How American Airlines Plans to Fit Its Planes with New Flagship Suites
Aviation watchers are scratching their heads, wondering where American Airlines will find the space for the new seats
Photo: Courtesy of American Airlines
American Airlines is set to introduce its new business class cabin on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, including 70 suite-style seats that will replace the airline’s old first class cabin and potentially reduce legroom and one fewer lavatories on the plane.
The new international business class product, Flagship Suites, was highly anticipated and first announced in September 2022. These upgraded business class seats are intended to replace the existing first class seats on American’s long-haul flights.
Photo: Courtesy of American Airlines
The suites use a variation of the Adient Ascent seat, which is already seen in business class cabins from Qatar Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.
Standard Flagship Suite seats have lie-flat beds and fully-closing doors, while passengers, after even more luxury, can nab the Flagship Suite Preferred seats at the bulkhead. These seats are more spacious, with perks such as Best Bedding mattress pads and memory foam lumbar pillows.
Photo: Courtesy of American Airlines
Both types of Flagship Suites were set to debut this year on the carrier’s newly delivered Boeing 787-9s Dreamliners and Airbus A321XLR. However, with the deliveries of those planes delayed, travelers may first experience the Flagship Suites on American’s retrofitted Boeing 777-300ERs.
Project Olympus
The cabin retrofit, known as Project Olympus, will involve redesigning the interiors of 20 777-300ERs beginning next month. The aircraft will be equipped with 70 Flagship Suites and 44 premium economy seats, significantly increasing premium capacity. Each plane currently has 52 business class seats and 24 premium economy seats.
Photo: Current First Class Cabin, Boeing 777-300ER / Photo: Courtesy American Airlines Newsroom
American Airlines claims it will add a remarkable 38 premium seats without reducing the aircraft’s 216 economy seats. It’s evident that American is making room for these additional premium seats by eliminating the eight first class seats on the reconfigured 777-300ERs.
Although these first class seats were spacious, their space doesn’t exactly match the 18 business class suites and 20 premium economy seats.
American Airlines hasn’t revealed where it’s finding the additional space. Aviation expert JonNYC speculated on X that the airline may be forfeiting one of the plane’s lavatories and squeezing pitch (space between seats) in both business class and coach by one inch.
Photo: American Airlines, Boeing 777-300ER. Courtesy of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Even with the pitch reduced from 43 to 42 inches, the Flagship Suites will still be plush. Travelers may feel the pinch more in the main cabin. Fortunately, with so many additional business class seats, they’ll have more opportunity to nab better seats with miles or upgrades.
American Airlines hasn’t revealed when and where its first revamped Boeing 777-300ER will take to the skies. The planes must be re-certified with the new interiors, which can take weeks to months.
More Delays in Sight?
Currently, the airline does not have a set timeline for the delivery of its new Boeing Dreamliners, originally planned to start operating this fall equipped with the Flagship Suites.
Photo: Flagship Suite, Airbus A321XLR. Courtesy of American Airlines
On the other hand, the arrival of its new Airbus A321XLRs is imminent: the airline’s first A321XLR was recently spotted being towed at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW). However, the aircraft is not yet ready for takeoff, as the engines have not been installed, and the fuselage paintwork is incomplete. However, the tail already showcases American’s U.S. flag-inspired livery.
Photo: Premium Economy, Airbus A321XLR. Courtesy of American Airlines
The new A321XLRs will eventually feature 20 Flagship Suites, 12 premium economy seats, and 123 seats in the main cabin. These aircraft will be utilized for premium cross-country routes, including flights from Boston (BOS) and New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Orange County (SNA).
