AA/US Fleet Upgrade Plan

[700UW]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-06/american-chases-delta-to-provide-cushy-seats-onboard-tv.html
 

 
“The act of replacing those aircraft with a brand new airplane is an enormous customer enhancement,” Parker said. They are nicer, they’re brighter and they’re more comfortable. It’s a much better flying experience.’’
 
All but a “handful” of American’s new aircraft will have seat-back video screens throughout. All of the planes in the carrier’s primary jet fleet now have Wi-Fi, with plans to expand to it to regional aircraft, said Joshua Freed, a spokesman.
 
Most of the changes announced by the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier today involve larger aircraft used in international markets. Refurbishments already have begun on American’s Boeing Co. 777-200s and 767-300s, including in-seat entertainment or in-flight connectivity and lie-flat business class seats, with work to be finished in 2016.
 
Lie-flat business seats also will be added to its Boeing 757s used on international routes, while power ports and Wi-Fi will be extended throughout the plane. All of American’s wide-body planes today have power in business and coach cabins, and about 89, or 58 percent, have seat-back screens in at least one cabin, the airline said.
 
At American, about 501, or 61 percent, of narrow-body aircraft used primarily on domestic routes today have power ports and about 74, or 9 percent, have seat-back screens in at least one cabin.
 
Among the renovations announced today, Airbus NV A319s, a mainstay of the US Airways domestic fleet, will get all-new seats and power outlets by the end of 2016. The airline also will add 24 economy seats that give more legroom for an extra charge.
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

so, after reading all of those qualifiers and knowing that AVOD and power is the int'l standard on quality airlines, AA will operate which int'l fleet types without AVOD and at least one form of power at every seat and without lie flat seats on every int'l aircraft even after these refurbs for $5,000,000 Alex.

 

[MAH4546]

AA will have lie-flat on it's entire long-haul fleet. 35 757s are getting the A321 J seats. 

 

[WorldTraveler]

thanks, Mark, but the question is what cabins and on what fleet types AA will NOT have lie flat business class and AVOD/power at every seat on every int'l aircraft.

And then beyond that when will all of the mods be done.

IIRC, and correct me if I am wrong, AA is moving toward lie flat direct aisle business class on every aircraft with the 767 and 772s in progress with expected completion by....?

the 767s will not get AVOD in coach... any other fleet types? 757? and at least some of them are planned right now to remain in the int'l fleet for at least 5 years or more...?

 

[700UW]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-going-great-more-140000853.html
 

• 777-200 – The first refurbished 777-200 is already in service, featuring a Business Class seat designed especially for American Airlines customers, with direct aisle access and a private flying experience. The plane will have a modern interior – including a walk-up bar – with unique lighting, a dramatic archway and a spacious look. Main Cabin Extra will be added and all Main Cabin seats will have in-seat entertainment systems. All 47 aircraft are scheduled to be retrofitted by the end of 2016.
• 757 – Aircraft used on trans-Atlantic and Latin America flights will get fully lie-flat seats in Business Class. Customers flying in the Main Cabin will also benefit from a refreshed cabin, power ports and in-flight connectivity.
• A319 – One of the workhorses of the legacy US Airways fleet is scheduled for all new seats. Planned improvements include new seats throughout First Class and Main Cabin, and adding 24 Main Cabin Extra seats and power outlets throughout the cabin to charge personal electronic devices. All 93 A319s will be retrofitted and in service by the end of 2016.
• 767-300 – Eleven refurbished aircraft are already in service and 14 more will be complete in 2015. The cabin will feature fully lie-flat seats with direct aisle access in Business Class and a refreshed Main Cabin. In addition, these aircraft will receive satellite in-flight connectivity.

Entertainment, W-Fi and Power
These investments also will include expanding in-flight entertainment and connectivity.
New 737s, nearly all new A321s, as well as retrofitted A319s will have power ports in every row. All new widebody deliveries, including 777-300ERs and 787s, come with power at every seat, allowing customers to charge their laptops and their personal electronic devices from gate to gate.
In premium cabins, American is upgrading to the latest Bose® headset, the QC®25, on all flights to South America, Europe and Asia, as well as transcontinental flights.
Customers' access to the Internet will soon extend around the globe. American is adding satellite-based Internet access on all 777s and A330s, as well as all of the retrofitted 767-300s and 757s, and all 787s, providing connectivity for international flights.
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

thank you, sir.

it appears that AA is going to refresh the cabins of many of its aircraft but AVOD appears to be no longer a priority to have on domestic aircraft or on existing int'l aircraft smaller than the 772.

correct?

 

[texflyer]

We (frequent flyers) have Ipads, Iphones , Bose QC15s, and on board wife, we don't need AVOD.............Domestic.

 

[Overspeed]

Not correct. All new Airbus and 737-800s being currently delivered have AVOD in every seat. Only 767-300 and the 757 IFS fleet will not have AVOD installed in coach. The reason being is that 767-300s are slated for retirement in 2015 and 757-200s that are not ETOPS are being parked at a rapid rate. The only reason the 757 ETOPS/IFS aircraft are not being parked is at this point there is no real 757 replacement. MD80s are going but AA cannot get new planes fast enough.
 
All 777s and 787s have AVOD.
 
AA will have AVOD on all aircraft within several years.
 
http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/us-carriers-are-watching-market-long-range-boeing-757-replacement

 

[commavia]

We (frequent flyers) have Ipads, Iphones , Bose QC15s, and on board wife, we don't need AVOD.............Domestic.

 
Indeed.  Domestically, the more and more time that goes by, the less and less important AVOD PTVs seem to be domestically.
 
When speaking at longhaul, and the premium JFK-LAX/SFO transcons, I agree that AVOD PTVs are becoming more and more competitively critical - and of course that's why AA will have them on all of the 777s, 787s and A330s (though unfortunately not the 757s or 767s).
 
But on the domestic front, it appears that more and more passengers are walking onto the jet with their own AVOD PTV - in the form of a smartphone and/or tablet.  As such, it just doesn't seem all that worthwhile to sink tons of money into the upfront investment in, and long-term maintenance of, heavy seat back PTVs.  For that reason, it seems like the far higher priority should be - and apparently is - wifi and powerports.

 

[WorldTraveler]

except that other carriers do not see the need to eliminate AVOD on domestic aircraft.

As for int'l, I know that all new aircraft will have them but is AA really getting rid of ALL 767s in the next few years, even 2015?

if so, then why refurbish anything on those aircraft?

and 757s do serve a niche role for AA, DL, and UA but they do fly some 8 hour plus flights which is a long time to go with only expensive satellite WiFi or your own PED.

also, seatback technology is much, much lighter than it used to be... and it is clearly a revenue generator as well. there may be free content on airlines that have them but nearly always there are people who pay to watch full length movies that are not free.

 

[MAH4546]

All AA international aircraft will have lie-flat.
 
All new delivery domestic and international planes will be outfitted with PTVs (with the exception of some PMUS order where the interiors have already been ordered; at some point next year PMUS orders will be delivered with the new AA interiors and PTVs). 
 
Half the 767s are going to be parked (and will not get new interiors), and the other half are likely going to be primarily flying short/medium haul from Miami where the capacity is welcomed even on short flights. 

 

[737823]

The standalone plan called for the vast majority of the fleet to have PTVs, basically all aircraft except 763s and 738s (ships 3LB/N938NN and below) wouldnot have AVOD. Aparently retrofitting the ~200 odd 738s was evaluated but ultimately not pursued. Of course tugs has all changed with USAIR in the picture.

Josh

 

[commavia]

I don't care if Delta wants to spend money putting in and maintaining, and then paying for fuel to carry around, AVOD PTVs on domestic flights.  Good for them.  AA's management team has clearly determined that, at least in general, it doesn't appear to be all that critical a differentiator in translating into increasing bookings and revenue - and thus there isn't much impetus to get it onto every plane.  And, as I said, given my experience, I increasingly think that assessment is correct.  As I said - I actually think AA may well ultimately decide to rip AVOD PTVs out of all domestic aircraft, which I personally think would be just fine as long as they have wifi and ample powerports.
 
Perhaps AA has decided that it would rather differentiate on the strength of its vastly superior FF program compared to Delta's rapidly-devaluing Skypesos, while Delta has decided just the opposite.
 
Either way - again, good for both, we'll see how it works out.

 

[WorldTraveler]

first, it isn't just DL that has AVOD as part of its domestic business model.

I appreciate the commentary on the future use of 767s... not sure what you call medium haul but if they are not to be used on intercontinental routes - including deep S. America - then I agree it is immaterial. but if it matters on AA's other intercontinental aircraft, then it should matter on whatever aircraft AA chooses to keep for more than a couple years. I get not upgrading aircraft that will leave the fleet. that is smart business.

We have yet to see all of the carrier's report their November traffic results but AA's was anemic at best, driven by Europe/TATL and Latin America weakness.

AA's expected RASM growth is 3-5% lower than DL and WN's.

feel free to talk about the superiority of the Advantage program but it would appear that AA is making little to no headway in closing the RASM gap it has with DL - and it is coming on their int'l systems where product matters a lot more.

UA hasn't reported traffic and probably won't report RASM but they were expecting RASM growth for the quarter to be weak because of year over year settlement adjustments.

You may be right that onboard product doesn't and won't matter for a lot of customers but if other carriers offer a higher value product and are getting superior revenues on their systems, you might want to be careful about arguing what AA doesn't need to do based on strengths which in fact are not as strong as you want to believe they are.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

first, it isn't just DL that has AVOD as part of its domestic business model.

You may be right that onboard product doesn't and won't matter for a lot of customers but if other carriers offer a higher value product and are getting superior revenues on their systems, you might want to be careful about arguing what AA doesn't need to do based on strengths which in fact are not as strong as you want to believe they are.

 
WN seems to have a very good & successful domestic business model and they chose the WiFi route of 'entertaining' passengers as opposed to AVOD.
 
So does that mean that WN is now gong to be doomed because it is not doing everything exactly the same as DL?
 
I really hate to burst your bubble, but the world does not revolve around DL.