While American Airlines waits expectantly for its new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, various reports point to an extra focus on premium passengers in a new cabin layout.
American Airlines (AA) received its first Boeing 787-8, registration N-800AN, in January 2015. According to Planespotters.net, the airline now has 46 Dreamliners, 24 787-8 and 22 787-9 aircraft.
Boeing’s February orders and deliveries report shows a further 12 787-9 aircraft are on order. The well-publicised delays with Boeing’s 787 deliveries are impacting schedules, but the new aircraft are expected to start arriving in the fourth quarter of 2023.
How will the new Boeing 787-9s be configured?
Currently, American’s 787-8s seat 234 and the larger 787-9s can carry 285. The 787-9s seat 285 passengers, configured with 30 business class, 21 premium economy, 36 main cabin extra (exit row/bulkhead) and 234 economy seats.
The changes to the new 787-9 suggest capacity will drop to 244. The cabin will have 51 business, 32 premium economy, 18 main cabin extra and 143 economy seats.
Total capacity will drop by 41 seats or 14%, but premium class seating will rise by 28 seats. This change will increase the higher-fare premium seats by more than 60%.
American Airlines is reconfiguring the cabin layout on its new Boeing 787-9 aircraft due in late 2023. Photo: Getty Images.
While American has not confirmed these layouts, they are in various reports from those usually in the know, including these tweets from @xJonNYC:
More premium and more privacy for American
When the upgraded 787-9s arrive, they will have all-new business class seats with sliding side doors and privacy dividers. They will also have a business class walk-up bar and ViaSat satellite inflight internet.
American Airlines is considering using a similar layout as the British Airways Airbus A350-1000 on the new 787-9s. Photo: BA
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