econometrics

What JJeffrey said.


The only way you can know you'll fly a BE or Zodiac 772 is by looking up the tail # of the plane on your flight less than 24 hours before you take off. This, of course, is always subject to changing right up to the time of departure.

In the Wiki of this thread, you can find a list of the tail #s of the (currently) 7 Zodiac 772's with 37 J seats.

That number will grow to 19 total Zodiac 37J 772's beginning later this year, as AA takes the 12 45J Zodiac 772's and adds PE seats, 3-4-3 MCE and removes 2 rows of J (8 seats).

Happyfeet

Well Thanks for answering. The other 2 threads have no activity for over a month and I think I misread the title of this thread. I read it to mean that we should be discussing MCE seats or Premium Economy seats -- not business class seats. (I missed seeing the "J" in the Title)

So here's my question; In several places in probably all 3 threads -- We are supposed to be able to see which business class seats are facing backwards by looking at an AA.com seat map. But we can't look at "My Trips" or do a "Dummy Booking". We have to go to [Plan Travel] / [Flight Schedules and Notifications] and plug in info about our flight in an awkward format. But it seams that those seat maps only show "backward facing seats" for flights with-in a certain number of hours before or after scheduled departure (like maybe 6 hour or 18 hours) It doesn't seem to work several days in advance of your flight -- probably for good reason because AA doesn't really decide which plane to use until maybe a few hours before the flight is scheduled to depart and therefore they would rather just provide no information at all. I've learned this by trial and error - not from any instructions on these websites. (Oddly good instructions are missing).

So my question is -- "Did I correctly figure out how this process works to determine whether some of the seats will be facing backward on my flight? or did I miss something?

econometrics

Yes... AA.com is only going to show the all-forward facing variety. They made that change recently for the 37J routes.

I'm not sure if they do switch the seat map less than 24h before departure or not anymore.

Again, the best way to find out in advance is checking the tail numbers on your flight... which you can do by looking up the registration of your specific flight # with FlightRadar24.com.

Currently, you have a broad 20% chance of a Zodiac 772. That number will increase when AA starts refitting the remaining 45J 772's later this year.

Happyfeet

OK I get it. Thank's for clarifying. I understand the distinction between those 2 types of questions. For the 1st question "I'm flying DFW-HNL on this date, will my 772 be a Zodiac or Super Diamond?" Several have said just depend on [ flightradar24 ] to tell you the tail number and from there you can look up whether it's a "BE" or "Zodiac" from the tail number chart that shows all 47 of 772's -- that will be J37 -- (I think I got this terminology correct) and don't even mess with the AA.com sight that might or might not show the backward facing seats a few hours before departure time. I've messed around with flightradar24 a few times and think I understand it pretty well. So that leads to the next question. I'm not the best cell phone user so I'm just going to ask - Is there a ios app for flightradar24? since I might be on the move trying to get to the next gate while I'm trying to look up that tail number? I've read all posts of all 3 threads but I don't think anyone mentioned an app for flightradar24?
Happyfeet

Happyfeet

As for the 2nd question you suggested "I'm flying with my wife in a Zodiac 772 on DFW-HNL, what are the best seats for a couple?"
My personal answer for my wife and I is to choose middle seats (D & H) on the rows facing backwards for the Zodiac planes and those seats would be Ideal. If the plane were to show up with BE Seats -- the 2 middle seats would still be best, I think. Even though your heads would be about 12 ft apart -- but at least you could see each other, get the other persons attention and both of you could lean forward and in and probably talk 6 ft apart comfortably. If you choose say H and L on a "BE" plane you can't see each-others heads even though your heads would probably only be 6 ft apart. But to talk you would both have to lean forward and twist sideways and lean in a kind of uncomfortable direction to talk -- so I decided against that choice.

Happyfeet

ralphs

Late reply, but I think so.

econometrics

JDiver

These are all active threads, as evidenced by recent posts.

On the Zodiac aircraft, the possible problem with middle seat pairs is that the movable center privacy partitions are in fact immovable on most aircraft. Whether they’re up or down depends on how ground crew set them, and there’s no standard. My wife requires administered medication in flight on longer sectors, and when our 77W was changed for a 772-Zodiac we were in middle seats with a fixed raised center divider, so I had to go around to her aisle to do that.

Happyfeet

JDiver

I read your post above about the dividers on the Zodiac aircraft that might be in the fixed upright position. It occurred to me that if you found yourself in middle seats on the B-E aircraft -- that even though the divider might be down between the middle seats, you would probably find that it's still essentially impossible to reach into your wifes seat area. I noted in the other thread that your heads would be about 10 to 12 feet from each other while sitting and even while you are both standing as close to each as you could be that you would still be about 6 feet away from each other. Do you think I'm correct about those figures? (I haven't actually ever been in the Bus. Cl. seats on the B-E Aircraft before). So even on the B-E type aircraft, wouldn't you still have to walk around to the other aisle?

BTW my wife also needs attention from time to time but if I can see that she is OK then half my problems are taken care of.

Nick

ralphs

Good to know. Is there a list of routes with PE hard product but being sold as MCE domestically?

econometrics

AFAIK, it's mainly hub-to-hub flights on 777's and 789's.

I don't know the specific flight numbers and dates, as they change all the time. But it would be:

• DFW-LAX-DFW on the 789 (a couple rotations per day right now, I believe.
• DFW-MIA-DFW on the 772
• MIA-LAX-MIA on the 772
• PHL-LAX-PHL on the A332
• PHL-SFO-PHL on the A332

You can verify all this on the AA Cargo website: https://www.aacargo.com/downloads/sc...S_Domestic.pdf

*All the DFW-HNL/OGG/KOA domestic flights sell PE.

hhoope01

I'll be flying on a 777-200 (with what Seatguru says is the "v2" version.) Looks like both 17B and 18C are open. Is one more preferable the other? I couldn't find much with search (other than someone asking a similar question earlier this year but with no answer.) Hoping someone might be able to answer this time or point me to where it is already answered.

It is interesting that the AA seat map "picture" shows the seat in 17 in the "B" position, but the pop-up window says 17C though from the map it looks like there is no 17C seat. Also, the same pop-up window says 18C has a moveable armrest, but Seatguru states it is a fixed armrest. I'm guessing it really is fixed (no matter what the AA window says), but wanted to verify.

sts603

So my wife, 18 mo son, and myself are looking at a LHR to DFW flight with three seats booked (rather than booking the 18 mo as a lap child). I'm torn between three across (two center) and an aisle across or one center aisle and then two windows across the aisle. We will likely hold our toddler during take off/landing but then use his seat for extra play space and to get him to (hopefully) sleep in the lie flat position.

A few questions:

(1) Right now it would seem we have the Diamond forward-facing aircraft based on the seat maps but I assume we are at risk for a swap to a Zodiac and in which case the divider could be fixed up? So that's a risk

(2) If we pick a center with two windows across - how are the rows staggered - does it make sense to say pick 3H and then 3L/4L or 3H and 2L/3L?

(3) If we go straight across - would say 3L be roughly across from 3H or would it make more sense to pick 2L or 4L?

Any other experiences having a toiler on this configuration would be helpful.

econometrics

dingo