Jun 28, 2015, 2:49 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Airbus A321-200 ETOPS / 321H / A321H to Replace Hawaii Boeing 757-223s
A321 is the stretched version of the A320 family of aircraft. AA is the world's largest operator of A321s with 159 in service, 60 on order. These will replace Boeing 757-223s. The A321 is coded by most sources as "32B", which means any A321 with "Sharklets™" blended wingtip devices. All A321s in fleet and order are technically 32B aircraft, as they all arrive "out of the box" with Sharklets™, giving a range of 3,200 nm.
FWAAA: ...this will be a sub-fleet of 16 321H, presumably with the optional extra fuel tanks (total of 7,935 US gal).
321S: F16, XE35, Y130.
Seating is pretty much the same as the 321S for non-premium transcon service. See posts from TWA884 and FWAAA (#176 on) for IFE box and seat peculiarities.
The new leather "slimline" articulated "slider" seats include:
- "Main Cabin Extra*" seats with extra leg room
- In flight WiFi by GoGo (works only within 90 miles of USA mainland)
- "Universal" plug 110 VAC and 5 VDC USB power at every seat
- tilting 8.9" flatscreen IFE with AVOD at every seat** (complimentary in F) with hand controller
. . . (IFE and power mounted on seat back in front of you)
Current AA "domestic" WiFi by GoGo as on this aircraft relies on cellular telephony, which restricts operation to within ~90 miles of land.
**In Theaters Now” movies cost $8, “Best of the Big Screen” (older movies ) for $6 per movie, a “Premium Package” for $5 that includes unlimited 150 network shows on demand and 300 albums, 20 games and audio books. There’s also a Disney option for $4 that includes a variety of kids movies, TV shows, games and music. “Complimentary Programming” offers "NBC Universal on American" and "American Airlines Radio" network.
Note about flight changes and seat numeration between 757 and 321H /S:
- 757 F seats are AB, EF
- A321H F seats are AC, DF
- 24 F seats with 52 MCE and 108 "Main Cabin" indicates a LAA 757-223.
- 14 F recliner seats and no MCE other than exit row seats indicates a legacy US / America West 757-2S7 (these are being retired and replaced by 757-2B7)
- 12 F seats with old "Envoy" seats and no MCE other than exit row seats indicates a legacy US Airways ("East") 757-2B7 (these are replacing the 757-2S7s to Hawaii)
321H replacement of LUS Boeing 752s occurred after Sep 2016 Flight Operations Systems integration.
Updated Oct 2017 - JDiver
LAA: Airbus A321H / 321 ETOPS replacing LAX Boeing 757 to Hawaii (master thd)
May 23, 2015, 6:59 pm
#1
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Location: CONUS
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LAA: Airbus A321H / 321 ETOPS replacing LAX Boeing 757 to Hawaii (master thd)
Talking to a couple of AA management-types and the days of the 757 ETOPS on Hawaii on AA metal are fast approaching.
In the fall AA will start replacing 2 LAX-HNL 757's with a soon-to-be-delivered sub-fleet of ETOPS A321 aircraft. By the end of the year the 757's to Hawaii will be gone from LA and replaced by the 321.
Couple of interesting notes...the 321 will have to go out with a weight restriction from LIH and OGG. How much I don't know.
And as for PHX, as soon as AA can cover the US 757's with their own 757 ETOPS, the ex-America West 757's will be parked. They are the oldest in the fleet.
I'm not an elite on AA but I would be disappointed in the removal of an aircraft with up to 24 first class seats - with one that only has 16. As far as I know the 321 ETOPS sub-fleet will match the domestic-issue 321 seat-for-seat.
In the fall AA will start replacing 2 LAX-HNL 757's with a soon-to-be-delivered sub-fleet of ETOPS A321 aircraft. By the end of the year the 757's to Hawaii will be gone from LA and replaced by the 321.
Couple of interesting notes...the 321 will have to go out with a weight restriction from LIH and OGG. How much I don't know.
And as for PHX, as soon as AA can cover the US 757's with their own 757 ETOPS, the ex-America West 757's will be parked. They are the oldest in the fleet.
I'm not an elite on AA but I would be disappointed in the removal of an aircraft with up to 24 first class seats - with one that only has 16. As far as I know the 321 ETOPS sub-fleet will match the domestic-issue 321 seat-for-seat.
May 23, 2015, 8:35 pm
#4
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Talking to a couple of AA management-types and the days of the 757 ETOPS on Hawaii on AA metal are fast approaching.
In the fall AA will start replacing 2 LAX-HNL 757's with a soon-to-be-delivered sub-fleet of ETOPS A321 aircraft. By the end of the year the 757's to Hawaii will be gone from LA and replaced by the 321.
Couple of interesting notes...the 321 will have to go out with a weight restriction from LIH and OGG. How much I don't know.
And as for PHX, as soon as AA can cover the US 757's with their own 757 ETOPS, the ex-America West 757's will be parked. They are the oldest in the fleet.
I'm not an elite on AA but I would be disappointed in the removal of an aircraft with up to 24 first class seats - with one that only has 16. As far as I know the 321 ETOPS sub-fleet will match the domestic-issue 321 seat-for-seat.
In the fall AA will start replacing 2 LAX-HNL 757's with a soon-to-be-delivered sub-fleet of ETOPS A321 aircraft. By the end of the year the 757's to Hawaii will be gone from LA and replaced by the 321.
Couple of interesting notes...the 321 will have to go out with a weight restriction from LIH and OGG. How much I don't know.
And as for PHX, as soon as AA can cover the US 757's with their own 757 ETOPS, the ex-America West 757's will be parked. They are the oldest in the fleet.
I'm not an elite on AA but I would be disappointed in the removal of an aircraft with up to 24 first class seats - with one that only has 16. As far as I know the 321 ETOPS sub-fleet will match the domestic-issue 321 seat-for-seat.
Interesting that AA never developed a Boeing 737 ETOPS qualified fleet a la Alaska Airlines (the Inuit man depicted on the tail is wearing a lei) and has chosen to get some A321s "new out of the box" with ETOPS.
Off topic, I remember those Aloha ETOPS 737-200 (Adv) classics!
May 23, 2015, 9:03 pm
#6
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May 24, 2015, 12:44 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2011
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The 757s were pretty ancient, and the "first class" seating is quite cramped, no footrests and so forth. My general strategy is to avoid them if at all possible, and use the 767s instead which in "first" have low-end business class seats that at least have foot rests and lie fairly flat.
At least the A321 will be new.
Now, about the weight restriction. Is this related to the local runways? OGG is somewhat closer to LAX than HNL; LIH is farther.
At least the A321 will be new.
Now, about the weight restriction. Is this related to the local runways? OGG is somewhat closer to LAX than HNL; LIH is farther.
May 24, 2015, 6:33 am
#8
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It is related to the range of the A321 and the winds AFAIK. The runways can handle whatever but the planes don't have the range to get to Hawaii from the west coast fully loaded. Virgin America thinks that winglets on its new A320s will help make up some of the range issues but it is not clear if they will be similarly weight restricted for the westbound flights.
May 24, 2015, 7:10 am
#10
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May 24, 2015, 7:15 am
#11
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The 757s were pretty ancient, and the "first class" seating is quite cramped, no footrests and so forth. My general strategy is to avoid them if at all possible, and use the 767s instead which in "first" have low-end business class seats that at least have foot rests and lie fairly flat.
At least the A321 will be new.
At least the A321 will be new.
May 24, 2015, 7:15 am
#12
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For interest, a HNL-LAX flight I have in December has been changed to a 32B in the last couple of days.
A friend of mine on another flight the same day had the same change.
I've moved to 1A, hopefully this is a nice place to sit.
A friend of mine on another flight the same day had the same change.
I've moved to 1A, hopefully this is a nice place to sit.
May 24, 2015, 7:20 am
#13
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No. Airbus' first A320neo is slated for delivery to QR in October 2015, well in advance of the original second quarter of 2016; the first A319neo is delivered later (also to QR) and the A321neo is the last one to come out, with the first airframe going to ILFC. Am not sure what the AA delivery schedule is, but the -neos will 100% not be available for this route on 18AUG15!
May 24, 2015, 7:26 am
#14
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Wow! As if the Hawaii market couldn't get any worse... Can an A321 even make it there in the winter?
May 24, 2015, 7:30 am
#15
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A321 max range is about 3000 nmi says wikipedia. With wind that might be cutting it fine!
For comparison BA has a pair of A318s operating LON-NYC.
Edit: The longest route a 321 serves is presently 2,800 miles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-sto..._aircraft_type
Probably with weight restrictions Hawaii is not too difficult.
Last edited by Calchas; May 24, 2015 at 7:36 am