Sep 28, 2017, 6:43 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Project Oasis: All Two Class A321 (LUS, LAA) and 737-800 To Receive A319 B/F seats in F and new Rockwell Collins Meridian slimline Main Cabin Seats w/ Higher Density 2019 through 2021
As of May (2019) American had reconfigured 71 of their 304 Boeing 737-800s with these Oasis cabins. However, at that point the airline revealed that they were suspending their retrofit program until (summer) 2020. But “The airline has re-started retrofits, and President Robert Isom says that the “upgrading” (sic) of their Boeing 737-800 fleet will be completed by the summer of 2021.”
At that time retrofits supposedly will extend greater leg room and under seat space, as well as USB power and seatback tablet holders, increased aisle width forward and greater privacy aft in the First Class cabins. These changes will be extended to the 71 737 aircraft already refitted. (No changes are to be made to the Main Cabin / MCE areas.) - link to Lucky’s story on OMAT.
This remediation has begun (January 2020) under the name of “Project Kodiak”, discussed in this thread.
There has been no announcement about the A321 refits.
At that time retrofits supposedly will extend greater leg room and under seat space, as well as USB power and seatback tablet holders, increased aisle width forward and greater privacy aft in the First Class cabins. These changes will be extended to the 71 737 aircraft already refitted. (No changes are to be made to the Main Cabin / MCE areas.) - link to Lucky’s story on OMAT.
This remediation has begun (January 2020) under the name of “Project Kodiak”, discussed in this thread.
There has been no announcement about the A321 refits.
We have added dedicated threads as Oasis is being rolled out, the 7M8 returning to the fleet, and the A321 Oasis densification and dense A321neo arriving early 2019.
The dedicated threads are
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-loss-etc.html Densified A321
and
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-loss-etc.html Densified 738
NEW CONFIGURATION
The Business / First Cabin uses the Rockwell Collins MiQ seat currently used in long haul Premium Economy with some modifications with seat pitch reduced to 37” / 94 cm, and seat recline reduced from 6” / 15 cm to 4” / 10 cm.
Main Cabin Extra uses the Rockwell Collins ultra-slimline “Meridian” seat with 33” / 84 cm pitch, with a 4" / 10 cm. Width is 17” / 43 cm. Armrests are about 30% narrower than previous Economy seats.
Main Cabin “Meridian” seat pitch is 30” / 76 cm, with a 2" / 5 cm limited recline.”
Rockwell Collins claims Meridian is wider by designing a seat trio that hugs the fuselage wall more than previous seats and by filling the gap between seats. Armrests are about 30% narrower than previous Economy seats.
Lavatory: New slimmer B/E Aerospace (now Rockwell Collins ultra slim “Spacewall“ lavatories will also be installed.
WiFi, IFE and Power: Satellite based WiFi (fee); IFE served frim onboard server to your AA app on your own device via WiFi; 110 VAC Universal plug and 5 VDC 1.1 amp USB port.
AIRCRAFT
The schedule calls for the airline to renovate legacy US Airways A321s starting in 2019, followed by legacy American Airlines A321s. American said it does not plan to install seatback screens, echoing a decision made in January of this year not plan to install seatback in-flight entertainment screens on the 100 Boeing 737 Max (8) jets it ordered." Link to Frequent Business Traveler article by Paul Riegler on 28 Sept 2017
737-800: The first refitted aircraft of 304 738 airframes, N979AN, re-entered Service 13 May 2018. See illustrations courtesy of The Points Guy in post no. 8.
A321: No conversions apparently until 2019.
Announced Thursday 29 Sep 2017: Rockwell Collins’ (recently B/E Aerospace) Rockwell Interior Systems' Meridian slimline seat with at-seat power will be installed on all AA Airbus A321 (LUS, LAA) except the three class A321T) and all Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
The company claims the lighter and smaller frame Meridian seat offers "20% more living space" and that apparent pitch to a passenger will be one inch over actual measured pitch (e.g. "30" pitch will feel like 31" pitch". (Southwest claims the Meridian offers 0.7" greater width and is the widest available 737 3x3 coach seat; actual width seems the same, change is intrastate gap now filled.) "Longer flight comfort is enhanced with B/E’s patented Crystal Flex™ bottom diaphragm technology – an industry-leading feature for maximized comfort on B/E’s seating products. Meridian’s full headrest tops off the seat’s comfort features." - Rockwell Collins referring UA 737 MAX 9 version.)
Other airlines selecting the B/Rockwell Collins Meridian seat for narrowbody Economy seats include Southwest (737 MAX 8) and United (737 MAX 9). WN will retain the same number of seats and 32” seat pitch.
USA Airlines' Economy Seat Pitch
34" - JetBlue A320
32" - JetBlue A321, E190; Southwest 737-800 and 737 MAX 8; Virgin America (fleetwide)
31" - Alaska 737-800; Southwest 737-700
30" - American, Delta? (WSJ), United (most narrowbody aircraft)
29" - Frontier, Spirit (fleetwide)
*B/E Aerospace of Wellington, FL was acquired by Rockwell Collins of Cedar Rapids, IA as a wholly owned subsidiary. Rockwell Collins has agreed to be bought by United Technologies of Farmington, CT.32" - JetBlue A321, E190; Southwest 737-800 and 737 MAX 8; Virgin America (fleetwide)
31" - Alaska 737-800; Southwest 737-700
30" - American, Delta? (WSJ), United (most narrowbody aircraft)
29" - Frontier, Spirit (fleetwide)
Wikipedia: In August 2017, Reuters reported that United Technologies of Farmington, Connecticut submitted a bid to acquire Rockwell Collins, which on the day of the report had a market capitalization of $19.3 billion[14] The acquisition was formally announced on September 4, 2017. The transaction is projected to close by the third quarter of 2018.[15]
Link to Airline Reporter review of Southwest Meridian seats with excellent illustrations
Link to Bloomberg article on airlines’ “densifucation” of the Economy cabin
Link to Wall Street Journal on US airline Economy seats (including Meridian) (PDF)
Oasis: New seats & less pitch, WiFi IFE & power all 737 and A321 2019-21
Sep 28, 2017, 3:10 pm
#1
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Oasis: New seats & less pitch, WiFi IFE & power all 737 and A321 2019-21
Time will tell if it turns out that these seats are, as the airline says, more comfortable, but there certainly will be more of them.
Work start in 2019. Seat pitch will be 30" except for MCE. Oh, and no seatback IFE. Just wireless.
American to Add More Seats While Installing New Interiors on 737 and A321 Jets
This link is to an online source to which I contribute and/or have a financial interest.
Work start in 2019. Seat pitch will be 30" except for MCE. Oh, and no seatback IFE. Just wireless.
American to Add More Seats While Installing New Interiors on 737 and A321 Jets
American Airlines announced plans on Thursday to overhaul the interiors of much of its narrow-body fleet.
The plan involves the airline’s Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A321 aircraft, with the exception of American’s A321T subfleet used on premium transcon routes. All aircraft will receive the same interior including a new Meridian seat made by Rockwell Interior Systems. The new seats will be thinner, lighter, and more comfortable, according to the airline.
The result will be 12 more seats on the 737-800 and nine more on the A321....
<SNIP>
The plan involves the airline’s Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A321 aircraft, with the exception of American’s A321T subfleet used on premium transcon routes. All aircraft will receive the same interior including a new Meridian seat made by Rockwell Interior Systems. The new seats will be thinner, lighter, and more comfortable, according to the airline.
The result will be 12 more seats on the 737-800 and nine more on the A321....
<SNIP>
This link is to an online source to which I contribute and/or have a financial interest.
Sep 28, 2017, 5:05 pm
#6
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So, from this statement, it appears as if they are ripping out the PTV's on the 32B's and new LAA Boeing 737-800's? This is such a joke of an airline and management team. So glad I status matched away from AA!
Sep 28, 2017, 5:10 pm
#7
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Other than the moving map, I don't really use the screens, not to mention the airline isn't removing them from premium cabins.
Sep 28, 2017, 5:12 pm
#8
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Southwest in installing the Rockwell Collins Meridian in its 737 MAX 8 with 32" seat pitch throughout, 175 all Economy seats per aircraft.
AA 737-800s then are to have 172 seats, including MCE and F; 190 for the A321S and H, and LUS 321s as well. As has been discussed previously, IFE will be available on your device with onboard streaming WiFi, and power (universal AC and USB power outlets). The MAX 8 will include new, smaller lavs - I wonder if the old aircraft due for refurbishment will also get these?
Rockwell Collins says it's seats are so thin (lighter and smaller frame) that they "have 20% more living space" and that Meridian seat 30" pitch is like having one inch more than that, 31".
Update from The Points Guy (link) 15 May 2018:
The first retrofitted “Project Oasis” 172 Seat 738 airframe (of 304) “has just entered service, with 12 more seats than the other 737-800s in the fleet. The aircraft registered as N979AN returned to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) from AA’s maintenance base in Tulsa (TUL) on Sunday May 13, ready to start flying revenue services after cabin modifications.”
Illustrations from TPG (seat chart from ExpertFlyer):
AA 737-800s then are to have 172 seats, including MCE and F; 190 for the A321S and H, and LUS 321s as well. As has been discussed previously, IFE will be available on your device with onboard streaming WiFi, and power (universal AC and USB power outlets). The MAX 8 will include new, smaller lavs - I wonder if the old aircraft due for refurbishment will also get these?
Rockwell Collins says it's seats are so thin (lighter and smaller frame) that they "have 20% more living space" and that Meridian seat 30" pitch is like having one inch more than that, 31".
Update from The Points Guy (link) 15 May 2018:
The first retrofitted “Project Oasis” 172 Seat 738 airframe (of 304) “has just entered service, with 12 more seats than the other 737-800s in the fleet. The aircraft registered as N979AN returned to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) from AA’s maintenance base in Tulsa (TUL) on Sunday May 13, ready to start flying revenue services after cabin modifications.”
Illustrations from TPG (seat chart from ExpertFlyer):
Last edited by JDiver; May 15, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Sep 28, 2017, 5:19 pm
#11
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"32B" includes LAA A321S two class, A321H two class ETOPS and A321T three class aircraft, which are all equipped with Sharklets wingtip devices (unlike LUS A320 family of Airbus aircraft, which are not).
Last edited by JDiver; Sep 28, 2017 at 8:11 pm Reason: Fix spelling
Sep 28, 2017, 5:52 pm
#12
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Sep 28, 2017, 6:02 pm
#13
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Sep 28, 2017, 6:59 pm
#14
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Sep 28, 2017, 7:06 pm
#15
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If they are still going to make MCE a selling point/elite benefit, I doubt what you said would happen soon enough.