ARCHIVE: 2018 AA Premium Economy / PE / PEY on widebody a/c in progress
 

Was looking to book a couple of tickets to London from New York in mid February. I've read that the 777-200s were to have premium economy installed. I also read on PG that they were in some cases being sold as Main Cabin Extra. When I went to book with points, I checked a cash search first (as you can't buy PE yet with points, from what I understand) to check availability. It seems you can only buy codeshared Premium Economy BA flights through AA, and it does not list it as an option for AA flights from JFK to LHR, or return. I am avoiding booking BA flights as they have the giant fuel charges that cost a few dollars less than an actual round trip ticket.

I had planned to book two economy tickets, then try to upgrade with points for one of the legs to Premium Economy. But given there are either no PE seats or they are listed as main cabin extra, I wasn't sure if that was possible. I also wasn't sure if it might be smart to get Main Cabin Extra off the bat for $137-$176 extra if it turns out to be actually Premium Economy, but AA hasn't gotten around to making it a fare class. Anyone have any insight on this? Seems like things are in-between in terms of NYC-LHR Premium Economy flights on AA.

If AA wants to, it could take over the soon-to-be-phased-out CX B777-300ERs from this March at a dirt cheap price, and these aircraft can be used in service without much modification with PE already installed. And by doing so AA could send all those 45J B777-200ER to be modified. With the leases expired with CX, AA could have a small number of B777-300ERs to replace all the airbus A333 fleet and use them on the Hawaii run.

Small Data Point. I'm getting prices of $1242 round trip to Germany for PE during Oktoberfest. That seems like the Y price.. Prost!

Does anyone have a full cabin map of a re-fitted A330-200? Is there still one toilet on the left hand side just behind the galley which is now premium only?

Great price.

On the contrary, I just booked DFW-EZE-DFW in mid-February for $2600 in PE. Y was $2200. :td:

Just go to AA.com and do a dummy booking on a A332 route. E.g. CLT-FRA. You'll see the seat map there. There's a lav at 1L, then 2 lavs aft 2L/R - one on each side. Then 4 lavs mid-cabin before exit row 23.

Last time I was on one, only 2L lav was available for economy, 2R was curtained off (and policed heavily), that is why I am asking - to see if both are now available.

That is how it still is after the retrofit. The 2L Lavatory is available for all of Regular Economy and Premium Economy.

I modified the day to fit my schedule a bit better and it went up to $1350, with Y pricing at just over $1000. I purchased and the entire PE cabin was empty, but this is September.
As others have noted, not seeing any maps with best seat guides. I took bulkhead at the window. We'll see how that works. Any idea if the seats will be a tad narrower in Bulkhead?

Presuming your flight is a 77W from JKF-EZE.

Here's the only picture I've seen of the 77W PE cabin so far (as it's only on one bird - N721AN): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29283698-post53.html

The bulkhead seats should not be any narrower than the others. True foot room will be the issue - as with every bulkhead seat. You'll have more pitch, as these seats recline heavily into one another, but foot room is not as 'extendable'.

Just flew PE from DFW to CDG and back on the 772. Sat in the bulkhead row - seat 13C.

On the outbound 772 - the J cabin was all forward facing. On the return 772 the J cabin was alternating front / rear facing. But seat numbers were the same and bulk head seats were same seat number.

On outbound (all J forward facing) the bulk head leg room was about 3" more. At 6' tall., my legs could not reach the wall of the bulkhead - maybe 3' short. On the inbound (J forward and rear) my feet touched the bulkhead wall. And it was noticeable the shared overhead bin between J and PE was about 3 more inches into PE.

It looks like of the version (J forward and rear) that all AA did was remove the MCE seats and replace them with PE seats. The bulkhead wall still had three pouches for magazines, safety card etc. (and all three populated). On the newer appearing (all forward J) configurations - there was only 2 pouches.

So maybe check seat maps on J seats - and go for the PE seat with all seats facing forward - about 3" more space.

Overall, I enjoyed PE. In some respect I liked it better than the confining leg space in J. On the 789 - the J leg hole is real tight - if you have big feet they don't fit upright. Not sure why on the 789 (and appears same on the all J forward facing 772 version) that they have the desk part lift up with a recessed compartment - then it says - "No Storage". This lowers the height of the foot space for sleeping.

Service OK - Food OK - you can advance order your meals. Meals served on domestic FC china, but only plastic glasses - no real glasses. You get an amenity kit and pillow and blanket. And there is a menu card. On outbound the pillow and blanket was same as J, but on the return the pillow was smaller and a different blanket.

Flight attendants not used to the china - as when taking the food tray they were dumping the china in the trash -- thinking they were in economy.

PE is really the minimum - Y at 3-4-3 is just too tight - everyone back there was really packed in there. You can barely walk down the aisle to the restroom as the aisles are so narrow. Really Y is unacceptable. The 777 was designed for 9 across and the 787 for 8. FAA needs to regulate and set minimum seat width and pitch.

But overall PE is pretty good.
to add - both configurations of 772 had 37 J seats.

Thanks for the report cova! Is the drinks (wine etc.) selection the same as in economy or something better?

When I went, we were served off of the economy cart. I'm not a big drinker so I didn't ask for liquor - but I believe the person in the row behind me was allowed anything he wanted off the cart and didn't have to pay. But the wine I had was pretty bad... makes me think that they were serving the wine from economy.

On my Pe flight Last sunday I could order any drink I want (no sparkling . After dinner they asked me if I want any coffee or Thea. Asked for a coffee and an Amaretto and it get it.