Apr 24, 2019, 11:32 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
State of the widebody aircraft Premium Economy retrofit 1st half of 2019
The 787-8 retrofit standardizes 788 seating at C20, W28, Y186 (of which 42 are MCE). Refitting took two weeks per airframe, and two were in the shop at Paine Field at any one time. AA begins selling Premium Economy tickets as if 1 May (if not before) on the 787-8.
787-8 Current Status as of 24 April April 2019: NO J28 788s left in service, refit completed.:
REFIT TO PE: N800AN was the test article / prototype (PAE Sep 2018), N816AA was the last (returned to service 24 Apr 2019).
List of (20) existing Boeing 787-8s: (reg # / fleet #)
N800AN / 8AA (refitted to 20 J seats, Premium Economy - test article)
N801AC / 8AB (refitted)
N802AN / 8AC (refitted)
N803AL / 8AD (refitted)
N804AN / 8AE (refitted)
N805AN / 8AF (refitted)
N806AA / 8AG (refitted)
N807AA / 8AH (refitted)
N808AN / 8AJ (refitted)
N809AA / 8AK (refitted)
N810AN / 8AL (refitted)
N811AB / 8AM (refitted)
N812AA / 8AN (refitted)
N813AN / 8AP (refitted)
N814AA / 8AR (refitted)
N815AA / 8AS (refitted)
N816AA / 8AT (refitted)
N817AN / 8AU (refitted)
N818AL / 8AV (refitted)
N819AN / 8AW (refitted)
Thanks to econometrics, b]golfingboy, hawkfan7314,
jvel, rjlon, United857!
Last updated on 24 April 2019
NOTE: There are no J28 - without Premium Economy 788s in service as of 17 April 2019. See (unofficial) American Fleet Site here for fairly current listings..
All Boeing 787-9 have Premium Economy “out of the box”.
All Boeing 777-300ER / 77W have been refitted with Premium Economy
All 777-200ER / 772 All have been refitted with 37 Business seats and have Premium Economy.
All Airbus A330-200s have been refitted with Premium Economy. (A330-300s are ultimately scheduled for retirement and will not be fitted with PE at this time.)
Review of 772 PE by ThePointsGuy HERE. Photos below from ThePointsGuy.
AA Rockwell Collins MiQ Premium Economy seats
(only bulkhead Seats have legrests)
and
See New 777-300 / 77W Config with Premium Economy as of Dec 2017
Link to AA Premium Economy page.
Not being retrofitted with Premium Economy seats:
AA has begun offering AA (only) Premium Economy awards.
Link to AA press release announcing Premium Economy
Link to virtual PEY experience on aa.com
Link to Ft. Worth Star-Telegram article
Link to Chicago Tribune article
Link to Gary Leff - View from the Wing blog
Link to Australian Business Traveller blog
Link to archived "Speculation" thread.
Older posts from 2018 have been archived and can be read here.
Older posts from 2015-2017 have been archived and can be read here.
The 787-8 retrofit standardizes 788 seating at C20, W28, Y186 (of which 42 are MCE). Refitting took two weeks per airframe, and two were in the shop at Paine Field at any one time. AA begins selling Premium Economy tickets as if 1 May (if not before) on the 787-8.
787-8 Current Status as of 24 April April 2019: NO J28 788s left in service, refit completed.:
REFIT TO PE: N800AN was the test article / prototype (PAE Sep 2018), N816AA was the last (returned to service 24 Apr 2019).
List of (20) existing Boeing 787-8s: (reg # / fleet #)
N800AN / 8AA (refitted to 20 J seats, Premium Economy - test article)
N801AC / 8AB (refitted)
N802AN / 8AC (refitted)
N803AL / 8AD (refitted)
N804AN / 8AE (refitted)
N805AN / 8AF (refitted)
N806AA / 8AG (refitted)
N807AA / 8AH (refitted)
N808AN / 8AJ (refitted)
N809AA / 8AK (refitted)
N810AN / 8AL (refitted)
N811AB / 8AM (refitted)
N812AA / 8AN (refitted)
N813AN / 8AP (refitted)
N814AA / 8AR (refitted)
N815AA / 8AS (refitted)
N816AA / 8AT (refitted)
N817AN / 8AU (refitted)
N818AL / 8AV (refitted)
N819AN / 8AW (refitted)
Aircraft movement to / from to PAE for retrofitting in 2019:
N810AN to PAE 9 Jan from DFW
N812AA to PAE 11 Jan from DFW
N809AA to PAE 24 Jan from ORD
N812AA back in service 24 Jan
N802AN to PAE 29 Jan from DFW
N810AN back in service 24 Jan
N806AA to PAE 02 Feb
N809AA back in service 03 Feb
N802AN back in service 08 Feb
N803AL to KPAE 8 Feb
N811AB to KPAE 12 Feb
N803AL back in service 18 Feb
N805AN to KPAE 20 Feb
N811AB back in service 23 Feb
N804AN to KPAE 23 Feb
N805AN back in service 28 Feb (to ORD)
N814AN and N817AN to KPAE 4 March (from ORD)
N804AN back in service 4 March (to ORD)
N807AA to KPAE 10 March (from ORD)
N817AN back in service 10 March (to ORD)
N814AN back in service 13 March (to DFW)
N819AN / 8AW to PAE 20 Mar
N807AA back in service 20 March (from DFW)
N813AN back in service 25 March (from DFW)
N808AN to PAE 25 Mar
N819AN back in service 29 March
N818AL to PAE 30 Mar
N801AC to PAE 6 April
N808AN back in service 6 April (to DFW)
N818AL back in service 10 April (to DFW)
N815AA to PAE 11 April
N816AA to PAE 17 April
N801AC to ORD 17 Apr
N815AA to DFW 20 Apr
N816AA to ORD 24 Apr
N810AN to PAE 9 Jan from DFW
N812AA to PAE 11 Jan from DFW
N809AA to PAE 24 Jan from ORD
N812AA back in service 24 Jan
N802AN to PAE 29 Jan from DFW
N810AN back in service 24 Jan
N806AA to PAE 02 Feb
N809AA back in service 03 Feb
N802AN back in service 08 Feb
N803AL to KPAE 8 Feb
N811AB to KPAE 12 Feb
N803AL back in service 18 Feb
N805AN to KPAE 20 Feb
N811AB back in service 23 Feb
N804AN to KPAE 23 Feb
N805AN back in service 28 Feb (to ORD)
N814AN and N817AN to KPAE 4 March (from ORD)
N804AN back in service 4 March (to ORD)
N807AA to KPAE 10 March (from ORD)
N817AN back in service 10 March (to ORD)
N814AN back in service 13 March (to DFW)
N819AN / 8AW to PAE 20 Mar
N807AA back in service 20 March (from DFW)
N813AN back in service 25 March (from DFW)
N808AN to PAE 25 Mar
N819AN back in service 29 March
N818AL to PAE 30 Mar
N801AC to PAE 6 April
N808AN back in service 6 April (to DFW)
N818AL back in service 10 April (to DFW)
N815AA to PAE 11 April
N816AA to PAE 17 April
N801AC to ORD 17 Apr
N815AA to DFW 20 Apr
N816AA to ORD 24 Apr
Thanks to econometrics, b]golfingboy, hawkfan7314,
jvel, rjlon, United857!
Last updated on 24 April 2019
NOTE: There are no J28 - without Premium Economy 788s in service as of 17 April 2019. See (unofficial) American Fleet Site here for fairly current listings..
All Boeing 787-9 have Premium Economy “out of the box”.
All Boeing 777-300ER / 77W have been refitted with Premium Economy
All 777-200ER / 772 All have been refitted with 37 Business seats and have Premium Economy.
All Airbus A330-200s have been refitted with Premium Economy. (A330-300s are ultimately scheduled for retirement and will not be fitted with PE at this time.)
Review of 772 PE by ThePointsGuy HERE. Photos below from ThePointsGuy.
AA Rockwell Collins MiQ Premium Economy seats
(only bulkhead Seats have legrests)
and
See New 777-300 / 77W Config with Premium Economy as of Dec 2017
Link to AA Premium Economy page.
Not being retrofitted with Premium Economy seats:
- 767-300ER / 763
- A330-300
AA has begun offering AA (only) Premium Economy awards.
Link to AA press release announcing Premium Economy
Link to virtual PEY experience on aa.com
Link to Ft. Worth Star-Telegram article
Link to Chicago Tribune article
Link to Gary Leff - View from the Wing blog
Link to Australian Business Traveller blog
Link to archived "Speculation" thread.
Older posts from 2018 have been archived and can be read here.
Older posts from 2015-2017 have been archived and can be read here.
ARCHIVE: Boeing 787-8 / 788 Premium Economy / PE / PEY progress and seat info
Mar 31, 2019, 10:35 am
#106
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Phoenix
Programs: AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 51
I'm flying DFW to FRA on May 1.on a 788. The seat map changed just this morning (or overnight) to a refitted 788 and now includes Premium Economy. I had an MCE seat in row 11 but just switched my seat to a PY seat in row 8 as they are all labeled as MCE on the seat map. Good idea? Any chance they will take the seat away from me at the last minute because it actually is PY?
Mar 31, 2019, 10:36 am
#107
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 789
The bigger issue will be loading fares into the various One World carriers databases along with the GDS databases.
Best policy if you want one of the new PE seats is to keep checking the seats, they may switch maps early or they may switch closer to departure. End April if you get in quick enough you are likely to get the PE seats (without the other soft products) for regular Coach fare (Assuming you have status to get MCE for nothing).
I have bookings LHR-ORD-LHR mid April and they are both 787 800 with some people reserving seat in rows 6 and 7 which will certainly be gone by then but AA are not taking more than 20 J bookings. So if it does not have PE you might get lucky upgrading if that is your wish.
Mar 31, 2019, 10:40 am
#108
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 789
I'm flying DFW to FRA on May 1.on a 788. The seat map changed just this morning (or overnight) to a refitted 788 and now includes Premium Economy. I had an MCE seat in row 11 but just switched my seat to a PY seat in row 8 as they are all labeled as MCE on the seat map. Good idea? Any chance they will take the seat away from me at the last minute because it actually is PY?
Mar 31, 2019, 10:40 am
#109
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
AA46 and 86 are 787 900's which all have PE fitted.
The bigger issue will be loading fares into the various One World carriers databases along with the GDS databases.
Best policy if you want one of the new PE seats is to keep checking the seats, they may switch maps early or they may switch closer to departure. End April if you get in quick enough you are likely to get the PE seats (without the other soft products) for regular Coach fare (Assuming you have status to get MCE for nothing).
I have bookings LHR-ORD-LHR mid April and they are both 787 800 with some people reserving seat in rows 6 and 7 which will certainly be gone by then but AA are not taking more than 20 J bookings. So if it does not have PE you might get lucky upgrading if that is your wish.
The bigger issue will be loading fares into the various One World carriers databases along with the GDS databases.
Best policy if you want one of the new PE seats is to keep checking the seats, they may switch maps early or they may switch closer to departure. End April if you get in quick enough you are likely to get the PE seats (without the other soft products) for regular Coach fare (Assuming you have status to get MCE for nothing).
I have bookings LHR-ORD-LHR mid April and they are both 787 800 with some people reserving seat in rows 6 and 7 which will certainly be gone by then but AA are not taking more than 20 J bookings. So if it does not have PE you might get lucky upgrading if that is your wish.
Also good point about loading fares into different GDS, I didn’t think about it
Mar 31, 2019, 7:46 pm
#110
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
Mar 31, 2019, 7:52 pm
#111
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Anyone who is flown 787-8 in row 6 bulkhead - is it comparable to 772 PE bulkhead in terms of legroom ?
Apr 1, 2019, 8:43 am
#112
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Here is a new one, I'm on AA 605 tomorrow morning which is listed as a 788, but looks like the assigned plane (N838AA) and corresponding seat map are the 789. Do they actually switch them in and out like this or can I expect it'll go back to a (likely refitted) 788 before tomorrow morning?
Apr 1, 2019, 8:48 am
#113
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Here is a new one, I'm on AA 605 tomorrow morning which is listed as a 788, but looks like the assigned plane (N838AA) and corresponding seat map are the 789. Do they actually switch them in and out like this or can I expect it'll go back to a (likely refitted) 788 before tomorrow morning?
Apr 1, 2019, 9:27 am
#114
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Here is a new one, I'm on AA 605 tomorrow morning which is listed as a 788, but looks like the assigned plane (N838AA) and corresponding seat map are the 789. Do they actually switch them in and out like this or can I expect it'll go back to a (likely refitted) 788 before tomorrow morning?
Apr 1, 2019, 9:40 am
#115
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
You are right, changed about as fast as I could post it. Interesting to see how it bumped everyone out of row 8 on the first switch, so now all 3 first rows are open after the second switch. Luckily I had 9 the whole time but man, these swaps cause havoc on the seat assignments. Like everyone says, check early and often
789 - First Update
788 - Second Update
789 - First Update
788 - Second Update
Apr 1, 2019, 9:44 am
#116
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
You are right, changed about as fast as I could post it. Interesting to see how it bumped everyone out of row 8 on the first switch, so now all 3 first rows are open after the second switch. Luckily I had 9 the whole time but man, these swaps cause havoc on the seat assignments. Like everyone says, check early and often
789 - First Update
788 - Second Update
789 - First Update
788 - Second Update
Apr 1, 2019, 11:45 am
#117
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 47
I just completed my DFW-CDG trip. It was interesting because on my outbound flight (#48) they changed equipment a day before the flight and the people booked in the mini cabin rows 6&7 were bumped to PE. Fortunately I had seat 5A booked way in advance but I did hear some passengers complaining that they "thought" they had booked business. The FA's were not wanting to deal with it but there were some unhappy people. My return flight from CDG (#49) was also on the refitted plan and fortunately I got my bulkhead PE seat originally booked. However, while waiting for my flight I was seated by some gentlemen in the CDG Term 2 AC lounge that were complaining because they lost their business seats as well. I guess not everyone reads FT 
Last edited by DallasTX_Traveller; Apr 1, 2019 at 11:46 am Reason: Grammar
Apr 1, 2019, 11:56 am
#118
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: England
Programs: AA P, UA PP, LH FT, IHG G, Hilton G, BW P
Posts: 149
AA99
None. They were flying PE equipped equipment LHR-LAX for a few months before the fare kicked in. Coach is Coach, whether MCE PE or Regular Coach. Until a PE fare is loaded in the database, you will keep seat, UNLESS they move things around to ensure CK's who they cannot fit in Business at least get the best PE seating, or Families with A Bassinet, etc ,etc , etc. I would get your seat res in now.
Question is though, we are 3 in row 8 based upon the feedback for the safety of securing PE. however when 6/7 opens up will it already have the bumped J's into them does anyone know? Don't want to get excited and jump into 6 or perhaps 7 and then get hoisted out to the back of the bus. ;-)
Apr 1, 2019, 12:00 pm
#119
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 47
I was also booked in row 8. When the equipment changed to the refitted equipment I checked the seat map and quickly grabbed 6J in PE since it was still open. I was not bumped.
Apr 1, 2019, 12:04 pm
#120
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Good to hear this seems solid about not getting switched, bar any other aircraft change. We are AA99 LHR-ORD this Saturday and looking at this week thus far it's all refitted 788's.
Question is though, we are 3 in row 8 based upon the feedback for the safety of securing PE. however when 6/7 opens up will it already have the bumped J's into them does anyone know? Don't want to get excited and jump into 6 or perhaps 7 and then get hoisted out to the back of the bus. ;-)
Question is though, we are 3 in row 8 based upon the feedback for the safety of securing PE. however when 6/7 opens up will it already have the bumped J's into them does anyone know? Don't want to get excited and jump into 6 or perhaps 7 and then get hoisted out to the back of the bus. ;-)
I'd still recommend staying 8 or 9 in case you happen to get a non-refit at the last minute, in which case you'd get randomly reassigned if you were in 6 or 7.