In March 2024, American Airlines announced plans to retrofit its entire fleet of Airbus A319 & A320 aircraft. The first of those A319s entered service earlier this year, and now the first of the A320s with the new interiors is flying passengers.
Continue reading: American A319 & A320 Retrofits: More First Class & Modern Design, But Tighter Cabins
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Seeing how difficult seat certification has become I wonder how a jump seat can be approved to be attached to the lavatory door. Surely a door is inherently much less fixed than a wall/ bulkhead?
This topic is bound to cause some interesting posts, Ben really knows what generates clicks.
"I want updated finishes and denser layouts with less legroom!" said nobody ever.
AA is really digging in its heels at being a LCC.
Having a jump seat on the back of a lavatory door is INSANE. So, now, one F/A is just supposed to stand for the majority of the flight? If it's more than two hours, that's just cruelty, and it's all being done in the name of the almighty dollar.
No one ever mentions how these new seats are noticeably less comfortable than the old ones, especially in Business. Apart from curving forward towards the top (which forces your back info an uncomfortable forward arch), they have less padding overall. Sad!
Only a problem on airlines where the FA places higher priority on their Reader's Digest time than on their work.
One has observed when reading past posts that as soon as someone asks Walter Mitty Dunn that leading question, he goes dark. Let us now see if he boycotts this thread just because so many people ask ‘the’ question of him on the Starlink thread.
Another opportunity to expand AA's paltry extra legroom economy (MCE) offering wasted. Well behind Delta and United in offering extra legroom economy, including on these variants as well as on its newest planes (with 12 MCE seats on the XLR - none of which families can use because they are all exit row seats - and 18 on the 787P). Great to cram in an extra 4 FC seats (and I'm sure new / working USB ports in economy will be appreciated), but the lack of more MCE seating is a significant downgrade compared to AA's competitors.
Apologies to those who are unaware of ’the question’, it is: “Why did Delta reportedly fire you Walter”.
Did you miss the part in which the configuration is the exact same as DL'2 319 (or less dense for the A320)?
AA has many flaws impacting its performance, but some of these like fewer seats with more legroom vs DL including premium seats combined with an inability to extract any revenue premium out from that (or marketing that to be better known) is an easy fix.
The same plane for AA will now have opportunity to generate similar revenue as DL gets on these routes rather than starting with less revenue potential from the start.
Now the valid issues are lack of TV screens and lesser extra legroom seating, but not sure it's fair to attack AA for becoming an LCC when it's simply following full service carriers in the market.
Sadly, 1990 was clearly wrong,
there really is no difference in the posts you make under your unregistered account than with your registered account.
Well, I want updated finishes and denser layouts with less legroom. That way, I can travel on AA in a nicer environment with huge fatasses driven to other airlines and therefore not seated next to me like last week when I was trapped in a window seat (which I hate; I prefer aisle but couldn't get one) by a tall fatass who somehow thought that he could fit into an exit row middle. I approve of the airline I fly driving the fatasses off and to other carriers.
Therefore Walter, the answer to my question is?
Go on, be brave and act like a man by telling the truth.
The A319 will match the same configuration and DL refit, so AA isn't any better or worse. The big improvement will be the A320s same 150 verses DL 157 and a LOT more MCE seats plus an extra row of FC. The A320s really did need a remodel (beyond a refresh and this is a big plus moving forward (like NWA DC-9 updates in the 2000 that added years of life). We don't get as many A319/320 in PHX any more mostly A321 and 737 but will be nice when we do to have the overhead space and device holders (not a huge advocate of seat back screens). Now if the A319/A320 look and feel as nice or nicer than the A321s it's a win for sure. Now if a row of seats could be removed from the 737s and a few MCE rows added, it would be a huge plus for AA passengers and especially us Platinum and higher flyers.
Thanks again for the grin, ORD. You really are more fun than the GA preacher boy.
"Did you miss the part in which the configuration is the exact same as DL'2 319 (or less dense for the A320)?"
No, I just forgot to do the classic whataboutism, à la Tim Dunn. Thanks for covering so aptly.
@AeroB13a, I don't know why you keep comparing Tim to Walter Mitty. Thanks to you (really, I had to see why), last weekend I finally decided to watch "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (the 1947 version, not Ben Stiller's.) It was ok though Danny Kaye was wonderful as the daydreamer but I was more mesmerized by the colorful splendor of NYC in the mid-40s. In the end, Walter saves the day and gets the girl of his dreams, the gorgeous Virginia Mayo. I also read the short story, which is just about his daydreaming without the criminal plot. We all fantasize about different things, like flying on Etihad's The Apartment, no?
"I want updated finishes and denser layouts with less legroom!" said nobody ever BUT, "I want lower ticket prices, less expensive upgrades or more free upgrades" said everybody ever and so, indirectly, we did ask.
American has no idea of who and what they want to be
They want to be the USA premier carrier and then pull stunts like tighter economy class and less legroom in First. Adding to worse infighting meals
As a DFW resident it makes me sick and wish I had more choices——
Updated cabins are nice. Interesting that they're putting in effort for a full interior overhaul for 21+ year old airframe rather than just retiring them (A319 is one of my least favorite AA aircraft to find myself on)... but maybe this will change that.