close
close

American to upgrade Boeing 777-300ERs with new cabins

Posted on by angelo
American to upgrade Boeing 777-300ERs with new cabins

American Airlines will soon offer a new passenger experience on long-haul flights, with the introduction of its new Flagship Suite business class and its Flagship Suite Preferred in the front row.

While this product will be offered on newly delivered Boeing 787-9s (which are unfortunately delayed), we will also see existing Boeing 777-300ERs reconfigured.

I wanted to provide an update on this, as the first aircraft are expected to be reconfigured shortly. Also, we know what configuration we can expect on these aircraft, and frankly, I’m a little surprised.

American to modernize first Boeing 777 soon

American has a fleet of 20 Boeing 777-300ERs, and they are the only existing wide-body aircraft that American intends to reconfigure with new interiors. This is partly because they are used for the airline’s most upscale routes, and also because they feature first class, a cabin that American is eliminating.

US Boeing 777-300ERs get new interiors

There have been many questions about when American will reconfigure its first 777-300ER, especially given the delay in delivering the new 787-9s. Do the Dreamliner delays impact the timeline on which American will modernize its existing planes?

American to Eliminate Current Business Class on 777-300ER

According to @xJonNYC, American plans to begin upgrading its Boeing 777-300ERs starting in early September 2024. So we can expect the first plane to roll into the “shop floor” in the coming weeks. American’s Boeing 777-300ER upgrade project will be known as “Olympus” (similar to how the airline called its 737-800 upgrade project “Oasis”).

The first plane is expected to be reconfigured soon, but no one knows when it will enter service with new interiors. It is a prototype and the plane will need to be certified with the new interiors, a process that could take weeks or even months, depending on the outcome.

While I’m sure the goal is to reconfigure the planes quickly enough to ensure fleet consistency, there are many variables at play. For example, American continues to face delivery delays on many planes, and the airline may not want to remove more planes from service than necessary.

Interiors of American’s new flagship suites

American Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER Updated Configuration

So when American reconfigures its Boeing 777-300ERs, how will the number of seats change? While the airline hasn’t announced it publicly, a recent filing with the Federal Aviation Administration reveals American’s updated configuration.

To put things into context, American Airlines’ 777-300ERs currently have 304 seats, divided as follows:

  • Eight first class seats
  • 52 business class seats
  • 24 premium economy class seats
  • 216 economy class seats

Once reconfigured, American’s 777-300ERs will have 330 seats, distributed as follows:

  • 70 business class seats
  • 44 premium economy class seats
  • 216 economy class seats

As you can see, the jet will lose eight first class seats, but will gain 18 business class seats and 20 premium economy seats, while economy capacity will remain the same.

I am truly perplexed by the possibility of such a thing. Trading eight first class seats for 18 business class seats and 20 premium economy seats is quite a “deal.” Let’s take a closer look. According to the regulatory documents, there will be 22 business class seats in the forward “zone,” between the first and second sets of gates (compared to the current eight first class seats and eight business class seats):

  • With the current configuration, there are 44 business class seats behind the second set of doors, plus 24 premium economy seats, plus 216 economy class seats
  • With the new configuration, there will be 48 business class seats, 44 premium economy seats and 216 economy class seats, in the same space

Is the new Adient Ascent product that American is installing significantly more efficient than the current Safran Cirrus seat? Is premium economy significantly more compact? Is American reducing seat pitch in economy? All of the above?

I’m delighted to see that there will be 70 business class seats. This is fantastic for upgrades, as it’s far more business class capacity than we’ve seen on any aircraft so far.

Interiors of American’s new flagship suites

When will Americans eliminate international first class?

We know that American is considering eliminating its international first class product and instead introducing an enhanced business class experience, as well as a new premium business class experience in the front row. Exactly when that will happen remains to be seen.

We’ve previously heard that American might stop selling first class on its flights starting in late 2024. However, that seems to be a moving target, and for now, American is continuing to sell first class until the end of the program, which will run until next summer.

American to sell first-class tickets through next year

I wouldn’t go too far in saying that. I suspect American doesn’t know yet when it will stop selling first class tickets.

I mean, most people who book first class well in advance do so with miles and/or upgrades, and I assume American figures it’s pretty easy to reschedule them to business class when the airline finally gets a better handle on the schedule. Besides, American changes planes all the time on routes, so this wouldn’t be the first time the airline has faced a situation like this.

American to Eliminate First Class from 777-300ER

It is likely that at some point American will stop selling first class planes, but will continue to offer first class products on some aircraft and seat only a few business class passengers. After all, not all 20 777-300ERs can be reconfigured overnight.

In conclusion

American Airlines plans to begin reconfiguring its Boeing 777-300ERs starting in September 2024. It is unclear when the first plane with the new interiors will actually enter service. It is expected that the reconfiguration of the first aircraft will take longer than that of subsequent aircraft.

Perhaps most interesting is how American plans to reconfigure these planes. They will feature a massive business class and a premium economy cabin, and American continues to significantly increase capacity.

What do you think about American’s plans to modernize the Boeing 777-300ER?