HP / America West A320 with original seats??
Mar 18, 2018, 6:49 pm
#16
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I believe if those seats were original HP seats, they would be light blue (and I think cloth). Those are post-merger (HP/US) seats. Even still, they would be very old at this point. On the other hand, when those seats were new, they were much more comfortable than the new F seats being put on their aircraft.
Mar 18, 2018, 7:26 pm
#17
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As others have noted, HP's original F seat on their A320s were the Eisenhower seats. These only appeared on the first ten aircraft that came over from the Braniff order, starting in 1991. They lasted until the US merger, and then were very quickly replaced. All of these original A320 deliveries have been retired, and currently the oldest one in the fleet was delivered new to US in 1998.
The aircraft pictured here was delivered in 2004, but does NOT have the original seat covers or bulkhead walls. HP did have a round of new build 319s and 320s delivered in 2004-2006, but they were delivered in HP's color scheme at the time, which was teal leather with blue accents in First and teal seats in coach, with the small setting sun logo on the headrests. The bulkheads were white with the grey southwest-themed accents that used to be printed near the tails of HP's livery. These seats were all then subsequently recovered starting in 2009-2011 by US, harmonizing both the HP and US cabins post-merger, with the dark blue faux leather you see above, and the bulkheads standardized to the white/blue you see above, too.
Here's an easy way to determine the original operator of your aircraft. If the aircraft is an A319 or an A320 and has flexible headrests in F class, then it's originally a LHP bird. These first seats almost all have dark grey, granite looking center armrest consoles. All others are LUS, as US Airbus aircraft were never delivered with adjustable headrests. You can also look for the old sealed off Empower ports that the HP management de-activated post-merger (yes, all US Airbus birds had in-seat power that Parker and Co. ripped out).
If your aircraft is a 321 without flexible headrests in F, it was delivered new to US in 2001 (as LHP never operated 321s). If it's a 321 has flexible headrests in F, the newer style interior with LED passenger service unit lights, and the new overhead bins, it was delivered either to USWest (the remnants of HP, who started received 321 deliveries new from Airbus post-merger) or USEast from 2008-2015.
The aircraft pictured here was delivered in 2004, but does NOT have the original seat covers or bulkhead walls. HP did have a round of new build 319s and 320s delivered in 2004-2006, but they were delivered in HP's color scheme at the time, which was teal leather with blue accents in First and teal seats in coach, with the small setting sun logo on the headrests. The bulkheads were white with the grey southwest-themed accents that used to be printed near the tails of HP's livery. These seats were all then subsequently recovered starting in 2009-2011 by US, harmonizing both the HP and US cabins post-merger, with the dark blue faux leather you see above, and the bulkheads standardized to the white/blue you see above, too.
Here's an easy way to determine the original operator of your aircraft. If the aircraft is an A319 or an A320 and has flexible headrests in F class, then it's originally a LHP bird. These first seats almost all have dark grey, granite looking center armrest consoles. All others are LUS, as US Airbus aircraft were never delivered with adjustable headrests. You can also look for the old sealed off Empower ports that the HP management de-activated post-merger (yes, all US Airbus birds had in-seat power that Parker and Co. ripped out).
If your aircraft is a 321 without flexible headrests in F, it was delivered new to US in 2001 (as LHP never operated 321s). If it's a 321 has flexible headrests in F, the newer style interior with LED passenger service unit lights, and the new overhead bins, it was delivered either to USWest (the remnants of HP, who started received 321 deliveries new from Airbus post-merger) or USEast from 2008-2015.
Last edited by GotCalcio4; Mar 18, 2018 at 7:33 pm
Mar 18, 2018, 7:28 pm
#18
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I think there's just a few out there that haven't had their interiors refreshed. I was on one that was in surprisingly decent condition last week on MSP-CLT, but had not seen the interior refresh.
Mar 18, 2018, 8:13 pm
#19
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US being the original owner makes sense, given that the bulkhead looks like a US bulkhead.
Edit: here's a link to a picture of a US 737.
https://worldairlinenews.files.wordp...abin-jslrw.jpg
Edit: here's a link to a picture of a US 737.
https://worldairlinenews.files.wordp...abin-jslrw.jpg
Flightradar24 says it was N680AW . US Airways is the original owner and it was delivered in Dec 2005. SkyWest does not appear anywhere in the records for this aircraft.
There's actually a SkyWest airlines in Australia that was bought by Virgin Australia and has a couple of A320's. However, they had nothing to do with this A320.
There's actually a SkyWest airlines in Australia that was bought by Virgin Australia and has a couple of A320's. However, they had nothing to do with this A320.
Mar 18, 2018, 8:40 pm
#20
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In case it isn’t clear, that was almost certainly the retro bird (ie deliberately and recently painted in HP livery, not a bird that somehow hasn’t been repainted since the 2005 HP-US merger).
AA has one retro bird for each of the (many) predecessor airlines, one of the few US management policies I like.
Mar 18, 2018, 9:02 pm
#21
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In case it isn’t clear, that was almost certainly the retro bird (ie deliberately and recently painted in HP livery, not a bird that somehow hasn’t been repainted since the 2005 HP-US merger).
AA has one retro bird for each of the (many) predecessor airlines, one of the few US management policies I like.
Mar 19, 2018, 6:28 am
#22
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Here's an easy way to determine the original operator of your aircraft. If the aircraft is an A319 or an A320 and has flexible headrests in F class, then it's originally a LHP bird. These first seats almost all have dark grey, granite looking center armrest consoles. All others are LUS, as US Airbus aircraft were never delivered with adjustable headrests. You can also look for the old sealed off Empower ports that the HP management de-activated post-merger (yes, all US Airbus birds had in-seat power that Parker and Co. ripped out).
Mar 19, 2018, 1:41 pm
#23
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There's an even easier and more reliable way than that- go to www.flightradar24.com, enter your flight number to check the registration of your aircraft. If it ends in "AW" it is an ex-HP bird. If it ends in "UW", "US", "AY, or "UY" it is LUS. The new seats/seat covers have flexible headrests in them, so it's not an accurate indicator of the aircraft's heritage any longer.
Mar 19, 2018, 2:09 pm
#24
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I actually think my approach is easier than using Flight Radar. When you board the plane, you can just look at the physical seats and determine the original owner. What you have said is not correct - the seats in the aircraft have simply been recovered; they have not added flexible headrests to the F class seats in LUS Airbus aircraft. I fly on one of these aircraft at least once per week and the F seats do not have flexible headrests.
Mar 19, 2018, 2:57 pm
#25
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While being able to identify the airframe after or even shortly before the flight is nice, it remains a game of Russian Roulette so long as aircraft as poorly outfitted as this one still exist in the AA fleet. I guess the only way to avoid this in the future is to not fly on any A320? Or are other AA aircraft out there that have such outdated and deteriorated seats?
Mar 19, 2018, 3:08 pm
#26
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Here are pics from the cabin of A320 N126UW, an LUS aircraft. I was seated in 1F- blacked out my face and personal details on my boarding pass for anonymity
You'll clearly see the flexible headrests and refreshed cabin. It was actually a comfortable ride DFW-CLT! Second shot is of the A/C at the gate in DFW.
You'll clearly see the flexible headrests and refreshed cabin. It was actually a comfortable ride DFW-CLT! Second shot is of the A/C at the gate in DFW.
Mar 19, 2018, 7:23 pm
#27
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Yeah, this is weird. I thought AA at least replaced the carpet and bulkhead walls, and re-covered the seats in the AA-style blue-grey with the red stripe on all LUS planes long ago. Maybe this plane is slated for retirement soon, and they skipped it?
The US Airways logo should be hiding somewhere beneath that peeling AA sticker!
The US Airways logo should be hiding somewhere beneath that peeling AA sticker!
Mar 19, 2018, 8:26 pm
#28
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Here are pics from the cabin of A320 N126UW, an LUS aircraft. I was seated in 1F- blacked out my face and personal details on my boarding pass for anonymity You'll clearly see the flexible headrests and refreshed cabin. It was actually a comfortable ride DFW-CLT! Second shot is of the A/C at the gate in DFW.
You'll clearly see the flexible headrests and refreshed cabin. It was actually a comfortable ride DFW-CLT! Second shot is of the A/C at the gate in DFW.
Mar 20, 2018, 12:40 pm
#30
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Personally I thought AA updated all the A320 interiors with new bulkheads/carpets/seat covers. I would say AA is planning on retiring this particular bird soon but it is only from 2005...