ExpatExp

Actually, there is still 763 service BOS-LHR-BOS:

LHR-BOS: AA 109 is a 763. AA 125 and AA 155 are 75Ls
BOS-LHR: AA 108 is a 763. AA 124 and AA 156 are 75Ls.

Who knows for how much longer, though...

Just got off AA 155 from LHR to BOS -- my first ever J trip in a 75L. I picked this flight intentionally, rather than taking AA 109 (the 763) earlier in the day, to see what it would be like on the 75L. Here are my thoughts:

Pros

• There is lots of room -- or at least that's the way it feels. The seats are set a few inches from the windows and the gap is nice (I stuffed my duvet in there when I wasn't using it). It looks awkward at first, but I ended up appreciating it for the extra room and feeling of space that it gives (reminds me ever so slightly of the old-style BA F cabin in the 747, but let's not get carried away here).
  
• The lavs have been updated and, although they're nothing to write home about, they finally feel up to modern standard. I like the combined hot and cold faucet, the mood lighting over the sink, and the layout of the sink counter.
  
• The seats are in good repair, unlike many of the 763s and the 777s. The tray tables fit together well and don't sag. The seats are the same as those in the 763s and 777s, except that the convenience light is in a slightly different place and there is more room by the window (these seats have magazine racks with covers but no shoe storage).
  
• The other big difference in the seats is the AVOD system. This is the best in the AA fleet and is noticeably different than what you get in the other aircraft. The displays are better, the resolution is better, the system responds without any delays, and the controller is slick, modern, and actually kind of cool-looking. This has got to be the standard for AA going forward.
  
• In the window seats, you can see forward and backward along the windows much more than on the 763s or 777s. This is because the J seats are all located a few inches away from the windows. On one hand, this gives you a great view, because there are so many windows to look though, but on the other hand, it means that you can see all the other people looking out. I personally like this design, but others might not.
  
• The J cabin feels more personalized and the FA to pax ratio seems better (I haven't done the math to confirm that this is actually the case, but that's how it felt). The FAs on this flight were also the friendliest I have had between LHR and BOS (and I do this trip every month) since a few years ago when the LHR-BOS flights were still run on 777s (sigh -- nostalgia for the good old days). I wonder if FAs like the fact that the J cabin is smaller and there are less people to serve, notwithstanding other posts which indicate that FAs dislike this plane on this route. They seemed to be able to get their work done very efficiently and I felt that they paid far more attention to the pax than on a 763 or 777.
  
• Boarding and deplaning is through the 2L door (at least, at LHR and BOS). This is excellent because it means that the J cabin stays calm and peaceful during boarding and deplaning. The FAs blocked the Y cabin so J could exit first.
  
• The 2-cabin layout means that J on the 75L (and on the 763) has a higher standard of service than J on a 3-cabin aircraft (i.e. the 777). Gotta love that marinated cheese. Also, great entrées, including chicken stuffed with duck foie gras.
  
• Because the aircraft is smaller, both customs and baggage wait times are noticeably shorter.

Cons

• I'm a skinny guy, but the lavs seemed a lot narrower than on the "regular" 757s. If you're a big fellow, you might want avoid this aircraft.
  
• The overhead bins are smaller than on the 763 or 777.
  
• The renovations in J are excellent, but you can still tell that it's a glorified domestic aircraft if you look around the edges.
  
• There is less headroom, so you can't stand up at your seat like on the 777. The ceiling is also much lower than on the widebodies.
  
• The PA system doesn't seem to have a J-only or Y-only mode, so you hear all the announcements for the Y cabin (i.e. food choices). I have noticed, however, that AA (unlike other carriers) sometimes makes the Y-only announcements throughout the aircraft even on the 777. Annoying.
  
• You do feel turbulence more, because the aircraft is smaller.
  
• The ambient roar inside the cabin seems louder than on a 763 or 777.
  
• Some westbound routes can require fuel stops.

All in all, it felt cozy and comfortable. I was concerned that it would be cramped, or that it would really feel like AA was pinching the pennies (I suppose they are), but I was happily surprised. Since I don't travel in F on AA, I don't care about being on the 777s, so I can actually say that J in the 75L is going to be my preferred choice for TATL in the future.