seat map does not match that of SeatGuru (which I understand has a reputation for being outdated).

For one, SeatGuru alleges the existence of a mystery Row 23, which is also the exit row. However, here is US Air's map:



It seems to indicate by a space that Row 25 is the exit row. Now I don't have status with the airline and I should think they'd reserve their exit row seats for elites but I'm not entirely sure. It's also not a choice ($99) seat which leads me to believe that it isn't.

Could anyone with experience on the US A332 confirm where the exit rows are and whether this seat is any good (i.e. an exit row)? In any case it's close to the lavs so if there's no additional legroom I'm inclined to choose somewhere else, preferably closer to the front.

FWAAA

Aren't the actual exit row seats on the US A330s the designated flight attendant crew rest seats?

Even worse, the new joint flight attendant T/A does not require US to install FA crew rest facilities on these planes, so FAs will continue to occupy the exit row seats.

ConorW

I think you're right. Row 23 doesn't even show up as an option. But crucially the map on USAir.com is similar to all the other maps I've found online, except that the airline map skips 23. There's no red arrow in front of 25G&H, so why is there a space?

Still plenty of openings near the front of the cabin, and if 25 isn't exit row that's where I'll be going.

dc9703

Wife and I are taking a trip to Europe next year on US Airways (or call it American). Looks like i fly the 330-200 from CLT to dublin. It's been about 10 years since i've flown on US Airways. We have outbound in Economy and the Return in Business Class.

What are the best seats for a couple flying together?

Business: Middle pair in Envoy? or two isles?
Economy: Bulkhead row pair? Is there Economy Plus?

i'm AA plat so i should be able to pick any seat avilable.

JDiver

American Airlines and US Airways continue to operate as separate carriers (though both are part of the same parent company through the merger), and will continue to do so for some time.

As this question relates to current American Airlines or US Airways practices, policy or operation, it is being moved to the proper pre-merger forum.

/Moderator

WiscAZ

Most people prefer two aisles for a couple in J as it is easier to talk to one another. Check out this thread for more feedback.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...er-thread.html

lowfareair

There are no great seats on the A332 in Y (the decent ones have tradeoffs like being near the lav or other annoyances). Additionally, almost every seat that has any improvement will cost you $70-$150 each on US. I would book a pair on the left side of the plane (won't be bothered by the sunrise).

If your flight looks fairly empty at check-in (based on the seat map) and you don't mind sitting in the middle, I would try to book a full middle row (put one of you in seat C and the other in seat F), checking as it gets closer to boarding time to ensure that nobody has taken the middle seats at that point.

With that said, I would not be shocked to see CLT-DUB swapped for an AA 763 at some point between now and next summer, with an outside chance of an int'l 752.

dc9703

thanks.
So CLT-DUB : i'm doing 7G/H
Return i'm doing: 3A/C

hope we don't go down to a 763 or something without the suites. that would suck

Fanjet

I would be more shocked if this flight actually remains for next summer. As there will be service to DUB from ORD, JFK, and PHL. But there is no way that AA will put a 763 on this route. As they are required to have all lie-flat J on TATL flights next year. And because of that, I doubt that AA will be flying any US TATL route next year. I would suspect the reverse to actually occur since US is not obligated to have all lie-flat J until they are operating under a single certificate with AA.

dc9703

Do you feel the phl 332 p/suites will remain as us airways merges with aa?

I guess I have time to try to swap to the phl Dublin flight. Would love to go via the business class suites. Wife has never been, but I've been on aa50 biz suites.

phlwookie

There is obviously no certainty if you're looking to next year, but PHL-DUB was mostly an A330-200 over the summer, though it's been a (much) older 767-200ER since the end of September. During slower economic times, it has also been a 757.

If you're looking at high season for US-Ireland travel (late spring through roughly Labor Day), I'd say it's likely to be an A332, as the 767-200s are near retirement and the A330 operated it this summer. You're more likely to have a nice newer widebody going into DUB though, with a 757 more likely into Shannon (SNN).

Fanjet

It's hard to say regarding DUB, as it can be flown with a 757 from both PHL and CLT. This year, AA was flying there with a 757 from JFK and a 763 from ORD. However, I think next summer's schedule will look a lot different from this past one. AA is required by their JV agreement to use all lie-flat J on their TATL routes next year. They are in the process of converting their 763s and 772s. It appears that most of the 25 planned 763 refurbs will be done by late spring. And maybe 12-15 of the 772s will be done by then as well. Their first 787 delivery is suppose to occur before the end of the year. They currently fly a few LHR frequencies with the 77W. However, none of their 75Ls will be able to do TATL runs.

Which leaves the possibility that they will not have enough lie-flat aircraft to cover all of their TATL service. Even more so if new service is started from JFK (or MIA). Which is also why I doubt any AA aircraft will be used to fly TATL from PHL or CLT. Thus, US aircraft may have to be used to fly "non-US" TATL routes next summer. As they have an exemption from this lie-flat requirement. This summer, US had a surplus of intl aircraft. They had 9 333s/15 332s/16 757s/7 762s. Which is why CLT had so many frequencies to Europe. I don't think that will be the case next summer. Especially if the remaining 762s are to retired before then.

dc9703

thanks. That was very helpful. In the end i guess no one knows, even AA or US. We are flying to dublin right after labor day, so it sounds like i'll just have to keep watching and swapping (not sure how easy it is for 2 awards savers tickets .

After thinking it over, I have move the business class to the Eastbound TATL flight. Regardless of metal, having a flat bed or even a biz class recliner seat for an overnight flight is more important than the daytime return westbound TATL flight.

So currently it's:

J Eastbound: DFW-CLT (AA MD80), CLT-DUB (US 332)
Y Westbound: DUB-JFK (AA757), JFK-CLT (US319), CLT-DFW(AA319)

With the goal to get to the 1 stop via PHL on the 332 eastbound and maybe i keep that DUB-JFK westbound, since it sounds like they need to sub it out at some point.

lowfareair

We've discussed this before - 1) We aren't sure how extensive the lie-flat requirement is, i.e. is it just flights to LHR/MAD/HEL, is it just BA/IB codeshare flights, etc. 2) Either way, AA will have enough lie-flat equipment to fly the Euro routes without an issue in peak season 2015. 3) Because of that, there can be one for one swaps without causing a problem.

BTW, the two carriers are slating to be on a single certificate in the first half of next year.