Airbus Staffing

[kirkpatrick]

Eric, I have some staffing information on the Airbus from someone who just finished Airbus training in DFW. For some reason I'm having editing problems - unable to add lines and spacing, but here it is: It appears the transcons will have 6 FAs - 4 basic and 2 VMs (variables):
A319:
-- 8-F/C, 18 M/C Extra & 102 M/C = 128
-- F/C has lay flat seats almost identical to the 777-300.
-- Domestic & International with a range of 4,258 miles, 4 jumpseat with an FAA minimum of 3 leaving 1 jumpseat for VM. 4 doors (1L/R & 4L/R) with 1 over wing exit on east side.
-- Working positions are the same as on the MD-80. However, due to the added service with F/C #1 does not leave F/C. With a VM (#3) then they assist F/C not #4. F/C service will be upgraded so the VM position will be a regular thing.
The A319 will fly first from DFW and MIA to Latin America, Caribbean and domestic. DFW-LIM is set to start as early as Labour Day. Note the range on the A319 .... DFW-HNL ... so don't be surprised when you see this aircraft.
A321T:
-- 10-F/C, 20-B/C, 36-M/C Extra & 36 M/C = 102
-- F/C & B/C have full lay flat seating almost matching the 777-300.
-- Domestic only with a range of 3,682 miles. 6 jumpseats with an FAA minimum of 4 and 2 VM. #1 F/C only, #2 economy galley/aisle, #3 economy aisle asst in B/C, #4 B/C galley/aisle, #5 F/C galley and #6 replaces #3. 4 doors on each side (1L/R, 2L/R, 3L/R, 4L/R).
-- Due to the upgraded service the A321T will have 2 VM positons trans-con and on flights between say DFW-LAX, DFW-JFK.
-- Their aim with the A321T is capture the premium markets trans-con and DFW-LAX, DFW-BOS, DFW-NYC. etc, using the F/C & B/C to gain the higher paying passengers.
Both A319 & A321T have in seat monitors in F/C, B/C and economy with all the bells and whistles from the next generation of aircraft.
A321S:
-- 24-F/C & 150-M/C Extra & M/C mix.
-- Domestic & International.
-- The same aircraft as the A321T except that the 10-F/C & 20-B/C seats turn into 24-F/C and will be an international version.
These aircraft are going to put American at the front of the industry in the US. Not only the new aircraft but, the lay flat F/C & B/C seats, in seat monitors and upgraded food service.

 

[FWAAA]

Interesting; thanks for posting.

On A319s to HNL, that's very unlikely, as that would require ETOPs certification. On top of that, 128 seats will make the A319s a relatively high-CASM airplane. My guess is that HNL continues to get 182/184-seat 757s for many more years. And, of course, from ORD or DFW, 763s, as AA has said that about half the 763 fleet will get new J seats and stay in the fleet for a while.

Your info said that A319s get lie-flat F seats? That would be a game-changer.

 

[Veritas]

Your info said that A319s get lie-flat F seats? That would be a game-changer.

Bye, bye, free unlimited upgrades.

 

[eolesen]

Nah, the upgrades will continue, but just become rarer.

 

[FWAAA]

United's A319s currently feature 8F/40E+/72E- for a total of 120 and just announced this week that its Airbus will get new slimline seats that will permit an additional row (not unlike WN's Evolve), so UA's A319s will have 126 total seats after new seats. With AA's A319s projected to have 128 total seats, there won't be room for any lie-flat F seats.

Here's an image of the back of the A319/A321(non-3-class transcon model) First class seats released by AA earlier this year, from http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/newplanes.jsp :

 

[kirkpatrick]

With AA's A319s projected to have 128 total seats, there won't be room for any lie-flat F seats.

I can't swear by any of this. It was posted elsewhere by someone who just finished training. MK

 

[USFlyer]

I also expect, after merger, the AA A321s will be reconfigured to match the US A321s. 16F/171Y, for a total of 187 seats, 13 more than the AA configuration describe here. US has steadily decreased the number of F in the A321s over the years.

Yes yes, I realize things could change, but I'll be shocked if DP's team keeps the A321s with only 174 seats.

On the other hand, I could see US matching the 8F configuration on the A319s. UA has had this for years.

Let's remember, too, that AA doesn't offer unlimited upgrades. I believe AA is the only carrier left that still requires "e-certificates" to upgrade. I'm curious what will happen post-merger, given the US VFFs have had unlimited upgrades for over a decade now.

 

[john john]

Nah, the upgrades will continue, .

Your agent friends will see to that

 

[FWAAA]

I also expect, after merger, the AA A321s will be reconfigured to match the US A321s. 16F/171Y, for a total of 187 seats, 13 more than the AA configuration describe here. US has steadily decreased the number of F in the A321s over the years.

Yes yes, I realize things could change, but I'll be shocked if DP's team keeps the A321s with only 174 seats.

In general, Parker has been stingy with First Class seats except, for some reason, on the A319s. At 12F, they stand out compared to the rest of the US fleet. On the rest of the fleet, he appears to be in competition with UA, which has always featured fewer F seats, in general, than comparable AA planes.

UA A319s have 8F but DL's A319s have 12F.

As to the US A321s, Parker will have to adopt MCE/E+ (with UA and DL both featuring more legroom seats), so there's six Y seats gone. While you might be right, and Parker might cut back the F cabin on the AA fleet, I have my doubts.

Unless UA begins performing again (its financials are still lagging AA and DL and US), new AA's main competitor is increasingly looking like DL, not UA. And DL isn't as stingy with the number of F seats on its domestic fleet.

I don't think Parker will re-model AA into the US mold - he's taking over an airline that generates premium revenues - and I don't think he'll tinker with the formula.

 

[WorldTraveler]

DL has been adding FC seats to its domestic fleet over the last several years, in part precisely as a tool to help win over corporate business and increase the number of potential upgrades.... the reason why UA's seat count on a number of aircraft fleets is below AA and DL's is because UA has much larger E+ cabins that are well beyond the number of people who will pay for it or who deserve it on the basis of elite status. UA's E+ is a half or one-third aircraft version of More Room which didn't work....

it is indeed very likely that Parker will put more seats on the non-transcon 321s just as there will eventually be seats added to the 777-300 along with the removal of the standup bar. Passengers have to pay for the extra space or the CASM will rise compared to AA's peers.

AA will have a nice product with the new Airbus aircraft but the US domestic industry for the network carriers is basically mass transit on wings with a first class cabin and economy plus/comfort etc as perks for the most loyal flyers. Network airlines have tried to expand the coach product without success in generating revenues sufficiently large to pay the costs; first class service is all about the ability to generate premium revenues. AA still has a sufficiently large number of corporate accounts and loyal business travelers that they should be able to justify the cost of domestic products - but in reality the transcon product is the only real place where AA's product will be distinctly above other carriers and then only in the F cabin since DL and UA both have lie-flat products in their own transcon business cabins.