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
LAA 2-class Airbus 321S / A321H (Sharklets) (master thread)
#46
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
For planes acquired initially by another carrier, the code will give the airline that ordered them and the original configuration, so an airline can end up with a mix of codes for the same type plane. For example, HP acquired some A320's initially ordered by BN so those planes had the same 3 digit BN configuration code as the day they were built.
Jim
#48
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,523
This new aircraft type is being discussed in this thread already: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-schedule.html
#49
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Programs: AA EXP & 3MM, SPG GLD
Posts: 1,215
I was under the impression that it was always AA's plan to drop the A321s down to 16F.
#50
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 700
#52
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,200
I'd like to get some research on the mini cabin and exit rows once people start flying this.
Last edited by WheelsFirst; Jun 29, 2014 at 11:57 am Reason: typo
#53
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 700
But the 738s have significantly fewer Y seats and, thus, a higher percentage OF F seats.
If these small F cabins stick around, even EXP upgrade chances will fall significantly, much less chances for Golds/Plats who actually pay for their upgrades at AA unlike the equivalent elites at UA and DL.
I'm at exactly a 50% success rate this year so far on sticker upgrade requests as a Gold and was #1 among those who didn't make it on one flight and #2 on another. I know that will probably not be the case in the future. 50% will likely be the success rate for EXPs.
If these small F cabins stick around, even EXP upgrade chances will fall significantly, much less chances for Golds/Plats who actually pay for their upgrades at AA unlike the equivalent elites at UA and DL.
I'm at exactly a 50% success rate this year so far on sticker upgrade requests as a Gold and was #1 among those who didn't make it on one flight and #2 on another. I know that will probably not be the case in the future. 50% will likely be the success rate for EXPs.
#54
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Austin,TX (AUS)
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 767
AA was already reducing F count before the A321 was ordered - many 22/24F 757 routes were replaced with 16F 738. Dougie is just continuing the process with the 16F A321.
#55
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
I've tried to look up the routes mentioned in this thread to see the seat maps for the specific flight/dates/times, but I do not see a 2-class A321 showing on any of them. Anyone have any examples of routes showing on the AA.com booking engine?
#56
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,200
LAX-MIA AA 228 is a 32B as is MIA-LAX AA 231.
#57
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: In the sky.
Programs: AA- EXP 3mm, Marriott Titanium(Lifetime), *wood Plat, Hertz Pres. Circle, *bucks Gold, Joan Ranger
Posts: 781
#58
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
#59
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta, SPG
Posts: 547
DL is also most likely going to configure these with the Airbus space saving lavs (which their upcoming A320/319 mods will get) which see both rear lavs go behind the rear door flush against the bulkhead which frees up more floor space for seats. That enables an additional row to be installed.
#60
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
If these small F cabins stick around, even EXP upgrade chances will fall significantly, much less chances for Golds/Plats who actually pay for their upgrades at AA unlike the equivalent elites at UA and DL.