Retrofit Older 737"s?

[kirkpatrick]

A discussion on another site leads me to ask this question. I could swear I've seen that the company plans to retrofit the older 737's in the fleet to match the new ones (this involves removing cart modules between the aft lavs and aft galley and moving the lavs back, and putting in two additional rows of coach seats, bringing total capacity from 16/132 to 16/144, thus breaking the "150 barrier" and necessitating a fourth flight attendant.

Can anyone verify that this is the plan, and it so, is there a start/finish time for this project?

MK

 

[FWAAA]

Someone posted about the plan a while back but I can't find it. I think that Arpey mentioned it during the last conference call - but no timeframe was given. I assume it will be years before the conversion is complete.

 

[upsilon]

I too remember a discussion about it and whether the 10 seats (above the 150 mark) would offset the cost of the additional FA.

I'll try to find it; but I follow too damn many aviation related BB to make it easy.

 

[kirkpatrick]

Someone posted about the plan a while back but I can't find it.

I've searched but can't find any reference either. It makes perfect sense to do it, not only for the additional revenue from the additional seats, but for the problems having two types would cause. Subbing a smaller AC for the larger one would leave people behind, and subbing a larger one for a smaller one could leave them searching for another FA.

MK

 

[jimntx]

Their history has not led one to believe they would be that proactive in avoiding problems.

 

[777 fixer]

The plan is to start retrofitting the older 737 fleet with the new interiors in early 2010. It's supposed to take a year or two. There's more info about it on the M&E site under Planning. You have to use an AA computer to see it however.