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LAA: Airbus A321H / 321 ETOPS replacing LAX Boeing 757 to Hawaii (master thd)

Old Jun 28, 2015, 2:49 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
Airbus A321-200 ETOPS / 321H / A321H to Replace Hawaii Boeing 757-223s

A321 is the stretched version of the A320 family of aircraft. AA is the world's largest operator of A321s with 159 in service, 60 on order. These will replace Boeing 757-223s. The A321 is coded by most sources as "32B", which means any A321 with "Sharklets" blended wingtip devices. All A321s in fleet and order are technically 32B aircraft, as they all arrive "out of the box" with Sharklets, giving a range of 3,200 nm.

FWAAA: ...this will be a sub-fleet of 16 321H, presumably with the optional extra fuel tanks (total of 7,935 US gal).
321H: This particular two class A321 variant is ETOPS rated, initially deployed on West Coast-Hawai'i flights to replace the 757. Due to distance / fuel / load and some Hawai'i runway restrictions, some flights have been load and balance restricted / affected (LIH in particular has weight and cross-wind restrictions that can cause ticketed passengers to be "bumped" or occasionally diverted to HNL). These will ultimately be replaced by ETOPS rated Airbus A321neo aircraft.

321S: F16, XE35, Y130.

Seating is pretty much the same as the 321S for non-premium transcon service. See posts from TWA884 and FWAAA (#176 on) for IFE box and seat peculiarities.

The new leather "slimline" articulated "slider" seats include:
  • "Main Cabin Extra*" seats with extra leg room
  • In flight WiFi by GoGo (works only within 90 miles of USA mainland)
  • "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)
*: Whilst seats 13 A-B-C are Main Cabin Extra, 13 D-E-F are standard (non-MCE) seats.

Current AA "domestic" WiFi by GoGo as on this aircraft relies on cellular telephony, which restricts operation to within ~90 miles of land.

**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.

Note about flight changes and seat numeration between 757 and 321H /S:
  • 757 F seats are AB, EF
  • A321H F seats are AC, DF
If you a re flying to Hawai'i on a 757:
  • 24 F seats with 52 MCE and 108 "Main Cabin" indicates a LAA 757-223.
  • 14 F recliner seats and no MCE other than exit row seats indicates a legacy US / America West 757-2S7 (these are being retired and replaced by 757-2B7)
  • 12 F seats with old "Envoy" seats and no MCE other than exit row seats indicates a legacy US Airways ("East") 757-2B7 (these are replacing the 757-2S7s to Hawaii)
See here for LUS 757-200 to / from Hawaii thread.

321H replacement of LUS Boeing 752s occurred after Sep 2016 Flight Operations Systems integration.

Updated Oct 2017 - JDiver
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LAA: Airbus A321H / 321 ETOPS replacing LAX Boeing 757 to Hawaii (master thd)

Old May 27, 2015, 11:05 pm
  #61  
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Discussion about seating in the A321S has been moved to the appropriate thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html.

Note that "32B" encompasses all AA A321 aircraft, as "32B" means A321s equipped with "Sharklets" blended wingtip devices, A321T, A321S and the coming Hawaii / ETOPS version.

/Moderator

Last edited by JDiver; May 27, 2015 at 11:10 pm
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Old May 28, 2015, 12:10 am
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
The current schedule of 12 flights is flown with a sub-fleet of 13 757s, leading to the speculation that there might be a few more daily flights.
Why do they need a sub-fleet for the 757s?
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Old May 28, 2015, 12:18 am
  #63  
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Originally Posted by SJC AA
Why do they need a sub-fleet for the 757s?
IIRC not all of AA's 757 are overwater (rafts etc.) equipped. And with a subfleet overall maintenance costs are probably lower as not all the 757 have to be maintained to ETOPS requirements.

All the other 757 that operate over the continental USA can be non-ETOPs, non-overwater, saving the equivalent of one peanut / year / passenger.
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Old May 28, 2015, 9:39 am
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Looks like I'm going to stick with the AS directs out of SAN. The only reason I consider AA is for the possibility of an upgrade or the occasional 767.

At least AS gives a free mai-tai before landing.
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Old May 28, 2015, 3:10 pm
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I didn't see it posted but if I missed it - sorry.

The 32B will have 30 (that's right, thirty) blocked seats for OGG and LIH.
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Old May 28, 2015, 3:13 pm
  #66  
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Originally Posted by AA-Flyer-SAN
I didn't see it posted but if I missed it - sorry.

The 32B will have 30 (that's right, thirty) blocked seats for OGG and LIH.
At that rate why not just fly an A319 or 757?
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Old May 28, 2015, 3:21 pm
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Originally Posted by AA-Flyer-SAN
I didn't see it posted but if I missed it - sorry.

The 32B will have 30 (that's right, thirty) blocked seats for OGG and LIH.
Both ways or just returning to the mainland?

Wouldn't that mean there is more room for passengers to move around and get whole rows to themselves?
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Old May 28, 2015, 3:34 pm
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[QUOTE=hillrider;24863804]
They should just give up the routes and codeshare on HA[QUOTE]

Not allowed by the APA Contract.
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Old May 28, 2015, 3:49 pm
  #69  
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Originally Posted by skunker
Both ways or just returning to the mainland?

Wouldn't that mean there is more room for passengers to move around and get whole rows to themselves?
How do you think they plan to monetize that?
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Old May 28, 2015, 4:00 pm
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Originally Posted by 3Cforme
How do you think they plan to monetize that?
Dougie will find a way!

Maybe they could use Skycouches like NZ.
http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/t...ml?id=12598588
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Old May 28, 2015, 4:04 pm
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Glad I saw this - my flights Labor Day weekend swapped out. Luckily was able to swap to one of the exit rows in the event upgrades dont clear!
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Old May 28, 2015, 4:14 pm
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Originally Posted by AA-Flyer-SAN
I didn't see it posted but if I missed it - sorry.

The 32B will have 30 (that's right, thirty) blocked seats for OGG and LIH.
Yikes thats a ton... I assume these A321s are just a stop gap until AA receives their A321NEOs, which will have likely no issue with the flights.

Now if AA were smart, they'd go ahead and block middle seats for whole section of the plane and allow only EXP to grab them or sell them as a premium seating product. There's MANY people that would gladly drop $50+ to keep some elbow room.

But the other issue will be, based on experience, is blocking 1/6 of the airplane in one direction will have bad effects on the non weight restricted direction, as people wont be able to "get home" on AA the other way, so they will effectively be capping passengers both ways.
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Old May 28, 2015, 6:48 pm
  #73  
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Originally Posted by 777Pax
Originally Posted by hillrider
They should just give up the routes and codeshare on HA
Not allowed by the APA Contract.
And that's the problem with U.S. airlines.

U.S. unemployment would go down without these silly costly inefficiencies.
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Old May 28, 2015, 7:23 pm
  #74  
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Originally Posted by hillrider
And that's the problem with U.S. airlines.

U.S. unemployment would go down without these silly costly inefficiencies.
Absolutely!! ^^
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Old May 29, 2015, 12:15 am
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by 3Cforme
How do you think they plan to monetize that?
A high stakes game of musical chairs?

$50 to enter. Pax change seats every 30 minutes. Random draw every 30 minutes for a cash prize (winnings based upon the number of entries).

Pool split 50/50 between winners and AA.

Originally Posted by AA-Flyer-SAN
The 32B will have 30 (that's right, thirty) blocked seats for OGG and LIH.
The question is: Which 30?

All in Y I assume.

Y- or MCE?

Could they block only middles in MCE?

Fill up MCE and block middles in Y-?
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