About a year ago American unveiled the configuration for their new transcon Airbus A321s, which will replace the 767-200s on the premium transcontinental routes, between New York and Los Angeles/San Francisco. These are some pretty sexy Airbus A321s, given that they’ll be in a three cabin configuration, including a first class cabin.
Now that we’ve seen the new transcon products of all the other major carriers — Delta, JetBlue, and United — I think it’s safe to say that American’s new first class product on the A321 will be the most comfortable way to fly across the country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20zshmYxhLw
Anyway, American has finally published the schedule for their new transcon A321s, which will go into service early next year. Via airlineroute.net, it appears as if the aircraft will go into service on January 7, 2014, flying twice daily (in each direction) between New York and Los Angeles, as follows:
AA133 JFK-LAX departing 3:45PM arriving 7:25PM
AA181 JFK-LAX departing 4:45PM arriving 8:15PM
AA118 LAX-JFK departing 7:00AM arriving 3:30PM
AA010 LAX-JFK departing 9:15PM arriving 5:30AM (+1 day)
Then starting January 15, 2014, the following five frequencies will feature the new A321s:
AA001 JFK-LAX departing 9:00AM arriving 12:25PM
AA019 JFK-LAX departing 10:30AM arriving 1:55PM
AA003 JFK-LAX departing 12:00PM arriving 3:25PM
AA133 JFK-LAX departing 3:45 arriving 7:25PM
AA181 JFK-LAX departing 4:45PM arriving 8:15PM
AA118 LAX-JFK departing 7:00AM arriving 3:30PM
AA032 LAX-JFK departing 1:45PM arriving 10:15PM
AA180 LAX-JFK departing 4:25PM arriving 12:45AM (+1 day)
AA010 LAX-JFK departing 9:15PM arriving 5:30AM (+1 day)
Then start January 31, 2014, six of the nine daily frequencies will be operated by the A321s, as follows:
AA033 JFK-LAX departing 7:30AM arriving 10:55AM
AA001 JFK-LAX departing 9:00AM arriving 12:25PM
AA019 JFK-LAX departing 10:30AM arriving 1:55PM
AA003 JFK-LAX departing 12:00PM arriving 3:25PM
AA133 JFK-LAX departing 3:45 arriving 7:25PM
AA181 JFK-LAX departing 4:45PM arriving 8:15PM
AA118 LAX-JFK departing 7:00AM arriving 3:30PM
AA004 LAX-JFK departing 12:00PM arriving 8:40PM
AA032 LAX-JFK departing 1:45PM arriving 10:15PM
AA180 LAX-JFK departing 4:25PM arriving 12:45AM (+1 day)
AA010 LAX-JFK departing 9:15PM arriving 5:30AM (+1 day)
When booking, these planes are designated as “32Bs,” and the seatmaps look as follows:
Exciting stuff!
@ Chris Stuart -- No date has been set, though apparently later in 2014.
Any indication of when they will start serving SFO?
Too bad the exit row is also a bulkhead; I love the former but not the latter!
I agree with the earlier commenter who said it's hard to see how they're going to make money with so few Y seats (or more to the point, so few seats in total). Certainly the aircraft is much more economical to operate than the 762, but I find it hard to believe that it's proportionally cheaper to operate the 32B than the 762 (proportional to the number of seats).
Personally, I am skeptical about how profitable these planes will be. While I know the transcon route and product are all focused on the premium pax, seeing this plane with so few coach seats makes me wonder how it's going to deal with the high CASM. They must be really be counting on some substantial premium seat sales every flight.
Too bad those of us not in those 3 cities continue to get passed over...
I wonder if it's a coincidence that almost all of the LH group owned or part owned airlines are using the throne configuration including B6, Austrian, and Brussels.
@ Lucky
Ah, I take that back. For some reason I assumed the B6 config was a staggered 1x1 with some seats having doors. It turns out that the foot cubbies DO look like they'll be cramped, as if sitting in a throne seat on Austrian-esque.
@ Lucky
But the foot cubbies on the staggered Austrian-ish seats are only bad if you're in the "throne" seats. In other words, as far as I know, the foot cubby for those traveling together in that config will be awarded with plenty of foot space if sitting behind a "throne" seat as opposed to in the throne seat.
In B6 config, I'd imagine the foot cubby is the same as if sitting behind a "throne" seat, no?
I just looked at saver first and December and November have wide availability, January had just a few days, it isn't even a close match. Perhaps some is based on route, but I don't think it is a coincidence that once the A321s enter the transcon fleet, award availability drops to basically nil.
@ Alonso A -- Whoops, thanks!
@ jettfrogg -- Doesn't seem to be much space at all, though I don't see much space on the 767-200s either, so don't think it's exclusive to this plane but rather the route.
2014*
have you seen any first/business award availability on these flights? i understand that it's only day one, but they seem to be zeroed out
@ AJK -- American's new first class is a standard reverse herringbone seat, while JetBlue's suite is a standard "throne" seat in a staggered configuration (like Austrian, Brussels, etc.). The foot cubby in those seats is really small, so I'd take a reverse herringbone configuration any day.
"I think it’s safe to say that American’s new first class product on the A321 will be the most comfortable way to fly across the country."
More comfortable than B6's suites??