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Unrefitted Boeing 738 to 7M8 or densified Oasis 738 aircraft Swap - Seat loss, etc.

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Old Oct 16, 2018, 12:53 pm
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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.

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.
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

  • 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
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.
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Unrefitted Boeing 738 to 7M8 or densified Oasis 738 aircraft Swap - Seat loss, etc.

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Old Jan 14, 2019, 7:53 am
  #91  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Originally Posted by bridge29
People will continue to defend it, but BYOD is pretty awful all around. It of course makes it more difficult and more annoying to get up because each row is cluttered with devices on tray tables.

I had a new one on a recent flight: the pilot's message interrupted the movie I was watching on my own device. Now, I don't really care about pilot or FA interruptions (unless it's a credit card spiel) but this is one of the reasons the BYOD-fans brought up as an advantage. Not anymore!
Another limitation of BYOD that often isn't mentioned is availability of new movies. When content is being streamed to a personal device the studios are much more stringent, so we're less likely to see current-run movies.
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Old Jan 14, 2019, 10:55 am
  #92  
 
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
Yes if you are streaming something on your device using AA satellite (or whatever its called) the program will pause for PAs. I noticed that a few months back.
I've noticed that with Panasonic but not ViaSat. (Not sure about GoGo).
I believe all MAX and Oasis are ViaSat.
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Old Jan 14, 2019, 11:36 am
  #93  
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
Yes if you are streaming something on your device using AA satellite (or whatever its called) the program will pause for PAs. I noticed that a few months back.
No satellite. The IFE WiFi server is on board, so it’s easy to set it up to pause everything other than a prioritized message from crew. Likely a requirement in case of emergencies.
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Old Jan 25, 2019, 7:54 am
  #94  
 
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Rode in one of these planes yesterday. Luckily I didnt have to deal with the small bathrooms in coach but I did find the lack of bulkhead bewteen F and Y really annoying. My favorite seat has always been 6E but now not so sure about it now. I did like the larger bins though, but also find that under seat storage in F has been greatly reduced due to seat design. Wrote to AA and did get a somewhat personalized response which I'm posting here for anyone who's interested:

"Hello Mr. FAA1996:

Thank you for writing us. As one of our valued AAdvantage® Executive Platinum customers, you are well qualified to judge our service. Your comments are a trusted means of identifying those areas which require our attention. Naturally, we are concerned that your experience with our reconfigured Boeing 737 aircraft has caused you to question our commitment to high-quality service. We are sorry for your disappointment.

On the inside of the Boeing 737 MAX and our reconfigured Boeing 737-800 aircraft, we offer wireless entertainment to deliver a complimentary library of movies, television shows and other entertainment to our customers' phones and tablets, and tablet holders in the seatback to hold those devices. Unlike quickly outdated in-seat screen systems, we know our customers carry the latest tech. In addition, we know how important it is to stay charged and connected, and the MAX features power at every seat as well as fast ViaSat satellite-based internet connections for a fee. I also regret that the enjoyment of your flight was diminished by the removal of the bulkhead separating the Main Cabin from the Premium Cabin.

As a loyal customer, we care about what you think of the way we do business and thank you for your feedback. Your comments have been documented and made available to the right people here at American for internal review. We try to be responsive and look for trends based on your reactions to different areas of service. This helps us to identify the different features that are most appealing and improve those that aren't so popular.

Thank you again for writing us Mr. FAA1996 and for your loyal participation in AAdvantage® since 1999. It's our goal to suit the needs and wishes of the largest group of our customers. As we look to make changes, you can be sure we'll keep your concerns in mind. Thanks for giving us the benefit of your invaluable observations and we look forward to welcome you aboard again soon.

Sincerely,

RC
Customer Relations
American Airlines"
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Old Jan 25, 2019, 1:34 pm
  #95  
 
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Thanks for sharing this remarkable response. It combines the lack of meaningful content we have come to expect from a form letter with the personal touch of numerous grammatical errors.
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Old Jan 28, 2019, 2:42 pm
  #96  
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Was booked on a 738 in 4F (my preferred seat) when I noticed I was now in 2F - the dreaded Max was coming!

imagine my shock on boarding when I realized I was at 2L and on a 752 instead.
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Old Jan 28, 2019, 6:23 pm
  #97  
 
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That response is remarkably similar to the one I received for my “constructive criticism” of Project Oasis late last year.
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Old Jan 29, 2019, 5:31 am
  #98  
 
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[QUOTE=TXguy;30389798]Yep. That's the proper way to handle this--just fly Delta. It's a far superior experience. Even Southwest and JetBlue are superior to regular Y and to some extent even MCE on AA.[/QUOTE

Isn't Delta doing the same thing, down to the "Space Flex" lavatories? I haven'tI think the problem we're seeing goes beyond American, although I'm not a happy camper either. I actually flew United recently in Y, ORD-DFW, and it was a sardine can, especially the lavs. and I got stuck in a middle seat three rows from the back.
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Old Jan 29, 2019, 6:08 am
  #99  
 
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Originally Posted by FAA1996
Rode in one of these planes yesterday. Luckily I didnt have to deal with the small bathrooms in coach but I did find the lack of bulkhead bewteen F and Y really annoying. My favorite seat has always been 6E but now not so sure about it now. I did like the larger bins though, but also find that under seat storage in F has been greatly reduced due to seat design.
6A / 6F and 3A / 3F for me. Love the privacy of row 6, love being able to get up without bothering seat mate in row 3. I have 4A coming up in a couple of weeks on the MAX, so we'll see...
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Old Jan 29, 2019, 6:36 am
  #100  
 
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[QUOTE=Superjeff;30713734]
Originally Posted by TXguy
Yep. That's the proper way to handle this--just fly Delta. It's a far superior experience. Even Southwest and JetBlue are superior to regular Y and to some extent even MCE on AA.[/QUOTE

Isn't Delta doing the same thing, down to the "Space Flex" lavatories? I haven'tI think the problem we're seeing goes beyond American, although I'm not a happy camper either. I actually flew United recently in Y, ORD-DFW, and it was a sardine can, especially the lavs. and I got stuck in a middle seat three rows from the back.
This is just my take. The short answer is yes, Delta is doing the same thing, Delta uses the small lavs and their 737-900s are tight, IMHO. My issue with Project Oasis is specific to the first class cabin on the 737-800s and the MAX 8. They are noticeably tighter than before, by design, I know. The lack of underseat storage, and the overall poor design of the seat leaves me convinced no one from American that's ever had to buy an airplane ticket actually sat in the seat in a cabin mockup. As for coach, American is shoving more seats in the back than both DL and UA with their 737-800s. I'm willing to be wrong about that, but believe I'm correct. Then there's the thing about Delta running a much better airline operationally and financially that makes American's approach and apparent tin-ear on the subject very difficult for me to take. I voted with my wallet. Will they care? I doubt it. And I'm OK with that.
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:21 am
  #101  
 
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Got Oasis’d yesterday on AA2622 - DFW-LAX. N844NN.

It was a final punch to the gut after our DFW-HKG direct in J was canceled earlier in the day. Coming off the greatness of CX J to the absolute MESS of AA ops at the remote bus gates was a stark reminder of the blundering operation AA runs at times. Couldn’t get MCE, so I was in 20AB.

To to be honest, the seat wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Bigger bins are nice, for sure. Since I haven’t flown in a non-MCE Y seat in probably over 5 years (on AA, have done so on many LCC in Europe), it was a nice reminder of why even those extra 2-3 inches make such a big difference.

Lastly, do we have a Wiki with the Oasis 738’s? We should report back here whenever there’s a new tail that’s been converted.
econometrics is offline  
Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:24 am
  #102  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Originally Posted by econometrics
Got Oasis’d yesterday on AA2622 - DFW-LAX. N844NN.

It was a final punch to the gut after our DFW-HKG direct in J was canceled earlier in the day. Coming off the greatness of CX J to the absolute MESS of AA ops at the remote bus gates was a stark reminder of the blundering operation AA runs at times. Couldn’t get MCE, so I was in 20AB.

To to be honest, the seat wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Bigger bins are nice, for sure. Since I haven’t flown in a non-MCE Y seat in probably over 5 years (on AA, have done so on many LCC in Europe), it was a nice reminder of why even those extra 2-3 inches make such a big difference.

Lastly, do we have a Wiki with the Oasis 738’s? We should report back here whenever there’s a new tail that’s been converted.
I think managing retrofit of over hundred 737 and adding it to the wiki page would be a full time job. Not as easy as keep an eye on 20 788s
gateH15 is offline  
Old Feb 12, 2019, 9:28 am
  #103  
 
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Originally Posted by gateH15

I think managing retrofit of over hundred 737 and adding it to the wiki page would be a full time job. Not as easy as keep an eye on 20 788s
I think you misunderstood me. For any of us who fly a 738 that has been Oasis’d, just report the flight / date an / or tail # here, and we can have a wiki for reference from that data.

AA only updates the seat maps around 24h before the flight... however, you can often know the tail # of your plane 48h or so before.
econometrics is offline  
Old Feb 12, 2019, 9:29 am
  #104  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Originally Posted by econometrics


I think you misunderstood me. For any of us who fly a 738 that has been Oasis’d, just report the flight / date an / or tail # here, and we can have a wiki for reference from that data.

AA only updates the seat maps around 24h before the flight... however, you can often know the tail # of your plane 48h or so before.
that’s a good idea. I have 2 737 flights coming up in the next few days so if someone wants to start a wiki I’ll be happy to report if I get Oasised
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 3:54 pm
  #105  
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Originally Posted by gateH15

that’s a good idea. I have 2 737 flights coming up in the next few days so if someone wants to start a wiki I’ll be happy to report if I get Oasised
There’s an existing Wikipost at the top of the page. We just need for members with 180/180 to add the “Oasified” 738 registration numbers in a section. However, it’s a daunting task, given the fleet consists of 304 738s. (There are 22 MAX out of 200 in the AA fleet as well.)

The (unofficial) AA Fleet site does list them all 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.
econometrics likes this.

Last edited by JDiver; Feb 12, 2019 at 4:06 pm
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