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LAA 2-class Airbus 321S / A321H (Sharklets) (master thread)

Old May 26, 2015, 7:07 am
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Last edit by: Prospero
Two Class Airbus A321-200 / A321S In Service as of Aug 2014
The Airbus A321-200 A321 is the stretched version of the A320 family of aircraft. AA is the world's largest operator of the A321 with 159 in service, 60 on order*. These will also replace most Boeing 757-223s. The A321 is coded by most sources as "32B", which means any A321 aircraft with "Sharklets" blended wingtip devices. All 321s in the LAA fleet and order are technically "32B" aircraft, as they all arrive "out of the box" with Sharklets.

The A321S variant of American's Airbus A321-200 aircraft is the "plain vanilla" two class twin engine narrow body replacing the Boeing 757-223 and filling in on routes with higher capacity requirements than those filled by the rapidly disappearing MD-80 or Boeing 737-800 and MAX 8 aircraft.

A321S and A321H: (16Y, 165Y including 38 MCE) two class 32B A321-200 with Sharklets wingtip devices used in normal domestic and short international service, and in the A321H ETOPS version West Coast - Hawaii service. SeatGuru A321 V2.

A321H: This particular two class A321 variant is fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks and is ETOPS rated, initially deployed on mainland-Hawai'i flights to replace the 757. Due to distance / fuel / load restrictions, some Hawai'i flights will be load-restricted, and seating may be changed if weather / winds aloft issues require it for weight and balance restrictions (higher probability on westbound flights).

First seats are said to be 21" wide, pitch 38"; Economy seats to be 18" wide, 31" pitch (34" in Main Cabin Extra / MCE / XE). But exit and bulkhead seats may be 16.5 wide. See gwades post here.

The new leather "slimline" articulated "slider" seats include:
  • "Main Cabin Extra" seats with extra leg room
  • In-flight WiFi
  • "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)


Note: IFE boxes reduce under seat space in window and aisle seat rows.
Small mesh pouch provided for personal items. See #165 for photos.
Seat pitch in coach seems lower.

Exit row / notable seats include:
  • Row 11 (MCE / XE): A, B, and C have virtually infinite leg room but virtually no underseat storage due to a protrusion immediately behind the row 10 seats blocking access. D and E have infinite leg room and access to underseat storage under row 10. There is no F seat in this row due to the presence of a FA jumpseat. Pictures of row 11 are posted in post #366.
  • Row 12 (MCE). Due to a system limitation, AA (mostly incorrectly) has this coded as an exit row on the seat map. It is not. 12 A, B, C, D, and E are standard MCE seats. 12F has no seat in front of it and technically has a direct path to the exit (hence the legal requirement they designate at least that side as an exit row). The underseat storage under 10F is not easily accessible due to the presence of a FA jumpseat.
    • MCE / XE has limited overhead space: the bins above row 11 contain emergency gear
  • Row 24 (only B, C and D, E seats - may have somewhat limited recline)
  • Row 25 (25A and F have no seats in front of them)
  • Row 36 has limited recline and is directly in front of the Economy lavs


NOTE: Under Project Oasis all seats will be replaced, and seat pitch will be reduced. See Oasis: New seats & less pitch, WiFi IFE & power all 737 and A321 2019-21

**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. Theres 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.

*July 2015
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LAA 2-class Airbus 321S / A321H (Sharklets) (master thread)

Old Feb 25, 2017, 11:07 am
  #376  
 
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A321 (Sharklets) with 4 F rows - which F seats do we want and which do we want to avoid?
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Old Mar 19, 2017, 3:22 pm
  #377  
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On Row 11 (MCE) of the 2-class 32B sharklets aircraft, are the video monitors in the armrest as opposed to being mounted on the seatback?

Also, seatguru claims these seats do not recline. Is that correct?
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Old Mar 21, 2017, 12:03 pm
  #378  
 
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Originally Posted by RJ1
On Row 11 (MCE) of the 2-class 32B sharklets aircraft, are the video monitors in the armrest as opposed to being mounted on the seatback?

Also, seatguru claims these seats do not recline. Is that correct?
I was in 11D yesterday. The video monitors fold up from beneath the armrests and the seat did recline. As others have reported on this thread, the seats in this row seem to be narrower than others.
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Old May 20, 2017, 12:42 am
  #379  
 
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Question about 12F on this plane - is the side of the seat that is connected to 12E an immovable armrest and the window side one of those mini armrests attached to the wall?
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Old May 20, 2017, 8:48 am
  #380  
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Originally Posted by sinner7
Question about 12F on this plane - is the side of the seat that is connected to 12E an immovable armrest and the window side one of those mini armrests attached to the wall?
Immovable armrest, with a tray table and a TV monitor on a pivoting arm, on the left and a regular armrest on the right.
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Old May 30, 2017, 12:11 am
  #381  
 
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Originally Posted by AAway
I'm happy to report that as of 3/1/16, AA allows PAX seated in row 11 (except for 11B where't not possible) to place their personal items under the seats in row 10
^
This certainly wasn't the case when I was flying ORD-LAX the other day. As I was placing my backpack under 10D, the FA told me I could't and must place it overheard. I commented that I thought that has finally all been worked out. She said please wait for her safety briefing and she would explain.

Her exit row briefing turned into a diatribe of great length and drama. I've sat in a lot of exit rows and this one was over the top. In a nutshell, it was her job to keep that area safe, and part of this was disallowing anything under those seats, company policy be dammed.

Interestingly, she knew the pax in 12F as a regular, and allowed him to keep things behind her jumpseat under 10F.

In a normal situation, I'd challenge her with logic and known company policy, but we know not to do that on an airplane.
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Old May 30, 2017, 3:43 am
  #382  
 
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Originally Posted by SNA_Flyer
This certainly wasn't the case when I was flying ORD-LAX the other day. As I was placing my backpack under 10D, the FA told me I could't and must place it overheard. I commented that I thought that has finally all been worked out. She said please wait for her safety briefing and she would explain.

Her exit row briefing turned into a diatribe of great length and drama. I've sat in a lot of exit rows and this one was over the top. In a nutshell, it was her job to keep that area safe, and part of this was disallowing anything under those seats, company policy be dammed.

Interestingly, she knew the pax in 12F as a regular, and allowed him to keep things behind her jumpseat under 10F.

In a normal situation, I'd challenge her with logic and known company policy, but we know not to do that on an airplane.
Write to AA.
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Old Jun 25, 2017, 6:31 pm
  #383  
 
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Sorry if I missed this, but does anyone have a definitive list of all the narrow width seats on this plane? I know 24BCDE are, and I think 11DE as well, and I seem to recall there a 3-across row in MCE near an exit that was narrower as well. Seatguru and the wiki above don't appear to address width, only pitch. Thanks.
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Old Jun 25, 2017, 6:37 pm
  #384  
 
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Originally Posted by DrewD
Sorry if I missed this, but does anyone have a definitive list of all the narrow width seats on this plane? I know 24BCDE are, and I think 11DE as well, and I seem to recall there a 3-across row in MCE near an exit that was narrower as well. Seatguru and the wiki above don't appear to address width, only pitch. Thanks.
25A and 25F
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Old Jun 25, 2017, 7:45 pm
  #385  
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Originally Posted by AAway
25A and 25F
And 12F.
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Old Jul 25, 2017, 6:36 pm
  #386  
 
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Originally Posted by jackal
I took a couple of shots of row 11 on last night's flight in case it helps. I'll just upload them here for now and then maybe, if someone finds it useful, we can add them (or resized versions of them) to the wiki or something.

I did already update the wiki to help clarify some things about rows 11-12 that weren't clear. The big one is that the AA seat map identifies row 12 as an exit row, and the people behind me in row 12 actually said to me as I was sitting down, "Did they tell you you had an exit row?" (I said yes.) "They told us we got an exit row, too! What's up??"


Going HNL - LAX


Currently in 10D/E going and 12E/F coming home.




11D/E are open currently. Seat Guru warns that it does not recline (which it looks like other people have confirmed that they DO recline) and is narrow.

Are they that much more narrow where it will be uncomfortable for someone whos a US size 34 waist?


Should we change or are our current seats good?

Last edited by cboy; Jul 25, 2017 at 7:18 pm
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Old Jul 25, 2017, 7:21 pm
  #387  
 
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Originally Posted by cboy
Going HNL - LAX

Currently in 10D/E going and 12E/F coming home.

11D/E are open currently. Seat Guru warns that it does not recline (which it looks like other people have confirmed that they DO recline) and is narrow.

Are they that much more narrow where it will be uncomfortable for someone whos a US size 34 waist?

Should we change or are our current seats good?
I'd much prefer 11DE over either 10DE or 12EF. I have a slightly slimmer waist, but even with a size 34 waist I think you should be fine, though I do value both legroom and recline more than seat width. 10DE are standard MCE seats but they may not have full recline due to the exit row immediately behind. 12F has effectively unlimited legroom due to the absence of 11F, but 12E is a standard MCE middle seat--12F and 11DE are a wash, but 12E is much inferior to 11DE IMO.
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Old Oct 31, 2017, 1:03 pm
  #388  
 
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1 DF or 2AB from HNL to LAX

HI all
Just booked our flights to Hawaii.
Got the option of 1DF or 2AB. 2 of us travelling together.
Seat guru has yellow for row 1.
Has anyone been on either to recommend either based on extra leg room and comfort?
Many thanks
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Old Oct 31, 2017, 1:12 pm
  #389  
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Originally Posted by Dselvan
HI all
Just booked our flights to Hawaii.
Got the option of 1DF or 2AB. 2 of us travelling together.
Seat guru has yellow for row 1.
Has anyone been on either to recommend either based on extra leg room and comfort?
Many thanks
2A/B all the way
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Old Nov 4, 2017, 8:32 am
  #390  
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This picture shows the bulkhead legroom from a LUS 321 which I imagine is similar:



I agree with wanting to be in row 2.
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