I can’t say I’m surprised, but delivery delays at Boeing are causing American Airlines to update its plans, and postpone the introduction of its new business class product.
In this post:
American faces Boeing 787 delivery delays
While American already has a fleet of 59 Boeing 787s, the airline has an additional 30 of these jets on order. What’s exciting about these aircraft is that the upcoming deliveries are supposed to be ultra-premium Boeing 787s, featuring just 244 seats.
For example, while American’s existing 787-9s have 30 business class seats, these jets will have 51 business class seats. Not only that, but these planes will feature the carrier’s all-new passenger experience, including the new Flagship Business Suites, as well as the front row Flagship Suite Preferred product.
The plan has been for American to take delivery of the first of these jets in the coming months, and launch service with the aircraft between Dallas and Brisbane as of late October 2024.
Unfortunately there’s a negative update here, as reported by Zach Griff, which is that American no longer expects to receive any new Boeing 787s in the coming months. American now has no firm timeline for when these new Dreamliners will enter service. This means that American intends to launch its Dallas to Brisbane service with one of its existing 787s, in a less premium configuration.
Given the length of the flight, this could pose some operational challenges for the route. Dallas to Brisbane will be American’s longest flight, and it’s my understanding that one of the motivations for placing the premium 787 on this route was the lower weight of the aircraft, due to there being fewer seats. So I’m curious if American ends up needing to weight restrict the “heavier” 787.
American will be far from the only carrier impacted by Boeing’s ongoing delivery delays. Arguably there are even bigger implications for Saudi Arabian airline startup Riyadh Air, which plans to launch in 2025, and is entirely dependent on the delivery of new 787s.
When will American Flagship Business Suites enter service?
With these latest delays, it’s anyone’s guess when American’s new Flagship Business Suites will enter service. Initially the plan was for the new premium Boeing 787-9s to feature this product, and then American’s Boeing 777-300ERs would be reconfigured, at the same time that international first class would be eliminated.
The previous timeline we had was that American would start reconfiguring existing 777s around the end of 2024 or early 2025, and there’s no indication of that timeline changing. After all, the delivery delays are with Boeing, and not with the seat manufacturers, at least as of now.
So it’s entirely possible that we’ll see the new Flagship Business Suites debut on a reconfigured 777 ahead of a newly delivered 787. As of now, it’s all up in the air, so only time will tell.
American cuts other routes due to Boeing 787 issues
The delay in deliveries of premium Boeing 787s isn’t just impacting the Dallas to Brisbane route. As flagged by @xJonNYC, American has also announced some significant wide body cuts both for this summer and winter, including frequency cuts, shortened schedules for seasonal flights, and more. Just to give a few examples:
- Dallas (DFW) to Dublin (DUB) and Rome (FCO) was supposed to operate year-round this year, but it will be cut in winter, and brought back in the summer of 2025
- The seasonal Dallas (DFW) to Kona (KOA) flight won’t operate this winter
- Many seasonal routes will be suspended early, with New York (JFK) to Athens and Barcelona (BCN) flights, as well as Chicago (ORD) to Paris (CDG) flights, being suspended as of September 3, 2024
Bottom line
American Airlines’ new premium Boeing 787s are experiencing delivery delays, meaning that the airline no longer expects to fly these new planes as of October 2024. This also means that the new Flagship Business Suites are delayed with their entry into service.
For now we’ll have to mark this as “developing,” as there’s no updated timeline for when these planes could be flying. It’s possible that we’ll see the first 777 reconfigured with the new cabins before these 787s enter service.
What do you make of American’s Boeing 787 delays?
Below was a reply to Guttery guy oops sorry it was for Guttery
In related news, it seems no one picked up on Airbus' announcement that its deliveries of the XLR have slipped SEVERAL MORE MONTHS from the already delayed delivery schedule. It now appears that those destined for AA -- specifically, AA's transcon routes -- will likely not enter service in meaningful numbers until mid-2025 at the earliest. FF on the ole T-Birds got a little more life.
How are these planes in an ultra premium configuration. BA has 22 seats less on their 787-9, and only 12 more on their 787-10.
“Ultra premium” for a US airline, which means the same thing market standard for a European airline and LCC for an Asian airline…
Related to the 787 deliveries, but what is the latest on the increased gross weight versions of the planes?
Will all post-summer deliveries for the airlines be the IGW variants?
Question-
are the high J (51J) configurations necessarily lighter? Sure there may be fewer seats, but the J seats/pods are also quite a bit heavier than individual seats so how much weight do you actually save? I suppose you would have a reduction in baggage weight since there are fewer passengers.
How would you interpret the chopping/trimming this round?
Some routes (DFW-KOA/FCO) could be easily tied to 789P delivery delay, others seem not directly so. JFK-BCN/FCO (second daily) all ending early around Aug/Sept when 789Ps are not supposed to be in long haul commercial. Change of outlook? AA underperforming AAgain?
Def AA (and MANY others) using Boeing as an excuse/punching bag here.
SEC filings show American will get 3 787s this year, they originally expected 6.
https://americanairlines.gcs-web.com/static-files/21e3a4fa-ede8-4dff-824e-dcbcc6397c39 (page 45)
They were supposed to take delivery of 6 now they will only take delivery of 3 787s in 2024. Yet we are supposed to believe that all of these reductions in long haul flights some will be suspended even before the summer travel season ends is all because AA is missing 3 widebodies?
Talk about using Boeing as a scapegoat. Not taking delivery 3 787s doesn’t cause the type of schedule changes AA has announced.
AA biggest mistake is relying on one airplane maker. They have a mixed fleet for short haul flights, but long haul is strictly Boeing. Most airlines have a mixed fleet to avoid issues. AA’s financial performance is for sure impacted by those issues. AA should have never retired the 330’s or canceled the 350’s. Now, they can’t even order the 350’s as those delivery slots have filled up too.
DL and UA both are exclusively buying widebodies from either Airbus (DL) or Boeing (UA).
UA has had an A350 order on its books for years but says it is not likely to even firm up that order until the late 2020s or 2030s for 777-200/ER replacement.
Given that UA has more spending on its books than every other US airline combined - more than 3X what either AA or DL will spend...
DL and UA both are exclusively buying widebodies from either Airbus (DL) or Boeing (UA).
UA has had an A350 order on its books for years but says it is not likely to even firm up that order until the late 2020s or 2030s for 777-200/ER replacement.
Given that UA has more spending on its books than every other US airline combined - more than 3X what either AA or DL will spend as of right now - UA cannot afford to take on more orders esp. since their order book is being pushed back and will result in a huge crush of orders at some point - or they will drag out their current order book well into the 2030s.
As for Lee's comment below and specific to AA, their cancellation of many of these leisure-related flights is because they are weaker than DL and UA on the two coasts and are trying to use DFW as their primary int'l gateway. DFW is poorly situated geographically to serve as the primary gateway to any region but esp. for transatlantic and transpacific travel. When DFW is the best performing int'l hub but only works in the peak summer, the fringe markets on the coasts fall off first and DFW to Europe or Asia is not sustainable in off-peak periods given that AA has to overfly multiple of its own hubs that would have better connectivity in the process.
AA knows it still has too many widebodies for its network which is heavily S. America and LHR focused and so they continue to throw flights into peak European markets but those only work for fairly small parts of the year.
AA's international future is still far from clear but it does not appear they will participate in the international market anywhere to the degree DL and UA will.
This looks a lot more like an economic decision to curtail flying due to a perceived economic booking slowness vs. equipment.
Looking at the 787 production spreadsheets over on Google docs American has a 787-9 in Charleston at position 4 (late factory production) and another at position 7 down then 10, etc..
Unless there is another production slowdown that hasn't been shared with the public yet, the 1st 787-9 should be available for...
This looks a lot more like an economic decision to curtail flying due to a perceived economic booking slowness vs. equipment.
Looking at the 787 production spreadsheets over on Google docs American has a 787-9 in Charleston at position 4 (late factory production) and another at position 7 down then 10, etc..
Unless there is another production slowdown that hasn't been shared with the public yet, the 1st 787-9 should be available for 1st test flight certainly by June, with the second probably in August. Flight testing is usually 1 to 2 months given examples of recent American purchases. That suggests 2 new frames should be available for DFW-BNE...if they want to fly it. Advance bookings might be weak, and a frame shortage is a nice excuse to cover up poor network planning.
Poor network planning indeed. AA's Znotins confuses constant change (on-again-off-again) with meaningful action. Having been a multi-year CK, my biggest frustration was the schedule's inconsistency/variability. Long-haul flight crews were frustrated as well. The inability to rely on some routes even existing forced me to move business to other carriers. Then there's SFO-DFW-NRT and JFK-DFW-FRA? WTF.
If you're flying SFO-NRT, why wouldn't you do the AA code share on the nonstop operated by JAL? As for JFK-FRA, there's always JFK-LHR-FRA or even JFK-MAD-FRA.
Am I the only one affected by the FA's or bird's eye view of those suites, envisioned with the tops of silent heads? A compacted cubicle complex is a premium experience of _______? For a charge? I know they research the hell out of this, but I don't get it.
Boeing has become airline execs worst nightmare. Scott Kirby's vaunted United NEXT plan has fallen apart because of Boeing delivery delays. UA is supposed to get just 5 787s this year which basically puts them in a no-growth mode for international.
DL is supposed to get 14 new A330NEOs and A350s this year and another 9 next year. The A350-1000s start delivering in 2026 along w/ the final -900s in the current order. Airbus...
Boeing has become airline execs worst nightmare. Scott Kirby's vaunted United NEXT plan has fallen apart because of Boeing delivery delays. UA is supposed to get just 5 787s this year which basically puts them in a no-growth mode for international.
DL is supposed to get 14 new A330NEOs and A350s this year and another 9 next year. The A350-1000s start delivering in 2026 along w/ the final -900s in the current order. Airbus is delivering within months if not on-time.
AA also said its MAX delivery delays will slow growth but AA has long split its narrowbody orders between Airbus and Boeing and has a young enough narrowbody fleet that they do not have huge replacement needs.
WN is only going to get 20 new MAXs this year - an incredibly low number when they have targeted 80 or more deliveries for years in advance.
The MAX 7 will get certified first, then the MAX 10 and the 777X will fit in their somehow but international airlines are about ready to deal with what large domestic airlines have been facing with Boeing for well over 5 years.
The 787 will get back on track but it will take years to clear the backlog.
AA is cutting routes at the end of the summer because those routes are underperforming, not because of a shortage of new aircraft.
Tim, regarding underperforming routes, I've long complained about AA's network planner Znotins. Please refer to my reply to Mike (above). I think AA's route underperformance (as well as financial) stems from consumers not being able to rely on given routes. Will it even exist in the Fall or Spring? So, they book a carrier on which they *can* rely. Most of my domestic and virtually all of my international have moved.
This is still better than Lufthansa flying new planes with a new biz class and no first class. Mofos put economy seats in first class per TPG lmao.
They legally had to put 1 row it. It's not sold but most likely there in the event of severe turbulence and the crew are passing through going to the galley / bring the pilots meals, etc.
"legally" ? why?
Because it was required, by law. Use Google and stop relying on the comment section of a blog for answers.
Legally you should tspe your hand to face google it
LOL, where are the skytrax stars?! AA needs a new one ASAP!
DFW-BNE will be cut, most likely, before it begins.
Tons of cuts already announced, like early termination of the second JFK-FCO daily seasonal service (8/5), JFK-BCN going seasonal, ORD-CDG going back to seasonal, and many more.
With BNE providing some incentive, as reported, it’s not going to get cut.
Too bad, as JFK BCN was year round & full whenever I flew it in winter
I would love to overhear a few calls between Boeing and their customers when they notify them of major delivery delays. This is impacting a lot of airlines. If the new 777 slips again I think Sir Tim Clark will blow a gasket.
American’s 10-Q notes they expect 3 787s this year so I think TPG is off on reporting BNE will go without the new configuration. I suppose cabin fit post delivery could take AA past the start date of BNE, but to say AA won’t have any new 787s this year isn’t what they’ve guided.
Does anyone know if they still have a few a330s laying around? We’re approaching crazytown at Boeing so it might...
American’s 10-Q notes they expect 3 787s this year so I think TPG is off on reporting BNE will go without the new configuration. I suppose cabin fit post delivery could take AA past the start date of BNE, but to say AA won’t have any new 787s this year isn’t what they’ve guided.
Does anyone know if they still have a few a330s laying around? We’re approaching crazytown at Boeing so it might be smart for AA to find a way to bring them back on heavy leisure routes. Even if they’re crewed by another company.
AA can pick some up from CSN. CSN has half a dozen 2006-delivered A330s retiring by the end of the calender year, with the first two already out of service. CSN owns these jets, and the first aircraft will be sent for scrap next quarter. Hence, if AA can offer a reasonable lease price, even on a wet lease, I see no reason why CSN would not consider it, considering AA and CSN are already...
AA can pick some up from CSN. CSN has half a dozen 2006-delivered A330s retiring by the end of the calender year, with the first two already out of service. CSN owns these jets, and the first aircraft will be sent for scrap next quarter. Hence, if AA can offer a reasonable lease price, even on a wet lease, I see no reason why CSN would not consider it, considering AA and CSN are already closely aligned in terms of stock structures and management styles. However, note that the A330s CSN is retiring still have angle lie-flat seats in Business Class and no PTVs in Economy, so either they have to sell Business as premium economy or do a retrofit at GAMECO if they want to get it ready by peak summer.
AA has many A330s in the desert, so there would be no need to lease any from anyone else. However, since the 330s were retired at the start of Covid, AA pilots are no longer certified on the aircraft. So they would have to take pilots off the line to get them trained, causing more issues (exacerbating the pilot shortage, etc.) So they have no plans to do that right now.
Yea I think A330s may have a second life.
Thanks, I will use my one SWU for DFW => FRA then instead of waiting on BNE => DFW later this year