Originally Posted by
Austin787
The LUS A321 has 6 more seats than the LAA A321, so I think it's more likely the LAA A321 will be changed, to add 6 more seats. I don't think the LUS management wants to remove seats from airplanes. The LUS A319 were changed to match the LAA A319 because the LAA A319 has 4 more seats.
The increase in A319 capacity was accomplished by having a smaller F cabin, but the configuration AA chose to retain still has MCE. I don't see AA moving to eliminate it as it would put them at a competitive disadvantage with Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, United, Virgin America, and even Spirit, all of which offer some sort of economy plus product.
AA will not eliminate Main Cabin Extra. I predict that the A321 retrofits will go exactly the same as the A319s, installing new seats and bringing the configuration in line with the existing LAA version. Though the LAA configuration has 6 fewer seats (181 vs 187), AA must feel that the revenue generated by upselling MCE—and from having passengers choose to fly on AA because MCE is offered in the first place—must exceed the revenue that would be generated by having the extra 6 seats.