AA Fleet: Retrofit / CIP of Legacy US A320 interiors?
 

Anyone know the plans/timetable for the ex-US A319/A321 aircraft getting the AA interiors (eg, power, new seats, MCE, etc)?

No plans for the A321 yet. The A319s started in October and are almost all done.

Some of the LUS321 look pretty beat up inside. I've sat in F seats that have curve inwards from way too many butts over the years. I would assume AA will announce a major 321refurb at some point. However, with many of the 321s still flying around in the US Livery I wouldn't expect it in the very near future.

I have to wonder if the LUS321 would be retrofitted with AVOD. I doubt but one can only hope.

Moving OT but I got to wonder down the road when AA begins to refurb the older 737s will AA move to a 12F cabin (or yikes even an 8F).:eek:

I'll actually be somewhat sad to see the LUS A321 interiors go. By far the comfiest ride in coach of any US/AA metal (and probably DL and UA as well). Flew on a newish LUS A321 PHL-DFW then a new LAA A321 and the difference in comfort and seat pitch is almost night and day. That being said, the AVOD on the LAA 321 is quite nice and I hope if the LUS interiors are refit it includes that.

Keeping in mind that the retrofitted LUS A319s do not offer AVOD or any form of IFE beyond Gogo.

^ AA can take their time with the A321 as far as I'm concerned. If it had power outlets the LUS configuration would be my favorite airplane in the fleet.

Unfortunately, I doubt AA will invest in retrofitting the airplanes with AVOD. They didn't do it for the A319 or the 737 so there's no reason to think they'll do it for the A321.

Yeah the LUS321 and 320 F seats are much more like the MD80 F seats, big and comfy.

Careful; those are fighting words. Be prepared for the onslaught of people who will lay claim that ALL LUS A321s are outdated, old, uncomfortable, etc.

In all seriousness, other than an overabundance of the use of blue (with little contrasting color), I found the LUS A321s to be just fine. Sure the lack of IFE/power ports can be a drag but with a charged iPad/working wifi there is little to no difference. The claims of worn-out/dirty planes is over exaggerated greatly as the majority of the 321s were delivered after the US/HP merger. The only complaint I ever had was the goofy kidney-shaped tray table they have in F.

And if stuck in Y, there are many good seats to choose from that offer good legroom (although there is no formal MCE).

As these currently fly some longer routes, there may be hope that they will get AVOD even though the other retrofits did not.

The LUS A321 has 6 more seats than the LAA A321, so I think it's more likely the LAA A321 will be changed, to add 6 more seats. I don't think the LUS management wants to remove seats from airplanes. The LUS A319 were changed to match the LAA A319 because the LAA A319 has 4 more seats.

Are you predicting the end of true Main Cabin Extra? Bulkhead/exit row seats with minimal extra room is going to be a disappointment, and at disadvantage with UA E+, DL Comfort +, B6 Even More Space, and whatever Alaska will call their E+ offering. No proper MCE is the primary way a LUS A321 has more total seats than an LAA A321.

LAA A321 seat map: http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Ame...us_A321_V2.php

6 seats could be added to the small Y section in front of door 2, to give 4 rows in that section like the LUS A321. MCE would total 24 seats. The seats on the LUS A321 could be moved around to provide MCE section on those airplanes.

There's no way to add one row and keep MCE seat pitch in that mini cabin. LUS A321s can fit 4 rows because pitch is only 32".

The increase in A319 capacity was accomplished by having a smaller F cabin, but the configuration AA chose to retain still has MCE. I don't see AA moving to eliminate it as it would put them at a competitive disadvantage with Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, United, Virgin America, and even Spirit, all of which offer some sort of economy plus product.

AA will not eliminate Main Cabin Extra. I predict that the A321 retrofits will go exactly the same as the A319s, installing new seats and bringing the configuration in line with the existing LAA version. Though the LAA configuration has 6 fewer seats (181 vs 187), AA must feel that the revenue generated by upselling MCE—and from having passengers choose to fly on AA because MCE is offered in the first place—must exceed the revenue that would be generated by having the extra 6 seats.

If you look at the seat maps of the LUS A321 and LAA A321, they are remarkably similar, with the only difference besides the LAA having AVOD and in-seat power, is an extra row of Y on the LUS A321. The tradeoff is that the LUS A321 is probably the best ride in Y in the domestic fleet due to the extra pitch. Originally, I believe the plan was for five rows of F on the LAA A321, well that was before the merger. When the new management came in, they decided to trade one row of F to match the LUS A321 configuration. It should be a relatively quick fix to match the LUS A321 configuration to the LAA A321 configuration, considering how quickly the LUS A319s are having the new seats, in-seat power, new bulkhead and carpet, and new bin doors installed. I don't understand why they claim to be studying it while it makes zero sense to continue with these planes long term without MCE. While it made sense to do the A319 fleet first because of the size of the fleet, the state of the LUS A319 interior, and the ability to swap these aircraft around the system relatively quickly, to ignore the standardisation of a fleet of what will eventually become a total of 202 aircraft is complete nonsense. I don't think even $mi$ek at his worst would have thought it as a good long term plan. Ok yes, I understand Delta had about ten different configurations of the 757 at one point but they all had Comfort+ installed despite some having AVOD, others Overhead LCDs, and the PMNW no power/IFE. (Soon they will have just two different domestic 757 fleets, with a subfleet able to fly to Hawai'i, and a dwindling second fleet scheduled to be retired shortly.) But to not offer MCE to 121 aircraft in A321 fleet and such a small section of F make the LUS A321 a nightmare for non-upgraded EXPs who don't even get guaranteed extra legroom besides the extra inch the entire Y cabin gets on the whole plane. This is one of the biggest critiques I have of these management in that they've selectively installed MCE to the LUS A319 and new 757 Hawaiian fleets but have yet to announce it fleet wide. Really, if you're going to start selling W as a new class next year, you claim to continue to be offering MCE in Y but yet you have not said it will be extended to the LUS A320/A321 fleets. The inconsistent messaging and basic product offering is pitiful. Forget AVOD for now, just make a somewhat consistent expectation of MCE and in-seat power. Ok rant over....