JDiver

A number of complaints have been lodged with AA, as well as posted in this forum, about the changes made to the AA Business (“Domestic First”) A329, A321 and 737 aircraft cabin under Project Oasis.

Notably, installation of the Rockwell Collins MiQ seat with 1) less seat pitch, 2) very limited under seat stowage and 3) a rigid bar in the seat back center that can be bothersome.

AA retrofitted a Boeing 737-800 to what is being called “Project Kodiak” standards with the goal of proving the type and beginning retrofitting already retrofitted “Oasis” aircraft to remediate problems identified.

Much of the information seems to have originated with JonNYC.

Possible remediation:

• Restoring seat pitch to bulkhead seats
• Expanding under seat stowage space
• Remediating seat back reinforcement bar
• Adding tablet holder to seat back
• Adding USB 5 volt outlet
• Improved separation between cabins

JonNYC’s tweets reproduced from the View From the Wing article:

jcatman

AA = a ship without a rudder.

ryan182

Hazard a guess as to how many hours of meetings occurred between November and January on what the new project name should be, the multiple that by 10 and you're likely close to the correct answer.

fotographer

Oooops. I thought for a moment Kodak and AA had signed a partnership deal
sorry.. time for my morning coffee.

Herb687

The name is quite surprising. AA used to come up with project names that were so obvious that anyone with half a brain could figure out what the secret project was all about. Under the old way of doing things, Project Kodiak would have been AA's name for a possible purchase of Alaska Airlines.

Interesting that the only legroom increase mentioned involves row 1. Didn't Oasis reduce F pitch in all rows, not just bulkhead? And take legroom out of Main Cabin Extra as well (hence, MCE-)?

cmd320

Which has already struck the iceberg.

This has got to be one of the most inept management teams around outside of maybe Boeing's at the moment. Did they maybe think to focus group the product and test it on a limited number of aircraft prior to spending millions on changing a decent chunk of the fleet only to go back and have to change the same aircraft once again? Complete idiots.

joeyE

Will the MCE seat experience be adjusted from Project Kodiak ?

george 3

These planes are really easy to identify when boarding. A sign in the overhead luggage compartments say space is reserved for MCE but the signs are over the new crammed in rows that are obviously not MCE (and more like the knee crushing Vueling seats in Europe). I would laugh, but I sometimes have to sit in them.

wdchuck1

This is the understatement of the decade and they are too stubborn to figure out the long term outcome

Me - i have been in the program since Day 1 with over 9.7MM to date -i USED to book AA reflexively - no longer - my loyalty will now mirror the loyalty AA shows to me - NOTHING

EXP/Emerald is important to me with my Asian focused travel but i can do that with 101EQMs instead of the >200 that i have routinely flown - in addition, i now earn my status on Oneworld Partners where they offer competitive or better services

The long term outcome is simple - eventually the economic boom that we are experiencing will stall. When it does, those extra 12 seats that they are cramming into the plane will go unsold -

What will also go unsold are the paid F/C seats from customers like me who have migrated to competitors...

RoadWarrior200

Regrettably, I agree. Used to only fly American, including a lot of transcontinental and overseas flights and 50,000 to 100,000 miles a year for over 20 years. When working and living in the SF Bay Area, had to switch to United but when moved back to LA, returned to American. In past year, have taken several Delta flights where management is clearly paying attention: great attitude by staff everywhere (cabin crew, gate agents, baggage handlers, everyone), seat back entertainment is being installed NOT yanked out as American is doing, older 767's are on transcontinental routes but superbly set up and maintained (single row at windows for business, versus American 321T), etc. And lately I've been trying United again and clearly Mr. Kirby is turning this company around as well.

Spanish

As someone who purchases domestic F on AA for the many of my annual flights, this whole situation is quite the bummer. From my home airport, CMH, both Delta and AA serve my most frequented markets with similar frequency and price. I chose AA when I moved back to the US due to (1) the 40"+ seat pitch versus Delta's lousy 36" pitch and (2) THREE 70lb checked luggages for all domestic F passengers. (3) A proper divider between F and Y (last row of F is very private).

AA got rid of the 3 luggages some time ago, and now they're getting rid of 40" seat pitch and the cabin dividers. The seats no longer have stuffing (ever since the change to leather seats).

I've been flying Spirit Big Front Seat on any nonstops with reasonable flight timing as a result of these changes. Just as ergonomic as the new AA seats. Frankly, the Admirals Club membership is the deal-breaker, but AA otherwise is hanging on by a thread (the pause in Oasis retrofits has allowed for proper seat pitch and dividers for most of my routes / flights).

I wish the US had a domestic airline with a proper F experience. I'd certainly pay a premium for it...

Comfy seats, a private atmosphere, proper meal service (8p and 900mi is a ridiculous cutoff), good service overall, and adequate luggage allowance would go a long way to increase the value proposition (and the fare I'd be willing to pay).

cmd320

Agreed. VX was the closest thing to that until Alaska came along and turned it into just another crap domestic F product.

Now the only place to find a decent domestic premium product is on premium transcon flights which no longer includes MIA-LAX. In fact AA is starting to really fall behind Delta on transcons from NY in the J cabin with DL going all aisle access.

Spanish

And a bummer at that... Not all of us live in the handful of "transcon" cities. And they don't even let you connect without buying 2 fares, making for ridiculous prices (i.e. CMH-JFK-SFO).

RoadWarrior200

Agree about all aisle access on DL. Did LAX-JFK round trip in business last month on DL for the first time after years on AA and was very surprised about how much better it was. Yes, older 767's but well maintained and all aisle access in business is a major plus. Excellent service start to finish including at the clubs, gates and on board.

la2clt

Interesting that the “Oasis’d” LUS 321s have the tablet holder and the USB port already. I also don’t recall any issue with a bar in the seat, I’ve flown on 2 in the last month or so. Perhaps they are being Oasis’d and Kodiak’d at the same time on the 321s?