AA 777-300 Charter JFK-SAN Trip
Aug 3, 2013, 6:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: New York City
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,127
AA 777-300 Charter JFK-SAN Trip
I was lucky enough to be invited by American Airlines to join them on AA9480 today JFK-SAN.
This was a special charter enroute to the Global Business Travel Association convention in San Diego.
We were treated to a very special flight on this amazing new aircraft. Key corporate and agency clients along with a great bunch of AA sales leaders were included in the group.
Of course, the best group of AA flight attendants were also on board. Hand selected, they ranged from new hires with just a few months of seniority to many with over 25 years with AA.
My company partnered with AA on the event and I was lucky enough to be invited along. I thought the community would enjoy seeing AA's latest and greatest in full action!! This isn't your father's MD-80...
We had complete access to the bird, the 3rd delivered. As it was a charter, we flew with the cockpit door open and were able to visit both crew rest areas and congregate in the galley to our hearts content! In fact, it was encouraged.
Enjoy!
I knew this was going to be cool:
Catering at JFK - three food trucks for a lightly booked flight - I knew this was going to special!
Our captain introducing his crew!
I knew this would be good!
My business class seat! This is an amazing way to fly. True lay-flat and all aisle access for every seat.
Our menu, while special for this flight was made up of all the new great food AA is serving in business and first
Rather than a typical sit-down meal, AA opted for tapas!! Great fun and a great way to see the entire aircraft as well as mix with our fellow passengers and crew.
Food was served in all galleys from First all the way back to the aft galley. Of course, the business class food bar was well utilized! And the 2nd coach galley was used for wine tasting!
Check this out!
A champagne toast started things off right!
Close up of some tapas
Bacon wrapped figs. Who doesn't love bacon!!
More to come - crew rest and cockpit views!
This was a special charter enroute to the Global Business Travel Association convention in San Diego.
We were treated to a very special flight on this amazing new aircraft. Key corporate and agency clients along with a great bunch of AA sales leaders were included in the group.
Of course, the best group of AA flight attendants were also on board. Hand selected, they ranged from new hires with just a few months of seniority to many with over 25 years with AA.
My company partnered with AA on the event and I was lucky enough to be invited along. I thought the community would enjoy seeing AA's latest and greatest in full action!! This isn't your father's MD-80...
We had complete access to the bird, the 3rd delivered. As it was a charter, we flew with the cockpit door open and were able to visit both crew rest areas and congregate in the galley to our hearts content! In fact, it was encouraged.
Enjoy!
I knew this was going to be cool:
Catering at JFK - three food trucks for a lightly booked flight - I knew this was going to special!
Our captain introducing his crew!
I knew this would be good!
My business class seat! This is an amazing way to fly. True lay-flat and all aisle access for every seat.
Our menu, while special for this flight was made up of all the new great food AA is serving in business and first
Rather than a typical sit-down meal, AA opted for tapas!! Great fun and a great way to see the entire aircraft as well as mix with our fellow passengers and crew.
Food was served in all galleys from First all the way back to the aft galley. Of course, the business class food bar was well utilized! And the 2nd coach galley was used for wine tasting!
Check this out!
A champagne toast started things off right!
Close up of some tapas
Bacon wrapped figs. Who doesn't love bacon!!
More to come - crew rest and cockpit views!
Last edited by mizzou miles; Aug 3, 2013 at 6:26 pm Reason: add bacon
Aug 3, 2013, 6:23 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 313
What fun! Thanks for sharing.
Aug 3, 2013, 6:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
Wonderful way to fly. Will you be in 32J for the return? 
Aug 3, 2013, 6:25 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: New York City
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,127
Part 2!
Stairs up to the flight deck crew rest area in the ceiling. Located just behind the first class galley, this is not a bad way to fly!!
Check out the throne room! Nice recliners with full AVOD and beds behind
close up
AVOD at the ready...
And, because it was a charter, we had full access to the cockpit. Meet our captains!
Cameras showing the engines. Our crew mentioned they are critical for ground operations given the wingspan of this aircraft.
View looking forward over Arizona....
Looking aft - mood lighting in AA colors!
And of course there was ice cream!
FA crew rest in the tail of the 777 had some very specific rules. Glad to see that each bunk is limited to only one crew member! Hmmmmm
The bunk
View down the stairs
View down the "hallway". Eight bunks.... Funny, it looks like an old Pan Am aircraft in the golden old days of air travel!
And then it was time to land in SAN. Alas. We all wanted this flight to keep going!
Check out the throne room! Nice recliners with full AVOD and beds behind
close up
AVOD at the ready...
And, because it was a charter, we had full access to the cockpit. Meet our captains!
Cameras showing the engines. Our crew mentioned they are critical for ground operations given the wingspan of this aircraft.
View looking forward over Arizona....
Looking aft - mood lighting in AA colors!
And of course there was ice cream!
FA crew rest in the tail of the 777 had some very specific rules. Glad to see that each bunk is limited to only one crew member! Hmmmmm
The bunk
View down the stairs
View down the "hallway". Eight bunks.... Funny, it looks like an old Pan Am aircraft in the golden old days of air travel!
And then it was time to land in SAN. Alas. We all wanted this flight to keep going!
Aug 3, 2013, 6:32 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: New York City
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,127
And I'll close with this
As a true aviation geek, I think this says it all. Cheers to the new AA!
Aug 3, 2013, 6:50 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott PLT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,900
Nice!!
Cool to see all the rest areas! Far larger than I would have imagined. I thought there was just space for relief pilots, not cabin crew. What currently operating flights would that actually get used on?
Three catering trucks? LOL. Awseome. I suppose that's more than they use for a fully loaded DFW-LHR flight.
Cool to see all the rest areas! Far larger than I would have imagined. I thought there was just space for relief pilots, not cabin crew. What currently operating flights would that actually get used on?
Three catering trucks? LOL. Awseome. I suppose that's more than they use for a fully loaded DFW-LHR flight.
Aug 3, 2013, 7:52 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Seven hours is basically every 77W flight, except perhaps for JFK-LHR.
Obviously, on longer flights, the FAs are entitled to more rest time during the flight. The longer the flight, the more rest.
Aug 3, 2013, 8:17 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: lax
Posts: 3,886
Nicely done! I wonder how many folks will ask to use the crew bunks?!
Aug 3, 2013, 8:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Ex Platinum, AA million miler, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 296
Thanks for sharing and the photos are great. Really nice that you were able to tour the aircraft. I am surprised though that you could enter the cockpit during flight.
Aug 3, 2013, 8:55 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,079
Very cool.
Aug 3, 2013, 10:15 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Programs: AA PLT, 1.8mm
Posts: 6,988
Aug 3, 2013, 10:21 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: UA 1K MM, Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA PLT
Posts: 1,082
What a cool post - as an aviation geek (and SAN resident) I loved it!!!
Thanks for sharing the photos and enjoy the ride back to JFK.
Thanks for sharing the photos and enjoy the ride back to JFK.
Aug 3, 2013, 11:07 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott PLT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,900
Flight attendant rest rules are lengthy and complex, but on international flights of at least seven hours, the FAs are entitled to 30 minutes of rest during flight and on 777s, they may use the bunks.
Seven hours is basically every 77W flight, except perhaps for JFK-LHR.
Obviously, on longer flights, the FAs are entitled to more rest time during the flight. The longer the flight, the more rest.
Seven hours is basically every 77W flight, except perhaps for JFK-LHR.
Obviously, on longer flights, the FAs are entitled to more rest time during the flight. The longer the flight, the more rest.
Aug 3, 2013, 11:17 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
My guess is that the cabin crew rest compartment is a one-size-fits-all configuration (it is not built to each airline's spec) and thus features more bunks than AA is ever likely to need. There might be foreign carriers that crew an ultra-longhaul flight with 16 FAs and perhaps half of them might be resting at the same time while the remaining eight mind the store.
Aug 4, 2013, 4:58 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,824
+1. And thanks to the OP for posting such detailed information about a unique event.
You know the thing about rules, made, broken,...