Quantcast

American Airlines retrofits Airbus A319s with more first class seats

Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Delta named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for sustainability initiatives
Passengers escape fiery American Airlines jet in Denver
Delta, American Dive On Slashed Outlooks; But Two Airlines Rally
Competitors are circling Southwest after the airline announced it's going to start charging for checked bags
Exclusive: Dominican Low-Cost Carrier Arajet Wants to Disrupt NYC Market
Boeing deliveries rise 63% in February from a year earlier
Transportation Secretary Duffy Lays Out 10 Ways the FAA Is Working to Upgrade Air Traffic Control and Make Flying Safer
EasyJet pilot Paul Elsworth suspended after flying too close to mountain
Delta Air Lines bets on ‘blended-wing’ flight to reduce emissions
Europe's airlines pivot to bite size M&A deals to limit cost, regulatory burden
Dave Emerson named new CEO of Virgin Australia, replacing Jayne Hrdlicka
Ryanair DELAYS controversial new boarding pass rule to avoid summer chaos
FAA Orders Inspection, Replacement of 737NG Engine Parts
Spirit Adds New Airport, Three Routes
Delta crash passengers should take the $30,000 payment, their lawyers say. Here’s why.
Budget airline launches new cheap flights to one of the UK’s top winter sun destinations
American Airlines retrofits Airbus A319s with more first class seats
Research
Webp p18pueyozwbyaegyt1fzg7i1qaau
View from the Wing | View from the Wing

American Airlines is set to remove seat-back video screens from its Airbus A319 aircraft, which were ordered before US Airways management took over. These planes will undergo modifications to include more seats and larger overhead bins. Aviation watchdog JonNYC reported that the first aircraft will enter prototyping for the new cabin configuration in spring 2025.

"AA A319 will go in for Oasis prototype in Spring on '25. This is for the group of AA A319's, 32 of them, delivered around 2013," JonNYC tweeted on September 13, 2024.

The retrofit of American Airlines' Airbus A319s has been anticipated for three years, with plans to add more first-class seats finally coming to fruition. Currently, these planes have only eight first-class seats compared to 16 on Boeing 737s and 20 on Airbus A321neos. The limited number of first-class seats has constrained American's revenue potential as purchasing first-class tickets can be challenging on many routes.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

American Airlines intends to add a row of first-class seating (four seats) without removing any coach seats. This will result in a tighter configuration with smaller lavatories and likely reduced seat space in both first class and coach sections.

Seven years ago, American Airlines introduced a new domestic product featuring less legroom, reduced seat padding, no seat-back entertainment screens, and smaller lavatories but larger overhead bins. Over time, this "Oasis" configuration was applied to existing planes, which involved removing seat-back screens from those that had them. Initially implemented without thorough planning or mockups, the project required subsequent adjustments under "Project Kodiak."

However, the Airbus A319s never received this treatment initially because they were already densely configured when ordered by American Airlines before the US Airways merger. Now these planes will see their padded seats replaced and their seat-back entertainment removed as part of the Oasis retrofit.

With legacy American Airlines A319s receiving the Oasis treatment and additional first-class seats, a few domestic fleets remain untouched since the merger. The premium cross-country Airbus A321T planes are set to be replaced by Airbus A321XLRs upon delivery; these older models will be converted to standard configurations with less legroom in coach and no seat-back entertainment.

Additionally, American’s aging Airbus A320 fleet still features an old US Airways configuration with outdated seating and no modern amenities like larger overhead bins or extra legroom options. Rather than retiring these aircraft, American plans to retrofit them with an extra row of first-class seating as well.

In contrast, competitors Delta and JetBlue offer seat-back entertainment screens while United is adding them. All three airlines plan to provide fast, free Wi-Fi services whereas American’s inflight internet remains among the most expensive in the industry.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

IndiGo has launched a new service from Mumbai to Seychelles, marking the first Indian carrier to operate this route in two decades.

Apr 1, 2025

Delta Air Lines has made changes to its flight operations between Detroit and Los Angeles, removing the Airbus A350-900 from the route's schedule.

Apr 1, 2025

Allegiant Air has announced the appointment of Victor Cipolla as manager of Inflight Training Operations.

Mar 31, 2025

Ethiopian Airlines has announced the official launch of a global cabin crew training program by Ethiopian Aviation University.

Mar 31, 2025

Atlas Air has announced that certified flight instructors from the Atlas Cadet Academy have commenced hands-on professional development at the Atlas Training Center.

Mar 31, 2025

Hector Nazario, the husband of Kenia Nazario, who is employed at Flying Food Group (FFG), expressed concerns about the union Unite Here.

Mar 31, 2025