econometrics

Answered here.

Happyfeet

econometrics

I know you are one of the most knowledgeable members posting on these 772 threads and I know everyone certainly appreciates your help on every issue! But by sending me to another thread -- it would be natural to assume you are agreeing that this thread IS dead or dying? But that's probably not how I should interpret this. I'll try using this thread for questions related to choosing a good business class seat for my situation, for example.
Thanks again.
Happyfeet

econometrics

I was only noting that the question you had asked was answered in detail in another thread.

I'm sure we all WISH this thread would die - by AA removing the Zodiac seating and installing the BE seat... but that's not in the cards.

thunderlounge

Amen!

Happyfeet

econometrics;

I've only been on these planes twice on the HNL - DFW route -- both times on the Zodiac, So I wouldn't know 1st hand for sure that the BE version is better.
But on our 2 flights, despite our feeble efforts, on both flights my wife and I were separated in a way that we either couldn't talk or see each other. Once in 5 H & L, our heads were easily 14 feet apart with an aisle between and in 3 A & D and we couldn't even see each other and were not even on the same row and our heads were probably 12 ft apart again with an aisle between. If we had had D & H seats our heads would have been about 2 ft apart but I changed our seats at the last minute probably without really knowing what I was doing. We survived OK, but I was determined to figure this thing out and do my best to pick better seats.

I just wish this route just flew one type of plane or the other -- not both, but obviously that won't happen. And I wish there was an actual seat-map somewhere we could trust. AA.Com could hire a draftsman straight out of school to draw a proper seat map that actually portrayed the information we keep asking each-other on these threads. I think Seat-Guru depends on submitals from their readers for their seat maps.

JDiver

The problem with the Zodes is in the center rows the dividers may be fixed up or down; you won’t know which until you board. If the dividers are up, you’re still pretty much flying solo.

Btw, I’ve flown both Zodiac and Super Diamond. I feel the SD is a considerably better product. Better fit and finish, no bugs I’ve found and certsinly no “Motion over the ocean”.

SestGuru doesn’t depend on much; they pretty much ignore reader submitted information, until it may suit them - since TripAdvisor bought them. The Flight is just as useless. And since Huey sold SeatExpert, that’s a bust as well.

econometrics

I think we all likely feel this way, though it's really not an operational possibility. With the 7 37J 772's floating through the entire longhaul route system, it's impossible for AA to show you the map of one version over the other and give you the perception that seat will be what you get.

For a good while, actually, the seat maps were ALL the Zodiac seat maps. But the Super Diamond refits quickly took over the majority of the 772 subfleet configurations, so AA switched to that as the default seat map for advanced sale.

Happyfeet

JDiver
After reading through all the posts of all 3 threads, I noticed that one of the reliable posters who flies these planes all the time said that in the last 2 1/2 years he hadn't found any of the dividers to be fixed in the upright position. I don't remember who said it or which forum but I noticed that no one disagreed with him.

Well thanks for explaining the "Seat-map" websites. I just know that Seat Guru just isn't right in a lot of situations. I get especially frustrated when seat 3A and 3D aren't even on the same row for the Zodiac -- so I can't trust that that won't be the case with either type of seat and any row. I've studied the photos people submit but sometimes you still just can't tell. If someone had the time, they could make a walk-thru and note which window seats don't line up with their row. Even I might have done that if I thought of it. In fact I just couldn't figure out why my seat was on the wrong row. I actually thought it was just a one-off mis-numbering on that plane or I had just looked at the seat map wrong without noticing that anomaly and it was my mistake or something like that-- bad luck.

Happyfeet

econometrics
When it come to the seat map that AA uses -- I THINK that they like using their rather generic seat-map because you could say it fits both types of configurations. They all have 37 seats and have the correct number and relative position of the seats on each row. As long as you don't try to be very precise -- most people will just pick their seats and won't even think that the possibility exists that they are in for a big surprise.until they are on the plane. I've even asked the flight attendants it they know which type of plane they will be flying on. They say "No" not until they board themselves. But then again I don't think they have a reason to really care. .

econometrics

Correct. The seat map AA uses is the 37J all-forward facing configuration.

And the flight attendants are correct. There's no definitive way to know until starting about 24h before departure (though it can change up to an hour before departure)... and this only by finding the tail registration of the 777-200ER scheduled for that particular flight.

Happyfeet

For my question -- I am simply asking --

"What it the best way to determine whether your flight will have Zodiac Seats or the B-E Seats?

Several People here on Flyertalk have said we should just depend on [ flightradar24 ] to tell us the tail number and from there you can look up whether it will have "B-E" or "Zodiac" seats by using the chart that shows those tail numbers for all 47 of the 772's -- that have the J37 configuration -- (I think I got that 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 most savvy cell phone user so I'm just going to ask -

Is there a ios app for flightradar24? and if so how well does it work for determining the tail number on one of these flights? Has anyone tried it out?

Reason I'm asking? Of course, we might find ourselves on the move trying to get to the next gate while trying to look up that tail number? I've read all the posts of the 3 main threads for these planes but I don't think anyone mentioned an app for flightradar24?

I suppose we could use the Safari Web-browser on our phones and maneuver around a rather bulky program to try to find the right screen we need but somehow that doesn't sound like much fun.

HappyFeet

scnzzz

Since eventually all 45J birds are dropping to 37 - so presumably the last two rows of 4 seats (11 and 12) are being replaced by PE - if I pre-select seats ahead of row 10 on what the AA seatmap is currently showing as a 45J bird - what's the consensus on the safety of the seat selections IF AA swaps the equipment for a 37J refit (or fingers crossed a BE-equipped plane)? Currently in 8J/9H/9L, family of 3. Would hate to be split up at the last minute (or lose window seats) and then not be able to sort that out due to a full cabin.

FWIW this is for AA 66 JFK-BCN on July 28. As of now, (and yes, there's a month to go but BCN isn't exactly a huge business destination) EF is showing J7 R7 D7 I7 <snip>, so I imagine the cabin is still wide open, and they could conceivably switch equipment without having to downgrade upgraders like me .

pmd5700

There is a flightradar24 iOS app. It works great! The first screen you see has a search bar at the top and you can just type your flight number in. Once you click the flight number it will show you all the previous flights along with any live or scheduled flights. Here is a screenshot of the flight number I'll be taking in October. It's showing N780AN which, I think, has B/E seats. They show the flights as far as ~10 days into the future but they only list the tail number for the next day or 2. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

davesam12

We've found flightradar24 to be very accurate. When our scheduled 777-200 tail number is listed a couple days out. I look up the aircraft on FT or go to the google AA fleet list and see if it's BE Super Diamond or Zodiac cabin up front. Of course, departure day aircraft subs are also a possibility on any flight,. Makes no surprises at boarding which we like.

Happyfeet

pmd5700



davesam12

OK -- I installed the flightradar24 App (the most obvious choice) on my phone and started playing around with it. I agree -- it works great! I honestly believed after messing with the laptop version that an APP for a phone that they supplied would be a rather clunky, poorly designed program, but it seams to have the same choices and options as the laptop version and seams just as easy to manipulate. Sometimes the screens and numbers are almost too small to read but I think I can adjust that.
Anyway I wasn't very original and did a resent search for AAL119 -- the same DFW - OGG flight you were looking at.

I found
3 Jul = N780AN = B-E seats
4 Jul = N755AN = B-E seats
5 Jul = N786AN = B-E Seats
6 Jul didn't show a tail number

Anyway I think i could use this app while riding the sky-link train around to the next gate at DFW easy enough. I'll just have to keep practicing.

I'm wonder if I can use the AA.com app to change seats? Well, I tried that - looking at "My Trips". In fact AA assumes that you want to see "My Trips" 1st. I can change seats. I was wondering how AA verifies who is changing the seats? I guess, if I sign in to my phone and my phone displays my name -- that seems to be good enough verification for AA and they will let me change seats.

Now I wonder if the AA.com app will allow me to see if my upcoming flight will have any rear facing Business Class seats on a 772 J37 flight?
I plugged in a Dummy Booking for this evening about 14 hours away for AA 230 KOA -DFW.
I was able to pull up a seat map and surprise! the seat map shows 13 open seats and 6 of them are rear facing (they have the little triangle indentations for your head at the top of the square seat emblem) so it's a Zodiac seat plane.

I'll have to keep messing with it but I'm going to assume that for most flights you can try a dummy booking starting about 24 hr. out and check for the Zodiac seats. Even if no seats are available The emblem legend at the top of the page only displays "rear facing seats" only if that plane has Zodiac rear facing seats - (at least as far as I can tell). Then you could keep checking from time to time until its time to board. Something else to play with just to try to make sure!

Just goes to show it is amazing what you can do with a phone if you are brave enough to try!

Anyway -- Thanks a Million !!!