uyman

Well, I'll give this a go because I've been trying to figure out the same thing for a flight from OGG to DFW on the 772. There's a number of issues that makes this question hard to answer

1. When are you flying? If before July, you could still get an unrenovated plane. Just because it is showing the retrofit seat plan does not mean it will be a retrofit.

2. Depends on which flight number exactly. Some routes are more prone to substitutions than others. I've combined data from
sites.google.com/site/newamericanfleet/american-mainline/boeing-777-200er and flightradar24.com in order to get a sense of if a flight is always substituted, sometimes or rarely.

If you look at the HNL-DFW Flight AA8 for the month of February you get data like this
February Tail# and type of seat
1 N793AN B/E Diamond
2 N753AN B/E Diamond
3 N750AN B/E Diamond
4 N782AN 37 Zodiac
5 N770AN 37 Zodiac
6 N770AN 37 Zodiac
7 N755AN B/E Diamond
8 N776AN Old
9 N774AN 37 Zodiac
10 N765AN B/E Diamond
11 N787AL Old
12 N799AN 37 Zodiac
13 N779AN 37 Zodiac
14 N779AN 37 Zodiac
15 N783AN B/E Diamond
16 N783AN B/E Diamond
17 N783AN B/E Diamond
18 N766AN B/E Diamond

3. There are 2 types of renovated 772 seats: the Zodiac (37 seat and 45 seat versions) and the B/E Diamond (37 seat). There are 19 Zodiac planes and 12 B/E diamond planes (w/4 in renovations). Zodiac's are front/rear facing and B/E are all forward facing.

4. If on the Zodiac seats, it depends on if the dividers are able to go up or down in the center section. Sometimes they can and sometimes they can't. (From what I’ve read on this site)

5. In the B/E seats, the center seats don't have a divider to some people's dismay. But good for couples (and me traveling with a 6 yo).

So I would say that since even though eventually 60% of the planes will be the B/E Diamond seats (only forward facing w/o dividers) and 40% will be the Zodiac seats (front/back with some fixed dividers in the center section) the safest thing is to pick across the aisle seats. (1H and 1L). If you want to gamble, then you can pick center seats (If the zodiac dividers work 50% of the time then you will be okay 80% of the time maybe). You’ll probably be okay most of the time in center seats but it isn’t guaranteed.

I'm traveling with my family of 5, but the key kiddo is my 6 yo. My plan is this: I'm going to be in 3D, kiddo 3H, wife 3L so we're covered. The debate in my head (I might post this separately) is whether the older kids should be paired in the middle or across the aisle because they do like to talk to each other. I decided to pair them in the middle since it is a red eye flight and I figure if they can't talk to each other then they'll sleep better.

Hope that helps.

uyman

I was going to ask this question later, but I might as well ask now.

My family is flying 1st class for the first time from OGG to DFW in August. The distance between seats has me a little nervous. Kiddos will be 6/9/10 years old. At first I was going to cohort them in 1H, 1L, 2H, 2L (with me in one of the seats) to minimize exposure to the rest of the cabin, but decided that the two older would like to be together and I'm going to chance it with me in 3D, 6 yo 3H, wife 3L, older kids in 4D 4H. I wanted to get away from the galleys because I really want the kids to sleep. I feel somewhat bad sticking my kids in the middle of the cabin (although they're all really good kids, and fairly self entertaining (6yo +/-) but I figure
a. everyone will be happier if my kids sleep
b. solo travelers like window seats better anyway.

If you were a solo traveler on my flight would that make sense? Just trying to be courteous.

The other thought is flying the 763 but the OGG-DFW flight have been all the unrenovated planes.

econometrics

Wouldn't brother me. I've been on a few flights like this. As long as I'm on the A/L, I'm good to go. Ear plugs in, Bose over them and I'm dead to the world.

Enjoy the family vacation!

davesam12

From our experience in flying the DFW Hawaii non stops for years, there are usually children/famiies in the F cabin on these routes. It's never been a problem. Even on the old 763 NGBC the kids have so much space they are comfortable and can occupy themselves or sleep. The new 772 seems to be more private than the old 763 NGBC or the new cip. You and your family will be fine

Yes, we are flying the 772 cip for the first time in July DFW-HNL-DFW #123 and #8. As a couple we went with Row 1 - D & H. What we're confused about is the divider issue? Have read sometimes dividers don't work and they are locked in the up or down position? Has that been fixed?

econometrics

It has not been stated officially one way or another. Everyone has a different experience, it seems.

I've been on the 772 6+ times in the past 8 months - most recently last Monday night JFK-LHR. On every trip, they have been movable and not locked for me.

Longboater

Another 772, N775AN, has completed refurbishment and has returned to service. Only 11 old 772s left.

nyc6035

The conversions can't be completed fast enough.

Slightly unrelated, i was on a non-cip 763 DFW-HNL last week in F. These birds need to go. The Biz seats are awful.

The good news is come the fall I think AA will be all flat except I think on some of the 757 trans-atlantics.

Looking forward to the end of the slope seats....

Longboater

According to the 8-K, only two non-CIP 767s will be left going into the fourth quarter. I suspect if the 777 CIP didn't take this long, AA would have retired all of the non-CIP 767s after the last couple of 787-8s are delivered in April instead of waiting until the fourth quarter. Interesting AA will actually retire two CIP 767s in the fourth quarter instead of beginning to retire the A330-300s.

I'm unsure of what exactly will happen to the 757 fleet as only 34 will be left at year's end. My guess is AA will keep the small subfleet of formerly internationally configured LUS 757s for PHX-Hawai'i until the 737-8 MAX will replace them, which won't be until next year at the earliest, while ~24-26 75Ls have the A321T B/E Diamond seats by the end of the year. If that is the case, then almost half of the 75L fleet already has the new interior.

econometrics

N791AN just landed in HKG from NRT to join her sister Oneworld livery (N796AN) for updating.

werDrD

You all would know best. How do airports like ORD and RDU handle having a single 777 flight? Do they just use two airframes on the same rotation? What happens in the event of IRROPS? Flying ORD to FCO in July.

econometrics

Looks like N794AN is headed to NRT as AA61. I just watched her lumber south out of DFW.

I'm presuming she is headed to HAECO for her date with CIP.

EDIT: Or maybe not. 3.5 hour delay on AA61, looks like they rotated N794AN in as a sub: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...lightNumber=61

FlightAware has her returning to DFW on Wednesday, March 8th. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N794AN

bobbybrown

That looks like an equipment swap after delays. But tomorrow, N762AN is planned on AA61 to NRT. Probably that's the next one to be converted.

nyc6035

N796AN has returned to service bringing to 33 the number of reconfigured 777-200. It's not clear just yet which bird replaces this craft in HKG for refurbishment. More to come over the next 24 hours or so.

andox

Looks like it's probably N762AN.

bobbybrown

Old-config non-cip 3-class 777 routes:

ORD-FCO Mar-25 - Apr-02
MIA-MAD until Apr-03
MIA-BCN until Apr-03
DFW-SCL Apr-04 - May-03
MIA-CDG until May-04
MIA-MXP May-05 - Jul-04
MIA-SCL until Jul-04
DFW-FRA until Jul-04
+ occasional AA61 DFW-NRT

The list keeps growing.
until Apr-03: need at least 9 777 fleets
Apr-04 to May-04: need at least 6
May-05 to Jul-04: need at least 5
After May, the conversion speed may go down unless the old config list shrinks. Probably not 4 777s at once.

If IRROP is predicted ahead (LHR-RDU is in significant delay, for instance), AA ferries 777 from MIA. I've seen ferries at least a couple of times in the last few months, on MIA-DFW when a 777 is having trouble in NRT.