ARCHIVE: 2016 HELP DESK: General questions re aircraft equipment, fleet, seat etc.
Oct 28, 2016, 1:48 pm
#676
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA & DL / SPG & HGP
Posts: 1,723
OK, so I'm scraping Matrix for a probable DUB-OGG next summer. We've done HNL twice, and a fair bit of other US travel too [see my signature].
What's with the Matrix answer about "A321 (Sharklets)"? I don't buy a Domestic First seat based on the shape on the wing
Possible option is DUB-CLT-LAX-OGG in late July, booking A-I-P and the reverse. Having found my rear end and legs really don't enjoy AA's Dom F for more than about 3 hours, I'm guessing that there's no chance of flat-bedding on CLT-LAX? Like - too short a sector?
I/we can just about cope with the Cattle Truck F return OGG-PHX-CLT in 757/A321 [without Sharklets]. At least the TATL is A330, which we like.
Any views/comments?
What's with the Matrix answer about "A321 (Sharklets)"? I don't buy a Domestic First seat based on the shape on the wing
Possible option is DUB-CLT-LAX-OGG in late July, booking A-I-P and the reverse. Having found my rear end and legs really don't enjoy AA's Dom F for more than about 3 hours, I'm guessing that there's no chance of flat-bedding on CLT-LAX? Like - too short a sector?
I/we can just about cope with the Cattle Truck F return OGG-PHX-CLT in 757/A321 [without Sharklets]. At least the TATL is A330, which we like.
Any views/comments?
You could not use CLT and fly into BOS or JFK from where AA has flat beds into LAX. Or, if you must use CLT, don't do CLT-LAX but instead do CLT-DFW from where there are (some days) flat beds on DFW-OGG.
On the return, the same, fly OGG-DFW not OGG-PHX. Instead of using an East Coast hub, fly DFW to Europe and use a Europe hub (like MAD) to get to DUB.
Oct 28, 2016, 1:59 pm
#677
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Thanks, canyonleo, that opens a few options [even if it doesn't explain the Sharklets cr@p] 
Starting from JER tends to complicate, but I won't bore you with that ... other than DUB is a good start-point [especially with the pre-clearance facility]. DUB-BOS/JFK is certainly an option, or even the DFW one ... but HOW do I know how 2 Seniors are going to get a comfortable flight when all Matrix/AA will tell me is that the wing-tips are really interesting!!
Starting from JER tends to complicate, but I won't bore you with that ... other than DUB is a good start-point [especially with the pre-clearance facility]. DUB-BOS/JFK is certainly an option, or even the DFW one ... but HOW do I know how 2 Seniors are going to get a comfortable flight when all Matrix/AA will tell me is that the wing-tips are really interesting!!
Oct 28, 2016, 5:10 pm
#678
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Thanks, canyonleo, that opens a few options [even if it doesn't explain the Sharklets cr@p]
Starting from JER tends to complicate, but I won't bore you with that ... other than DUB is a good start-point [especially with the pre-clearance facility]. DUB-BOS/JFK is certainly an option, or even the DFW one ... but HOW do I know how 2 Seniors are going to get a comfortable flight when all Matrix/AA will tell me is that the wing-tips are really interesting!!
Starting from JER tends to complicate, but I won't bore you with that ... other than DUB is a good start-point [especially with the pre-clearance facility]. DUB-BOS/JFK is certainly an option, or even the DFW one ... but HOW do I know how 2 Seniors are going to get a comfortable flight when all Matrix/AA will tell me is that the wing-tips are really interesting!!
Oct 29, 2016, 1:59 am
#679
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
If it is not JFK-LAX/SFO and vice versa or the occasional JFK-BOS and vice versa flight, your plane with sharklets is the LAA 321 with in seat AVOD and power on a normal domestic first seat. If it is a 321 without sharklets, it is a LUS plane without power and with streaming IFE only. Basically, on your proposed route, there is a zero chance of getting lay flat seats.
Oct 30, 2016, 12:26 pm
#680
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
As noted by others, only a small portion of the fleet has seat-back IFE. There is no movement towards adding this towards any aircraft already in the fleet... these seat-back IFE screens only exist on new deliveries.
I believe N939NN and higher have them. There is no way to definitively know until for sure in advance - aircraft swaps happen early & often.
I believe N939NN and higher have them. There is no way to definitively know until for sure in advance - aircraft swaps happen early & often.
The older 738 versions are getting the leather seat covers, but that is the only change in the works for those aircraft. I've also heard this may be happening to the LUS A321s (haven't seen any of those myself yet) and again, that's the only update being made to those aircraft as well.
Oct 30, 2016, 5:27 pm
#681
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: AA lifetime platinum; Hyatt diamond;
Posts: 51
Question on upgrading for flight to Maui (A321T)
Hi,
I am looking for ticket from SFO to OGG for next June and am trying to purchase economy class and use 500-miles upgrade to upgrade to premium cabin. I noticed AA has A321T, 3-cabin flight between LAX and OGG. My question is: 1) which booking code indicates business class upgraded from economy? 2) Is the booking code the same for business class upgraded by using 500-miles upgrade and upgraded by Business ExtrAA regional upgrade (BXP1)?
I called AA and an agent told me it's A class, which I feel not too confident. I also checked expertflyer - there are A class for most days in next June but no C, X or R class in any day.
Thanks
BTW... It's difficult to look for cheap business class to Hawaii, especially my family needs 5 seats
I am looking for ticket from SFO to OGG for next June and am trying to purchase economy class and use 500-miles upgrade to upgrade to premium cabin. I noticed AA has A321T, 3-cabin flight between LAX and OGG. My question is: 1) which booking code indicates business class upgraded from economy? 2) Is the booking code the same for business class upgraded by using 500-miles upgrade and upgraded by Business ExtrAA regional upgrade (BXP1)?
I called AA and an agent told me it's A class, which I feel not too confident. I also checked expertflyer - there are A class for most days in next June but no C, X or R class in any day.
Thanks
BTW... It's difficult to look for cheap business class to Hawaii, especially my family needs 5 seats
Oct 30, 2016, 5:31 pm
#682
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
AA doesn't fly the A321T to Hawaii. They fly the A321H. This is a 2 class A321 in the same configugartion as the other 2 class (LAA) A321 with 16 (regular domestic) F seats.
Oct 30, 2016, 6:10 pm
#683
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: AA lifetime platinum; Hyatt diamond;
Posts: 51
Thanks. You are right. I checked seat map on AA website and it's 2 cabin class flight. Seatguru showed 3 cabin A321T and I did not verify on AA website. My bad.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Oct 31, 2016, 12:07 pm
#684
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 666
Is first on AA (32B) preferable to HA (A330)?
Sorry for the lame question but I'm frantically trying to get tix for my brother's honeymoon in Hawaii next week -- is there a better option between AA and HA? Based on seating configurations, they look similar.
Oct 31, 2016, 12:12 pm
#685
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Oct 31, 2016, 2:02 pm
#687
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,647
Oct 31, 2016, 9:16 pm
#688
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Definitely not preferable over Hawaiian. Even if it's the old HA A330 seats, they're still better than the ones on AAs A321H.
Nov 1, 2016, 8:23 am
#689
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Is this with money or miles? If your buying tix and assuming there's no reason for them to be on any particular carrier, Delta is the best option by far, 2-3 a day w/ full lie-flat seats LAX-HNL, some (but not all) days next week very reasonably priced as well.
Nov 2, 2016, 12:00 am
#690
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
If using miles I would say DL is the best through Korean Airlines. Nice widebody with flat bed both ways. Now I'm not too sure why they have the return flight leaving 6.5 hours later and not an hour or 2 later.