4 more seats being added to the A321's

[JetguyCLT]

Beginning in August of 2012, US Airways will be adding 4 more seats to the main cabin of the A321's. Main cabin seating will increase from 167 to 171. To be completed on all A321's by June 2013.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Are they putting in new thinline coach seats or removing something to make room? 4 more seats would be another row and reducing pitch to add a row with no other changes would really squeeze the coach rows together.

Jim

 

[algflyr]

Are they putting in new thinline coach seats or removing something to make room? 4 more seats would be another row and reducing pitch to add a row with no other changes would really squeeze the coach rows together.

Jim

Well seeing as it's 3x3 seating, a whole row would add 6 seats... So I imagine it's a re-shuffle somewhere to make room for 4 seats... But I have no idea,,,

 

[JetguyCLT]

3 seats being added in front of row 22ABC and 1 in row 9 making 9DEF instead of 9DE.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I figured that 4 additional seats has to mean either 3x1, 2x2, or 1x3 since 4 seats can't fit on one side of the aisle. That means another row, even if it's adding seats on one side toward the front of coach and on the other side toward the rear of coach.

Being that the A321 doesn't have overwing exits, they can't do the 3 seats in every row and just space the overwing exit rows a little further apart instead of leaving a seat out of rows between overwing exits. So something has to give - pitch, type of seats, take out something to make room. After all, they can't move the exit doors or rear bulkhead to make more room. The only other alternative, which wasn't mentioned as being a part of the change, would be to remove a row of FC but that wouldn't add 4 seats to overall capacity.

Jim

 

[BungeeJumper]

Checked with an inside source. The retrofit starts in September. Current row 22 will be renumbered row 23 and the 4 new exit row seats will be the new row 22, so both 22 and 23 will be considered exit row. As far as how they'll fit the seats in front of current row 22, I speculate it will be 2x2 (like 9DE is now, so 22BC/DE), making 23BC/DE "exit row" without extra legroom. Haven't seen a new seat map to confirm it, but that's the scoop so far. Might be easier to 'picture' by looking at the current A321 seat map on SeatGuru:
http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/US_Airways/US_Airways_Airbus_A321.php

 

[BoeingBoy]

I'll have to look if I get an A321 CLT-SEA next week or so. I see what you're saying - there'd effectively be BC and DE seats between the aisle and the exit doors - but it still sounds tight, especially on the side with the lav. It may be one of those things that's legal but not necessarily a good idea.

Jim

 

[xUT]

Gee, flying anymore really bites.
I miss those C130 web seats... LOL
B)

 

[BoeingBoy]

Now that you mention it, the only time I flew in web seats was on a KC135 from Japan to California. At the time it seemed uncomfortable but now???

Jim

 

[CLTUSCaptive]

As a long-time "elite" customer on USAirways (20+ years @ SP or GP ) it is incredible to me that after all the downgrades, cutbacks and layoffs they still manage to find a way to make flying a little less pleasant every year.

 

[nonrev]

I can confirm this.....in June Pit is going to upgrade 60 new seats for the Airbus. They are the two seat type only and they need upgraded because they have been sitting a while and still have cloth interiors and so on. I believe they are Weber seats which are used in the emergency exit area. When they are done 30 go to phoenix and 30 go to CLT.

 

[ContUNITEus]

nice ghettification

 

[xUT]

Now that you mention it, the only time I flew in web seats was on a KC135 from Japan to California. At the time it seemed uncomfortable but now???

Jim

C-Rats were better than the BOB crap we have today.
At least we got a John Wayne bar and the crackers were fresher... LOL
B) xUT

 

[HPearlyretiree]

Now that you mention it, the only time I flew in web seats was on a KC135 from Japan to California. At the time it seemed uncomfortable but now???

Jim

I flew in web seats on the KC135...not too terrible, the cockpit was open to visit, as was the refueler's nest. And as an airplane geek, when will you ever get to fly a 707?

 

[FWAAA]

I'm usually in favor of smaller government and less regulation, but this is an area where I wish the feds would put their foot down. I've never understood how the airlines can get away with blocking 2L&R on most 757s with four seats (on AA, row 9). They're nice seats with lots of legroom, to be sure, but don't they slow down an evacuation thru those doors?

Sounds like US is doing the same on its A321s?