Differences in in 763 F/J seats
 

I don't recall reading about this, nor could find it in search - but apologies in advance if I missed this info on the forum.

We just did LAX-DFW-RDU..RIC-DFW-LAX. The LAX-DFW-LAX legs were on 763s. I don't usually travel on 763s other than domestically on this route. I have read various posts on how some FTers prefer the 763 J seat to the 777 J seat.

Well I noticed that not all 763 J seats are created equal. One of the 763s we were on had a great seat with great recline and great foot rest - similar and possibly superior to the 777 J seat. The other 763 had a considerably poorer J seat - recline seemed smaller, the foot rest did not come up very far at all. The single difference I can point to is that the inferior seat had a lumber support "switch" while the superior one had a switch for the seat cushion to move out (ir the bit under your knees as you sit). Also the 763 with the inferior seat had a serving "mantelpiece" in front of 2D/F, which the other 763 I don't recall having.

Am I just imagining, or are these different 763 F/J seats?

I think taht you are correct and I was notcing today as well on my ORD-LAX that the seat was differnet (at least I am pretty sure it was :)) than when I flew JFK-SFO last month. The lumbar was the difference...

I think the difference is that one of the aircrafts (can't remember if it's with or without the lumbar) is the new-interior 767 (777-style interior), with curved ceilings and LCD video monitors.

I've been on both, and couldn't notice any other meaningful differences between seat comfort, in terms of pitch/recline. I usually put a small soft carryon on top of the footrest (some put it under I think) to give my legs additional "height".

I just flew two segments (MIA-MAN/MAN-ORD) on 763s without the new interior and the seats lacked the lumbar support button. I think this is fix that is being applied system-wide as the lumbar function never worked properly. They are also removing the adjustible reading lights. If your seat has an adjustible reading light, it has not been upgraded.

I am yet to see a 763 without the credenza. It's where they store the serving trolleys.

There are 9 B763s in the AA fleet which have slightly differenct interiors, featuring the Boeing Signature cabins. However, the removal of lumbar support and personal reading lights in J class is an AA cost cutting measure. Along with the removal of curtain holders... which were removed to reduce weight and fuel expense!!!

In addition to the much improved overhead storage, the refurbished 763's also have individual air vents/nozzles which really can make a difference on an overnight flight. (On the old 763s, rows 3, 4, 5 seem to be in a hot spot--terribly uncomfortable, if you're trying to get some sleep.)

It sounds like one of your domestic "763" segments was operated using a 762 ... those have similar J seats to the 763 but pitch is about 10 inches less than for the 763 (as they aren't used for overnight international flights). I believe all of the 763s had the lumbar switch removed over a year ago ... I certainly haven't seen any since early 2005. This was a marked improvement in the 763 J seat....while removing the reading lamps was because no-one used them. I miss those reading lamps but I can see the logic in the change.

Or maybe AA has pulled a 763 out of the desert (I think there were a few in long term storage, as they had a D check coming up and AA didn't need them for a few years, but I thought those were all ex-TWA birds).

On the flights with the subpar J, did you walk through a cabin with brown seats up front?

I don't think these are refurb'ed 763s. I think they are just much newer.

As mentioned by aamilesslave, these aren't "refurbished," they're just newer - having been delivered in 2003 (ordered to replace several P&W powered TWA 763s).

Nope, AA has no 763s in storage. And all old TWA 763s are long gone (returned to their lessors in 2003 when the nine new replacements arrived). You may be thinking of the 13 AA 762s sent to the desert in 2003 and then permanantly retired several months later. None of them are coming back (most have been sold, some for freighter conversion, and the remaining ones parted out and scrapped).

The 762s do not go in or out of DFW, so I highly doubt they'd sub one in on that route.

I'd still bet good $$ that that's exactly what happened-- there's no other plausible explanation assuming OP's observations were accurate.

One easy way to figure it out: to the OP: When you boarded, was there a separate F cabin, with one single seat in the middle of it?

No, but about a dozen a day fly to LAX; it is highly likely that's why the OP noticed such a vast difference in seat pitch and recline.


I agree. I'm guessing that a 762 was subbed for the 763 and that explains the vastly "inferior" J seating observed by the OP.

the 9 newer 763's do have J seats that make the other 763 J seats seem inferior.

did the video screen have the route map with progress superimposed? if so that's the newer 763.