demkr

It's still considered 1-class until 7/2/10. It's essentially a "free trial" of the CRJ first class cabin for elite or full fare members. So, you will get F service even though it's still not official.

commondude

From what an FA told me, the mixed nuts cant be heated because there are no ovens on board. They just pour hot water onto the towelettes from the coffee jugs to warm them up.

PresRDC

Looks like at least some of the ORD-BDL flights are being upgraded to the CR7. Was able to move us to F on a CDG-ORD-BDL trip for January that had previously been showing an ERJ for the ORD-BDL leg.

GotAround

Flew this past weekend ORD-ATL and back.

On the way down - the FA was having a real issue trying to get all the F bags stowed. Jacket never hung. No PDB. In the air service was good. Hot towels (interesting because you don't get them on mainline on non-meal flights), cold nuts, a round of beverages and a refill offer before the FA disappeared for about 5 minutes to help Y (I thought this was fine though during boarding the F FA and the Y FA were very clear with each other that they thought they have to divide any pax issues during boarding based on their cabin responsibility). No lime for the gin and tonic but the FA said that they had a list that they were supposed to write down any requests, complaints, etc. so they could be dealt with. So hopefully citrus will arrive soon.

On the return, jacket was hung before I ever sat down. Instant PDB served in glass (I think this violates FAA regs) and very attentive service throughout the flight. F FA stayed with F the entire time.

I thought the seat comfort was quite adequate. Its not mainline F but a huge improvement over Y on the CR7. Its good enough that I choose to route PHL-ORD-LAX with a CR7/763 over PHL-DFW-LAX on the MD-80 for a trip in August.

PresRDC

Looks like the CR7 starts operating on the BDL-ORD route as early as 7/1, but it appears to stay as a mix of CR7 and ERJs through at least next March, but more CR7s.

Goods news to be getting F back on this route!

Scottie

I was able to fly the CR7 in FC from ORD to BDL on 6/10, so the phase-in has begun. Unless I was able connect through DFW, I had all but stopped flying AA since the BDL/ORD route was downgraded in September 2006 [the 6/10 flight was my only option, having misconnected on UA], but immediately booked an upcoming RT itinerary to MKE based solely on my ability to sit upfront on all four legs. As I told the FA [who was honestly excited about working the reconfigured CR7], this is a game-changer for me.

NDFan

Already noted:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14070240-post268.html

CR7 seems to stay as 3 of the 5 daily flights into next year.

Also, it seems that all flight numbers 3xxx are with CR7, whereas 4xxx remain as ER4.

Happy Travels.

riteshraja

For those waiting for upgrades at the gate. There are none! Its first come first serve so check on aa.com often.

GotAround

Only until July 2nd.

SFOJFK

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8310/4.5.0.110 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Nice addition. Did it on MSP-ORD going home to LGA. Will help me out of LGA. Got so used to wifi on S80s for productivity. If they choose to make this the new midcon workhouse, they should bring the wifi with the new F.

NDFan

Bizarre conversation with EXP desk yesterday.
I had to speak to them about a rez I had on hold, including a BDL-ORD segment which I had deliberately booked on one of the CR7 flights, instead of an ER4.
Agent asked me why I had booked the flight with longer connection, and I said because there is no F on the ER4 flight.
She said that my flight is CR7 and there is no F on that either!
I disagreed and told her that I can see the seat map (on EF) and there is an F cabin.
She pulled up her seat map for the exact flight and insisted that there is only one cabin, economy, with first row as row 5!

Amazing that an EXP agent (a) doesn't yet know that CR7s are getting F, and (b) can pull up a seat map for a flight and not be able to see F.

Happy Travels.

GotAround

It never ceases to amaze me how little AA has done to inform their agents and FAs. And it also amazes me how little agents and FAs do to learn on their own.

I actually explained the upgrade system to a 20-year veteran on a JFK-LAS flight a few weeks ago. We went through the manifest of the F cabin and I worked her through deducing how each person likely got there.

KtownTraveler

Wow, 20 years until you came along to help. I'm sure the FA was fascinated. But, unless you work for AA, or unless passenger data was de-identified, it sounds as if the FA violated customers' reasonable expectation of privacy.

sica4

Let's admit it, we are fanatical about flying around here, many people including other frequent flyers and MMs don't understand the system half as well as we do. I sat next to a deadheading FA a few months ago who didn't know what the levels of Aadvantage were except that 'gold was the highest'. With comments like this I am note remotely surprised how inconsistent the roll out was with free beverages in coach to exec plat.

I'd wager a guess FAs aren't interested in the details of the program and only the occasional one researches anything themselves (but how refreshing when they are familiar)! I agree AA should do a little more education on the program just to help make the product more consistent.

ESpen36

Except sluggoaafa, of course!