Oct 16, 2018, 12:53 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Under “Project Oasis” all legacy AA Boeing 737-800 / 738 aircraft will join the densely configured 737 MAX 8 / 7M8 go on in the 2020s in their “densified” version with the oversized Boeing Space Bins. The densification began during late 2018 and is expected to be complete sometime in 2021.
See AA 737 MAX 8 SSW / 7M8 aircraft in service Nov 2017 (discussion)
For the A321-200 retrofit program under “Project Oasis” see A321 / 32B old to densified A321 / 32B Oasis Aircraft Swap - Seat loss, etc.
See registration numbers of retrofitted “Oasis” standard aircraft on the (unofficial) AA Fleet site in the two pages of 738s - “classic” and “enhanced” versions.
Those reported as refitted show F16, Y156 (MCE30) and “BSI - SPACE” denoting the new Boeing Space Bins, allowing 60 more carryons per aircraft). The pages also list type of IFE, WiFi, etc.
Types:
100 Boeing 737 MAX 8: (began arriving 2018 “out of the box”)
304 Boeing 737-800 737-800 / 738 (rapidly being retrofitted)
Configuration:
Final “Oasis” configuration: F16, Y156 (of which 30 are MCE) IFE WiFi streaming, Internet WiFi mostly? via ViaSat, seat power 110 VAC universal plug plus 5 VDC USB low output, oversized Space overhead baggage bins.
See here for SeatGuru seat chart.
First / Business: (16 seats in rows numbered 1-4, A , DF) Rockwell Collins MiQ (similar to AA Premium Economy seats without foot rests) with 37” seat pitch. NOTE unrefitted 737s have rows 3-6 in F).
Main Cabin Extra: (30 seats numbered rows 8, 9, 10, 16 and 17, seats ABC and DEF) Rockwell Collins Meridian seats with 33” seat pitch.
Main Cabin: (126 seats numbered rows 11-15 and 18-33) Rockwell Collins Meridian seats with 30” seat pitch.
SeatGuru claims
NOTE: AA does a poor job of retaining your booked or equivalent seats in equipment change situations, which will only increase until 152 aircraft are refitted.
See AA 737 MAX 8 SSW / 7M8 aircraft in service Nov 2017 (discussion)
For the A321-200 retrofit program under “Project Oasis” see A321 / 32B old to densified A321 / 32B Oasis Aircraft Swap - Seat loss, etc.
See registration numbers of retrofitted “Oasis” standard aircraft on the (unofficial) AA Fleet site in the two pages of 738s - “classic” and “enhanced” versions.
Those reported as refitted show F16, Y156 (MCE30) and “BSI - SPACE” denoting the new Boeing Space Bins, allowing 60 more carryons per aircraft). The pages also list type of IFE, WiFi, etc.
Gary Weissel, managing director of Tronos Aviation Consulting Inc., estimated that American could generate about $400,000 a year for each seat it adds to a plane, based on average fares and typical aircraft usage.
100 Boeing 737 MAX 8: (began arriving 2018 “out of the box”)
304 Boeing 737-800 737-800 / 738 (rapidly being retrofitted)
Configuration:
Final “Oasis” configuration: F16, Y156 (of which 30 are MCE) IFE WiFi streaming, Internet WiFi mostly? via ViaSat, seat power 110 VAC universal plug plus 5 VDC USB low output, oversized Space overhead baggage bins.
See here for SeatGuru seat chart.
First / Business: (16 seats in rows numbered 1-4, A , DF) Rockwell Collins MiQ (similar to AA Premium Economy seats without foot rests) with 37” seat pitch. NOTE unrefitted 737s have rows 3-6 in F).
Main Cabin Extra: (30 seats numbered rows 8, 9, 10, 16 and 17, seats ABC and DEF) Rockwell Collins Meridian seats with 33” seat pitch.
Main Cabin: (126 seats numbered rows 11-15 and 18-33) Rockwell Collins Meridian seats with 30” seat pitch.
SeatGuru claims
- First: Pitch 37”, width 21”
- Main Cabin Extra : Pitch 33”, width 16.6-17.8”
- Main Cabin: Pitch 30”, width 16.6-17.8”
NOTE: AA does a poor job of retaining your booked or equivalent seats in equipment change situations, which will only increase until 152 aircraft are refitted.
At shoulder height, the width of Rockwell’s Advanced Spacewall restroom -- made by the company’s B/E Aerospace unit -- is about the same as older economy-class restrooms. The space savings comes around sink level, as the wall curves in to allow a row of three seats to be tucked under the bend. The lavatory, which is just one available option, provides seven inches more of cabin space, according to a Rockwell spokeswoman. The company and several airlines declined to provide full dimensions.
The refitted aircraft sport the new “Spacewall“ ultra slimline lavatory (29” in F, 24” in Y). First / Business seats.
The smaller restrooms as installed “out of the box” on American’s 100 new 737 Max aircraft have prompted employees to dub it the Mini. - Bloomberg, 9 Jun 2018
The refitted aircraft sport the new “Spacewall“ ultra slimline lavatory (29” in F, 24” in Y). First / Business seats.
The smaller restrooms as installed “out of the box” on American’s 100 new 737 Max aircraft have prompted employees to dub it the Mini. - Bloomberg, 9 Jun 2018
FOR LIST OF CONVERTED Boeing 737-800 aircraft to densified 737-800 / 738 “Oasis” (all 737 MAX 8 / 7M8 aircraft arrive in the “Oasis” configuration out of the box): see American Airlines (unofficial) fleet site 738 Classic (link) and 738 Enhanced link listings. Old versions are 16 / 144, new “Oasis” are 16 / 156.
This retrofit is occurring fairly rapidly, and there are 304 738s. Rather than tediously updating a list here, look at the AA fleet site pages linked to above. The fleet site is updating their information in a timely manner.
This retrofit is occurring fairly rapidly, and there are 304 738s. Rather than tediously updating a list here, look at the AA fleet site pages linked to above. The fleet site is updating their information in a timely manner.
Unrefitted Boeing 738 to 7M8 or densified Oasis 738 aircraft Swap - Seat loss, etc.
Nov 3, 2018, 5:06 pm
#61
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
AA will chase passengers Awaysis to Delta.
The Wikipost at the top of the page has been updated and has a space (quote box) for the addition of converted aircraft “N” (registration or “tail”) numbers with referral links, as this refit is proceeding apace - 19 aircraft of 304 have been converted.
[
Do we have a Wiki anywhere here that is tracking these conversions?
I will get a flight plan alert PAE-->DFW from time to time with 738's listed. E.g. this morning, N801NN is flying PAE-DFW as AA9652.
It's flying AA1290 to PHL tomorrow, and the seat map for that flight is showing Exit rows as 16 & 17, not 14 & 15, so this is clearly a densified, Oasis plane now.
The last update I saw was from Gary Leff, and he had the following tails as being reconfigured:
N979AN, N980AN, N982AN, N983AN, N981AN, N805NN, N990AN, N989AN, N810NN, N801NN (added by me)
I'm not sure if PAE is the only place they are doing these refits, as I think TUL is, also?
Anyway, it would be nice to have a wiki on here to track what we know.
I will get a flight plan alert PAE-->DFW from time to time with 738's listed. E.g. this morning, N801NN is flying PAE-DFW as AA9652.
It's flying AA1290 to PHL tomorrow, and the seat map for that flight is showing Exit rows as 16 & 17, not 14 & 15, so this is clearly a densified, Oasis plane now.
The last update I saw was from Gary Leff, and he had the following tails as being reconfigured:
N979AN, N980AN, N982AN, N983AN, N981AN, N805NN, N990AN, N989AN, N810NN, N801NN (added by me)
I'm not sure if PAE is the only place they are doing these refits, as I think TUL is, also?
Anyway, it would be nice to have a wiki on here to track what we know.
[
FOR LIST OF CONVERTED Boeing 737-800 aircraft to densified 737-800 / 738 “Oasis” (all 737 MAX 8 / 7M8 aircraft arrive in the “Oasis” configuration out of the box): see American Airlines (unofficial) fleet site 738 Classic (link) and 738 Enhanced link listings. Old versions are 16 / 144, new “Oasis” are 16 / 156.
This retrofit is occurring fairly rapidly, and there are 304 738s. Rather than tediously updating a list here, look at the AA fleet site pages linked to above. The fleet site is updating their information in a timely manner.
This retrofit is occurring fairly rapidly, and there are 304 738s. Rather than tediously updating a list here, look at the AA fleet site pages linked to above. The fleet site is updating their information in a timely manner.
Last edited by JDiver; Nov 3, 2018 at 9:33 pm Reason: Amend
Nov 3, 2018, 5:25 pm
#62
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 700
Nov 3, 2018, 5:29 pm
#63
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
WN has the same seats in their MAX 8 - at 31” and 32” pitch. More in exit rows. For regional flights, it’s often WN / LUV I use; two free bags, no change fees (other than fare difference if any), what the heck. At 6’4” / 193 cm, the pitch makes a difference (though if the route and price are equal, MCE wins it by an inch).
Nov 3, 2018, 5:42 pm
#64
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP - Marriott LT Platinum - National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,112
Nov 4, 2018, 12:26 am
#65
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,658
But here are my thoughts having just flown a densified 738 on Nov 2nd, 2018 Not that bad - at least in the exit rows. The thinner seat backs do help with the reduced pitch. I like the high height of the overhead bin interiors - so carry ons go on side. Coach bulk head has no head - it is really just a seat behind the last row of F, so you can put feet and items under F seats in front. Just a little panel above the seat back in F.
The biggy as I see it is the lost of pitch in F. Looks tight - a big change from the old 738. I
Nov 18, 2018, 4:35 pm
#66
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA GLD (1MM), DL GLD, Marriott Plat, RCL D+, X Elite
Posts: 3,229
Experienced my first Oasis 737 last Friday, DCA-MIA. Our seats were 2A and B. As many have reported, it’s noticeably tighter. I also think the power outlet is in a weird place, but the seat itself wasn’t life-changingly awful, at least in F, for a 2.5 hour flight. My biggest complaint, my Briggs & Reilly backpack that has flown every flight I’ve flown since I bought it, absolutely would not fit underneath the seat in front of me, and I wasn’t even carrying my bulky work laptop. My wife’s even skinnier backpack wouldn’t fit either. I finally gave up and dropped both of them in the overhead bin. I’ve flown the same seat in the converted legacy US A319s, but I’m not certain that I haven’t been in row 1 on those flights, so I’d never noticed an underseat storage issue, assuming it’s the same setup. Lady across the aisle from me had the same problem with getting her bag under the seat in front. So.... I can’t say I’d book a connection over a nonstop to avoid a project Oasis airplane, but I’ll avoid them while I can. In other news, the viastat wi-fi worked great and the F/A was very nice.
Nov 18, 2018, 5:24 pm
#67
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: BAEC Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Spire, Caesars Diamond
Posts: 83
God these threads make me think I need to switch to Virgin/Delta. I ended up on a fair few AA flights as a result of discovering AA through being a BA Gold and having to fly a bunch in the US in domestic first - may as well bank the points etc...
That lead to me trying the transatlantic AA product which, other than the food, is great - the hard product is really awesome. And I love the privacy of the 787-900 design where you can be alone on a window seat but no 'foot locker' like Delta One Suites or whatever.
BUT... with so much domestic flying to do... and the route AA is taking with these latest 'enhancements'... it just seems like you guys are all having more bad than good these days. Maybe need to get status elsewhere and get away before something that drives me insane happens lol.
That lead to me trying the transatlantic AA product which, other than the food, is great - the hard product is really awesome. And I love the privacy of the 787-900 design where you can be alone on a window seat but no 'foot locker' like Delta One Suites or whatever.
BUT... with so much domestic flying to do... and the route AA is taking with these latest 'enhancements'... it just seems like you guys are all having more bad than good these days. Maybe need to get status elsewhere and get away before something that drives me insane happens lol.
Dec 9, 2018, 1:58 pm
#68
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I’m seeing more frequent reports of passengers getting “Oasised” these days. It’s sooner and more than I expected, but it’s happening more often that someone’s 738 is enchanted by a witch and turns into a 728 Oasis or MAX.
Narrowbodies going Oasis
Comfort in coach is dead
Grimaces painting our faces
Memories of space in the heads...
(Apologies to Maria Muldaur)
Comfort in coach is dead
Grimaces painting our faces
Memories of space in the heads...
(Apologies to Maria Muldaur)
Dec 15, 2018, 10:18 am
#69
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,625
IMO, the underseat storage in FC is a safety issue. There's no way to safely store something if you're sitting in an aisle seat. The slot directly in front of a FC aisle seat isn't wide enough, and there's no clearance in the middle slot due to the center console coming down so close to the floor. The lack of clearance prevents anything from being put far enough under the seats so as to not block the floor for the window seat passenger. Twice I've been effectively blocked into my window seat. Yes, I was able to step over the personal item (by doing my best Monty Python walk), but it would have been an issue during an emergency evacuation. The FAs never seem to catch it during their safety checks, or they just ignore it because there's no more overhead storage. Just a poor design, and it seems to me it could have been easily avoided by making the center console not extend so far to the floor. The legacy 738 consoles are just fine.
Dec 15, 2018, 10:35 am
#70
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: TUS
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 35
Experienced my first Oasis 737 last Friday, DCA-MIA. Our seats were 2A and B. As many have reported, it’s noticeably tighter. I also think the power outlet is in a weird place, but the seat itself wasn’t life-changingly awful, at least in F, for a 2.5 hour flight. My biggest complaint, my Briggs & Reilly backpack that has flown every flight I’ve flown since I bought it, absolutely would not fit underneath the seat in front of me, and I wasn’t even carrying my bulky work laptop. My wife’s even skinnier backpack wouldn’t fit either. I finally gave up and dropped both of them in the overhead bin. I’ve flown the same seat in the converted legacy US A319s, but I’m not certain that I haven’t been in row 1 on those flights, so I’d never noticed an underseat storage issue, assuming it’s the same setup. Lady across the aisle from me had the same problem with getting her bag under the seat in front. So.... I can’t say I’d book a connection over a nonstop to avoid a project Oasis airplane, but I’ll avoid them while I can. In other news, the viastat wi-fi worked great and the F/A was very nice.
Dec 15, 2018, 1:39 pm
#71
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC LAX RDU
Programs: US-Plt;Concierge key; American AAirpass; Delta Silver;Starwood - Platinum; Amex Cent
Posts: 710
God these threads make me think I need to switch to Virgin/Delta. I ended up on a fair few AA flights as a result of discovering AA through being a BA Gold and having to fly a bunch in the US in domestic first - may as well bank the points etc...
That lead to me trying the transatlantic AA product which, other than the food, is great - the hard product is really awesome. And I love the privacy of the 787-900 design where you can be alone on a window seat but no 'foot locker' like Delta One Suites or whatever.
BUT... with so much domestic flying to do... and the route AA is taking with these latest 'enhancements'... it just seems like you guys are all having more bad than good these days. Maybe need to get status elsewhere and get away before something that drives me insane happens lol.
That lead to me trying the transatlantic AA product which, other than the food, is great - the hard product is really awesome. And I love the privacy of the 787-900 design where you can be alone on a window seat but no 'foot locker' like Delta One Suites or whatever.
BUT... with so much domestic flying to do... and the route AA is taking with these latest 'enhancements'... it just seems like you guys are all having more bad than good these days. Maybe need to get status elsewhere and get away before something that drives me insane happens lol.
I've moved almost all of my domestic flying from AA to Delta. AA is great on JFK-LHR/LAX/EZE which I fly frequently, but they have obviously made a decision not to invest in the domestic hard product F. Delta says they now sell 60% of premium cabin seats (I've got to believe this is best of the domestic 3) - I have no idea what AA sells, but outside of its hub to hub routes I doubt it's anywhere near that high. This crappy oasis seat will only make this worse.
Dec 15, 2018, 3:19 pm
#72
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA GLD (1MM), DL GLD, Marriott Plat, RCL D+, X Elite
Posts: 3,229
I decided to share my disappointment in Project Oasis via my blog on Travel Update. Suffice it to say, I was shocked at the reaction it got. It seems there is quite a bit of pent up aggression/anger/emotion about AA’s new configuration. You can read it here, including the complaint I penned to AA and their “response”. (Please note that the link is to a blog where I am a contributor.)
Dec 15, 2018, 4:07 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 700
I decided to share my disappointment in Project Oasis via my blog on Travel Update. Suffice it to say, I was shocked at the reaction it got. It seems there is quite a bit of pent up aggression/anger/emotion about AA’s new configuration. You can read it here, including the complaint I penned to AA and their “response”. (Please note that the link is to a blog where I am a contributor.)
Dec 15, 2018, 5:59 pm
#74
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Chicago
Programs: AAdvantage EXP | United Silver | HH Diamond | Bonvoy Platinum | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 718
How bout it?! My travel partner and me were put on opposite sides of a 787 when two seats together were open after an "equipment change."
Dec 16, 2018, 12:23 pm
#75
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA GLD (1MM), DL GLD, Marriott Plat, RCL D+, X Elite
Posts: 3,229
There absolutely could be more room underneath the seats in Y. The issue in F is something specific with the way the seats were designed/built, and there is way less space than before because the center console extends so far down. I've flown United's new slimline F seats and they're way better.