LINDEGR

It is a valid one!

DoctorORD

LUS A321 retrofit begins July, and will match LAA A321 in layout (including MCE etc) - all will be the same except NO universal power outlets / chargers and AVOD on LUS A321.

AANYC1981

You've got to be kidding about not even having power installed.....I find this hard to believe.

3Cforme

Commonzing seat counts and layout by cabin is useful to AA: no passengers to bump, or to relocate in the event of aircraft sub. Ability to collect $ for MCE. Not having AVOD and power on so many aircraft that are likely to be in the fleet a long time is an unfortunate choice, however.

flyingmusicianlax

Interesting (and disappointing about power, if true). What's your source on this?

DoctorORD

AA. Sorry I can't be less vague. Trust me, we passengers are not the only disappointed people. Lack of power and AVOD is especially disappointing for the transcons that most people forget are transcons (like CLT-SEA etc).

ThreeJulietTango

How did AA justify adding power to the A319 but not the A321? Once the fleets are combined the A321 is going to become an airplane to avoid if I can't even at least have a guarantee of power.

Fanjet

This only makes sense if all they are planning to do is take out one row of Y seats to make an MCE section (and not installing new seats). LAA 321s have 181 seats total; LUS have 187.

dylanks

Fwiw, I typically bring my own power now, in the form of a "battery box" for my laptop, and an Anker charger for my phone and tablet. It's a relatively low investment to avoid the uncertainty of being without power. The reason I bring both is that the Anker is much smaller and very easy to carry with your phone, and I also prefer saving all of the battery box power for the laptop.

outwrdbound

I could see that happening, although it is a little disappointing. While I would love to see AVOD and power fleet wide, IMO, MCE is even more important, so this is still a plus in my book. From AA's perspective I can kinda understand this, at least for the newer LUS 321s. The older ones really need a full refurb and should get at least power, (with AVOD being a huge plus). However some of the newer LUS deliveries are as new as 2015, I can understand why AA wouldn't rip out seats on a plane that less than a year or two old just to make it look the same as the LAA 321s, really doesn't make much business sense. Adding MCE, yes, but that is an easy change in comparison to replacing all of the seats on a new plane just to get power and maybe AVOD. I don't like it, but I can completely understand.

FWAAA

I'm skeptical, given that AA has made no announcements about its plans to reconfigure the LUS A321s. With the A319s, AA provided several months' notice and detailed the planned reconfiguration. Further, I'm skeptical that the reconfiguration would begin in July - the A319 CIP began in October, and are projected to be completed in a few weeks. I'd bet that the same timetable is used for the A321s.

You all need to take a deep breath and re-read DoctorORD's post. Focus on the bolded part. Even assuming that they've provided accurate info (and without any AA announcements, I'm not yet convinced), "Universal power outlets" probably means what it says: USB ports. Without AVOD, it's a given that AA will not be installing the USB ports found on the LAA A321s or A319s that feature AVOD.

Rest assured that the A321 CIP (whenever it's announced and carried out) will include in-seat AC electrical outlets, just like the LUS A319 CIP.

Djokison

Universal power outlet is AC power. (The universal just means that it fits several different plugs; US/UK/Europe.)

With that being said, I too am skeptical that they won't be installing them, at least not I till AA announced something.

captaink

I'd like to think that the oldest 321s get new seats anyway (aren't the 319s pretty much the same age as the oldest 321s?), but I could see them re-pitching the existing seats on the late-model 321s. I'm assuming there is some sort of age/cycle limit on aircraft seats?

JonNYC

The skepticism is well-founded, the rumor is false.

AAerSTL

The complaining when inferior LUS metal moves into major LAA markets/trips flown by LAA APFA bases will make the complaints from March 2009 when trashy NW aircraft and crews moved onto PM-DL LGA/SLC flights look like a picnic. As awful as NW was (not that DL is or ever was particularly high benchmark) USAIR in many ways is worse. Sure was fun seeing LUS elites on an LAA BOS operated 73A AA 192 trip with the enhanced service, AVOD, modern aircraft that are all novel concepts at USAIR.