From FlyerGuide Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Contents

   

[edit] Planes and Seats

AA no longer has 'More Room Throughout Coach' (MRTC) seating. Thus, frequent flyers generally use the advice on SeatExpert or SeatGuru to find their best suited seat with respect to legroom, recline, powerports, etc. The AA.com Our Planes page also has seating configurations for each aircraft type.

The AA.com Fleet Profile page has information on the number of each aircraft type currently in service, as well as some technical specifications on the planes and seats. The AA.com Fleet Renewal page has information on ongoing refurbishments of existing aircraft and deliveries of new aircraft.

[edit] General Tips

On domestic itineraries on two-class aircraft, AA markets its Business Class cabin as First Class. To reduce confusion and to reflect the true nature of seats, this article will refer to such seats as Business Class. The two sides of the plane will be referred to as starboard and port, with starboard on the right side of the aircraft and port on the left when facing forward toward the cockpit.

  • The Last Row of Business Class. Some flyers are hesitant about sitting in the last row of Business Class because of noise seeping in from the Coach cabin. Note that passengers with babies are often seated in Coach bulkhead seats immediately behind the Business Class cabin.
  • Bulkhead Seats. These seats often have limited legroom, but some flyers prefer them as they may feel more spacious with no seat in front reclining into your space.
  • Exit Row Seats. Most, but not all, exit row seats have extra legroom. Tray tables may be deployed from the armrest, making it immovable. On planes with two over-wing exit rows, seats in the forward row may have limited or no recline to avoid obstructing the exit in the second row.
  • Checking Back for a Better Seat. Unfortunately you cannot be waitlisted for a specific seat, so the general strategy is to periodically check AA.com for availability. In particular, for domestic flights, check AA.com at 100, 72, and 24 hours prior to departure. At these times elites will begin getting their upgrades and better seats will open up. When you get the airport, you can also ask the check-in agent or gate agent for a better seat. You may be able to get one of the seats that AA typically blocks for passengers with mobility issues or small children.

[edit] Food and Beverages

For information on inflight dining, see the AA.com Dining page.

  • Beverages. AA provides complimentary non-alcoholic beverages in all cabins on all flights. Alcoholic beverages are complimentary in First and Business, and are available for purchase in Coach at $6 (beer) or $7 (wine and liquor, as of Jan 1, 2010) per drink on all flights. As of June 1, 2009, on domestic flights and flights to and from Canada, AA accepts payment by credit card only, while American Eagle and American Connection still accept cash only. As of Feb 1, 2010, cash will no longer be accepted on international AA mainline flights. As of Sept 1, 2009, EXP and ConciergeKey members are entitled to one free alcoholic beverage when traveling in Coach.
  • First and Business Meals. Complimentary meals are provided in First and Business Class on longer flights in North America and the Caribbean (over 2 hours during traditional meal times and over 2.5 hours otherwise) and on all longhaul international flights. You should know that AA always runs out of entree choices in First and Business Class. If choice in food is important to you, what row you choose to sit in may determine whether you get your choice: on even number flights requests will be taken from the front first; on odd numbered flights requests will be taken from the back first. This is called the FEBO (Front Even, Back Odd) method. However, note that service will still generally begin from the front of the cabin. On certain widebody flights where a two-aisle cabin is served by a single flight attendant, the ELFORB (Even Left Front, Odd Right Back) method of taking meal orders may be used. When applicable, second/third meal/snack service will not follow FEBO, but will instead always be front-to-back.
  • Coach Meals and Snacks. Complimentary meals are also provided in Coach on all international long-haul flights to Asia, and Europe, as well as all flights to South America (regardless of distance) and flights between New York City and Haiti. that depart during traditional meal times. On other longer flights, AA offers Food For Sale in the main cabin. As of June 1, 2009, on domestic flights and flights to and from Canada, AA accepts payment by credit card only, while American Eagle and American Connection still accept cash only. As of Feb 1, 2010, cash will no longer be accepted on international AA mainline flights. As of Sept 1, 2009, EXP and ConciergeKey members are entitled to one free shelf stable snack (excluding premium sandwiches and salads) when traveling in Coach.
  • Special Meals. Special meals are available on transcontinental flights in First and Business and on international flights in all classes. Certain options are only available on specific routes. Special meals must be pre-ordered at least 24 hours in advance by calling AA Reservations. An Asian Menu option on flights between the US and Japan must also be pre-ordered at least 24 hours in advance for First and Business class passengers.
  • Regional Aircraft. On American Eagle and American Connection, light snacks (almonds or trail mix) are available for purchase using cash only. Alcoholic beverages and snacks are complimentary for PLT and EXP members and those connecting to/from a mainline flight in First or Business.

[edit] Inflight Entertainment

See Inflight Entertainment and Inflight Wi-Fi for details on availability by route and aircraft type.

[edit] Mainline Aircraft

[edit] MD80 - McDonnell Douglas MD-80 (S80, M80, M82, MD-82, MD-83, 'Mad Dog')

  • Business (Domestic First). Standard recliner seats with tray tables in the armrests and DC power at every seat. The starboard (right) side is preferred as the seats have a bit more pitch than those on the port side. Port bulkhead seats can feel particularly cramped. Some flyers actually prefer exit row seats (20/21) in Coach, as they provide comparable legroom and only a marginally narrower seat (18" vs. 19"). On Ex-TWA MD-83s the seat design is slightly different in that the seats are boxier, and the center armrest houses little trays for your drinks/hot nuts that are shaped differently than those on American's MD-82s/83s. Some also report that the Ex-TWA aircraft configuration feels more spacious.
  • Coach. The exit row seats (20/21) and 7D are excellent choices because of the extra leg room. The window seats in row 20 do not recline, but some still prefer this row since you are not reclining into someone else's knees and the passenger behind you will usually be a frequent flyer and may be less likely to grab your seatback when standing up. Seats in row 21 have extra legroom and full recline. All coach seats forward of the exit rows actually still have 'More Room Throughout Coach' pitch, while those aft of the exit rows have reduced pitch and are noisy due to the placement of the engines near the tail. Coach seats on this plane (and the 777) are also 18" wide rather than the 17" on the rest of the fleet.
  • Miscellaneous. The overhead bins on the starboard side of the aircraft will accommodate three rollaboard suitcases per bin when stowed 'wheels first'.
  • N.B.: AA is in the process of replacing these aircraft with new, more fuel-efficient Boeing 737-800 (38D) aircraft. However, since the MD-80 is the largest component of the AA fleet, this process will take many years.

[edit] 738 - Boeing 737-823

  • Business (Domestic First). Standard recliner seats with tray tables in the armrests and DC power at every seat. These seats are noticeably wider than the Business class seats on the MD-80. Overhead bins at the front of the cabin may not accommodate rollaboards 'wheels first' due to the curvature of the aircraft. One oddity is that these are actually the widest "Business Class" seats in AA's fleet (just a bit wider than the NGBC on the 777's).
  • Coach. Exit rows are excellent choices because of the extra legroom. Otherwise, the Coach cabin has standard seats.
  • N.B.: In March 2009, AA began taking delivery of new Boeing 737-823 (38D) aircraft with new articulating seats in F and Y, larger overhead bins, dropdown LCD monitors, and regular AC power at every row in both F and Y. This new configuration has 30 rows instead of 28 and the exit rows are 14/15 instead of 13/14. AA plans to take delivery of 76 of these aircraft through 2011 (AA press release), with the new aircraft based at ORD while the existing 738s will continue to be based at DFW.

[edit] 752 - Boeing 757-223 (Domestic)

  • Business (Domestic First). Older style leather recliner seats with tray tables in armrests and DC power at every seat. The seats are fairly wide although recline is somewhat limited. Passengers in the bulkhead window seat may be able to get past the aisle passenger with minimal disturbance. Overall, Business Class on this plane is generally considered to be below current standards and some passengers prefer to take a connection rather than flying transcon on this plane.
  • Coach. In certain airports, the 2L door is used and passengers in 9B/C will need to wait until the entire aircraft has been boarded before being able to take their seats. Conversely, rows 9 and 10 will generally be able to deplane before Business as their seats are right next to the 2L door. Exit rows are good choices because of the extra legroom. Otherwise, the Coach cabin has standard seats.
  • Miscellaneous. For plane enthusiasts, the 757 climbs faster than any other plane out there due to its massively oversized wings and incredibly powerful engines. All 752 aircraft have now been equipped with blended winglets for increased fuel efficiency.
  • N.B.: AA is currently in the process of refurbishing this aircraft, with the addition of two more seats in the forward cabin (24 total), new articulating seats in F, new coach seats, fixed LCD monitors over the center aisle, updated lavatories, and regular AC power. These planes are expected to rollout from Oct 2009 through 2015. The first refurbished plane (N610AA) entered service on Oct 18, 2009 and is expected to be the only refurbished plane in circulation until sometime in 2010.

[edit] 75L - Boeing 757-223 (International)

  • N.B.: In Jan 2009, AA began rolling out refurbished Boeing 757-223 aircraft in an international configuration (75L). AA plans to refurbish 18 of these aircraft for service on international routes. The aircraft have new seats, LCD monitors over the aisle, and refurbished lavatories with bifold doors.
  • Business. These aircraft are being refurbished with 16 Next Generation Business Class (NGBC) seats, featuring in-seat AVOD and regular AC power outlets at every seat.
  • Coach. These aircraft are being refurbished with 166 new Weber articulated seats that recline by sliding the seat bottom forward rather than reclining into the space of the passenger behind you. Select rows have regular AC power outlets.

[edit] 762 - Boeing 767-223ER (3-class configuration)

  • First. This cabin was refurbished in 2008–2009 (AA Press Release) with 10 new Voyager seats in First and LCD cabin monitors. The new Voyager seats go nearly fully flat, are fully motorized, and include a massage function.
  • Business. Recliner seats (reupholstered in 2008–2009) with manual controls, extra recline, footrests, tray tables in the armrests, and DC power at every seat. To extend the footrest fully, operate the levers in order, front-to-back (Legrest Extend, Legrest Angle, Footpad Extend); operate the levers in the opposite order to retract. On some non-transcontinental flights, this cabin may be sold as Domestic First or as Coach, with corresponding service levels. In the latter case, seats in this cabin can be pre-reserved by elites and full fare passengers traveling in Coach.
  • Coach. The exit row (20) is generally considered a good choice because of the extra legroom, although this row does get cold. Otherwise, the coach cabin has standard seats.
  • Miscellaneous. In the old 9-seat configuration of First, seat 2D was sometimes called the Captain Kirk seat as it was isolated in the center of the cabin. However, in the new 10-seat configuration, a second center-section seat 3D was added in the second row.

[edit] 763 - Boeing 767-323ER (2-class configuration)

  • Business (Domestic First). Next Generation Business Class (NGBC) seats with in-seat AVOD have been installed throughout the 763 fleet. Passengers in bulkhead seats may not be able to store carryon bags in the footwells as the FAA has not STC'd baggage stowage for takeoffs or landings. Because of a new cross-cabin aisle in NGBC, there is no longer the problem of passengers crossing over the feet of people in the center of the first row. Some people prefer sitting in the center seats as it means they do not need to cross over anyone to get up and no one will ever need to cross over them.
  • Coach. The second exit row (21) is an excellent choice because of the extra legroom, but they do get cold. However, note that the first exit row (20) is a bad choice because of reduced legroom and limited recline. On this aircraft, it is sometimes possible to request a seat in row 17 at the airport if those seats are not designated as a crew rest (on flights under 8 hours). Row 17 feels like a private mini-cabin and features standard recliner business class seats with extra legroom, extra recline, footrests, and LCD screens on the bulkhead. However, some passengers report receiving absolute minimum service in Row 17 if the flight attendants have been trying to keep those seats for themselves even though not contractually guaranteed.
  • Blocked Seats.
    • On lengthy international flights, the first row on the starboard side (seats 2H/J) may be allocated as crew rests.
    • The following coach seats are generally blocked for allocation by the airport: 10 A-J, 11 A/B, 17 A/B H/J, 20 C-G, and 42 C-G.
  • Miscellaneous. AA is in the process of installing Blended Winglets on its 763 aircraft for increased fuel efficiency, expected to be completed by 2011.

[edit] 772 - Boeing 777-223ER

  • First. Flagship Suites have been installed throughout the 772 fleet. These suites feature motorized swivel seats that convert to fully flat beds and have in-seat AVOD. The 16 seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, but are staggered across the aisles, so traveling companions may want to select adjacent seats in the center section. (This configuration was previously known as Configuration 2; the seats in the older 18-seat configuration were also known as 'coffins'.)
  • Business. Next Generation Business Class (NGBC) seats with in-seat AVOD have been installed throughout the 772 fleet. On some domestic routes, the aircraft is sold in a 2-class configuration, and elites and full fare passengers traveling on Coach fares can reserve Business class seats, although standard Coach service will still be provided. Seats 8H/J are reserved for airport assignment and are very private, next to a closet used by flight attendants; the center lavatory door faces forward and is not visible from these seats. Despite having full footwells, passengers in bulkhead seats (rows 8, 9) may not be able to store carryon baggage in the footwells during takeoff and landing.
  • Coach. These seats are a bit wider and more comfortable than the 767 and have small seat-back video screens. The left and right exit row seats (31A/B/H/J) are considered excellent seats, with 5 ft of legroom, although these seats do not have underseat storage and do get cold during flight; passengers report that the exit slide does not really intrude into the legroom of the window seats, and some place their carry-on bags in this area after takeoff as footrests. Center section seats in the first bulkhead row (20C/D/E/F/G) have extra legroom despite being bulkhead seats.

[edit] A300 - Airbus A300B4-605R (AB6)

  • This plane has been officially retired.

[edit] 787 - Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

  • N.B.: In Oct 2008, AA announced plans to acquire 42 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners scheduled for delivery in 2012-2018, with options on up to 58 additional aircraft in 2015-2020.

[edit] Regional Aircraft

These aircraft are operated by American Eagle Airlines or Executive Airlines (AT7). Larger carryon baggage, including rollaboard suitcases, will not fit in the overhead bins and must be gate checked, either at the end of the jetbridge or planeside if boarding by stairs. Because there is no First Class cabin, PLT, EXP, and those connecting to F or J are entitled to free alcoholic beverages and snacks, although some flight attendants may not be aware of this policy.

[edit] ATR - ATR 72-210 and -212A (AT7, Super ATR)

  • Coach. This aircraft has uncomfortable seats with no recline in a 2-2 configuration. This aircraft boards and deplanes from the aft door. The bulkhead exit row seats (1) are reported to have some extra legroom, but the tray table is in the armrest, reducing seat width, and this row will be the last to deplane. The propellers are mounted on the wings, which are above the level of the windows.

[edit] CRJ - Canadair CRJ-701 (CR7)

  • Coach. This aircraft has leather seats in a 2-2 configuration. The exit row seats have more legroom but are very uncomfortable, with short, hard seat bottoms. The engines are in the rear of the aircraft, so seats toward the front will be fairly quiet. There are two flight attendants, one in the forward galley and one aft next to the lavatory.
  • N.B.: On Sep 17, 2009, AA announced plans to add a first-class cabin to this aircraft and to exercise their option to purchase 22 additional aircraft from Bombardier for delivery beginning mid-2010. The new configuration with 9 F seats is expected to begin rolling out in April 2010.

[edit] ER3 - Embraer ERJ-135LR

  • Coach. This aircraft has leather seats in a 1-2 configuration. The exit row seats have more legroom and are still fairly comfortable. The engines are in the rear of the aircraft, so seats toward the front will be fairly quiet.

[edit] ERD - Embraer ERJ-140LR

  • Coach. This aircraft has leather seats in a 1-2 configuration. The exit row seats have more legroom and are still fairly comfortable. The engines are in the rear of the aircraft, so seats toward the front will be fairly quiet.

[edit] ER4 - Embraer ERJ-145LR

  • Coach. This aircraft has leather seats in a 1-2 configuration. The exit row seats have more legroom and are still fairly comfortable. The engines are in the rear of the aircraft, so seats toward the front will be fairly quiet.

[edit] S340 - Saab 340B (SF3)

  • N.B.: This aircraft is no longer in service.
  • Coach. This aircraft has seats in a 1-2 configuration. The exit row seats have more legroom and are still fairly comfortable. The propellers are mounted on the wings, which are below the level of the windows.

[edit] Videos

[edit] Related FlyerTalk Threads

Retrieved from "http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Planes_and_Seats_%28AA%29"
Personal tools