Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

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

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old May 26, 2015, 7:07 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 - Hawai’i 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 gwade’s 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. 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.

*July 2015
Print Wikipost

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

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 9, 2016, 9:48 am
  #286  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
A month back I was in 11A on the 321S and it was very comfortable. However, I was only seated for 10 minutes when the GA came onboard to upgrade me.
MiamiAirport Formerly NY George is offline  
Old Feb 9, 2016, 10:39 am
  #287  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Originally Posted by cmd320
With that said, 9B-9E and 10A/F are some of the best domestic Y seats there are.
Clearly, de gustibus.

IMO, the best Y seat on a domestic config is 1A on an ERJ. Unfortunately, anything else on an ERJ tends to be miserable. 31A/J on the 772s are better still, but those don't fly a lot domestically.

I find the older Boeing seats on the 757 (and while they were still kicking around, the old-cabin 737s) substantially less comfortable, and the the lack of a 9A problematic -- the leg room in 10A is superb but you don't have reasonable access because of the partial row 9, whereas you have something approximating aisle access in row 8 of the 738. 9B/9E are fine, although I prefer exit row windows, as there's more butt-room.

I also find row 15 on the 738 roomier than row 18 on the 757.

As stated above, the MCE cabin is proportionally much larger than Airbus and 737 aircraft.
That's only true for the 2-class airbus; there are proportionally quite a LOT more MCE seats on the 738 -- 4 fewer MCE seats, but out of 134 vs. out of 160. (The MD80 is also better in that ratio.)

There really aren't any good Y seats on the 737 or the A319.
I find 8A/F and 15A/F substantially preferable to anything on the 757, and 8C/D and 15C/D mildly so.

I haven't flown enough of the A321S at all, and the only A319 I flew was an old USAir config, which was pretty miserable even in 4F although at least it was a fairly short midcon flight.
nkedel is offline  
Old Feb 9, 2016, 11:32 am
  #288  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Originally Posted by nkedel
That's only true for the 2-class airbus; there are proportionally quite a LOT more MCE seats on the 738 -- 4 fewer MCE seats, but out of 134 vs. out of 160.
Huh? 757 has 52 MCE seats against 108 Y- seats. The 737 has 30 MCE against 114 Y-...

That's not even to mention the ratio of F to Y.
cmd320 is offline  
Old Feb 9, 2016, 12:22 pm
  #289  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Originally Posted by cmd320
Huh? 757 has 52 MCE seats against 108 Y- seats. The 737 has 30 MCE against 114 Y-...

That's not even to mention the ratio of F to Y.
There are two 737 configs, and the one AA was listing on their public site was only the higher-MCE config:
http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/ourPlanes/main.jsp

Seatguru lists both. If the lower-MCE is the more numerous, AA is being disingenuous which as we know they'd never do.
nkedel is offline  
Old Feb 9, 2016, 12:53 pm
  #290  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
Originally Posted by nkedel
There are two 737 configs, and the one AA was listing on their public site was only the higher-MCE config:
http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/ourPlanes/main.jsp

Seatguru lists both. If the lower-MCE is the more numerous, AA is being disingenuous which as we know they'd never do.
I'm sure it's not on purpose. AA is terrible with updating their website, you'd think they'd put more time/effort into it, but they really don't.

Regarding the 737. There are some still in the 150 seat config, this is the one with 48 MCE seats. The only ones with this config are the first batch of AVOD deliveries 30 or 31 frames). I believe they've already started converting these to the 160 pax version, so eventually there shouldn't be any left.

Last edited by Djokison; Feb 9, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Djokison is offline  
Old Feb 9, 2016, 1:38 pm
  #291  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Originally Posted by Djokison
I'm sure it's not on purpose. AA is terrible with updating their website, you'd think they'd put more time/effort into it, but they really don't.
They really don't; it only took them 3 years after the note got removed to finally remove the stray caret on the CX Premium Economy mileage earning, and probably only did that because of the new asterisk about W fares HKG-BKK.

OTOH, Seatguru has been known to not be up to date either, so I went to what I thought was the canonical source.

Integration of pmUS aircraft doesn't help; I'd forgotten just how badly some of the other US airlines kept up their aircraft until I flew a couple of those last fall.
nkedel is offline  
Old Feb 11, 2016, 3:19 pm
  #292  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
Any thoughts on row 8? Deciding between 8D or 24B. Thanks!
Ross0 is offline  
Old Feb 13, 2016, 1:13 pm
  #293  
Hilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AA (Gold), Alaska MVP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, SPG Gold,
Posts: 513
Originally Posted by Ross0
Any thoughts on row 8? Deciding between 8D or 24B. Thanks!
Don't know anything about row 8 but spouse and I sat in 24B/C and hated those seats. No under seat storage or decent pocket and FA wouldn't even let us hold something as small as an iPad during takeoff and landing. Plus the guy seated in 25A kept walking through the gap between 24B and the wall and bumping into the 24B pax. I would never choose row 24 again even though the leg room was great.
TxTrav is offline  
Old Feb 17, 2016, 10:11 pm
  #294  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT, Marriott Gold
Posts: 81
On AA 37 right now (DFW-SFO).

In row 10, and it is stuffy (borderline hot) up here; to the point where it's uncomfortable.

I walked back to the lav and it has to be 10-15 degrees cooler once you get behind row 15 or so. Are there multiple temp controls on this plane? I have dealt with the hot cabin on the 321T a few times; not sure if it is the plane (in this case a 32B) or the pilot that is dictating it.
BayAArea is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2016, 3:34 pm
  #295  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BNA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 766
On this plane now, really like it. Bulkhead seat 1 has plenty of foot room.
oysterhead43 is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2016, 5:00 pm
  #296  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Originally Posted by oysterhead43
On this plane now, really like it. Bulkhead seat 1 has plenty of foot room.
Plenty of foot room for what? To place your foot on the ground? I can't stretch my legs out at all in this row on this plane.
cmd320 is offline  
Old Feb 22, 2016, 3:26 pm
  #297  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,047
Maybe he meant 11?
josephstern is offline  
Old Feb 24, 2016, 2:33 pm
  #298  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum
Booked on a 2-class "32B" MCO-LAX late next month. Row 25 was marked as MCE; 25A was available so I grabbed it. I was tempted by 10A but after reading through this thread I'm still not sure whether they're limited-recline or not. Will try to check it out and report back on both.
As promised -- I'm sure you've all been on tenterhooks -- a report. I sat in 10C briefly during boarding and concluded it had normal recline.

25A was as expected. Unbeatable leg room. There was a small pocket on the wall next to me, seemingly the same as the ones on the bulkhead in front of 24B and C, which were probably a bit smaller than the ones in the seat backs. I had a pack which held a 7" tablet and a paperback, and wedged it into the pocket along with my sunglasses and the usual magazines without issue.

The real downside with it as well as the bulkhead seats is the lack of IFE.

Also, my neighbor's elbow was way the heck over my edge of the "shared" armrest; the resulting gouging of my arm for almost the entire 5+ hr flight didn't seem to faze him. I got a brief respite when fishing my table out of the armrest.

Oh, and there was AC power, which I assume was the case for every seat. Multiple outlets; I only made note of the USB, which worked.
SpammersAreScum is online now  
Old Feb 24, 2016, 2:47 pm
  #299  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,652
Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum
The real downside with it as well as the bulkhead seats is the lack of IFE.
On the legacy AA version of the A321 all seats have IFE. The screens for seats 25A and 25F, and rows 11 and 24 are mounted on pivoting arms that stow under the seats.
TWA884 is offline  
Old Feb 24, 2016, 3:11 pm
  #300  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,047
Those pivoting IFE screens are pretty weak, IMO. They tend to fall down over time and I have to keep pulling them back up.
josephstern is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.