American’s First Boeing 777-300ER, N718AN, seen at DFW Gate D-23, the day of departure flew the inaugural flight. It signifies the birth of a new airline.
This is a continuation of Chris Sloan’s (@Airchive) report on flying on the inaugural American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER to Sao Paulo. Be sure to also check out PART 1 of the series.
The day began with a contingent of press crawling around and photographing the cabin, more on that later. The 2 Boeing 777-300ERs were at Gate D-23 (our inaugural aircraft) and another unpainted at D-24 for an employee event and to be used as backup. For an inaugural, the gate events were remarkably low-key. Missing were the obligatory ribbon cutting, cake cutting, ice sculpture, and balloon canopy.
Business in the front and party in the back! Reactions to the new livery were mixed: The updated Eagle icon, ’œbillboard’ American typography, and silver mica paint were generally well received. The flag on the tail was critiqued as being gaudy and incongruous with the elegance of the fuselage. In person, it is much more appealing and grows on you.
Downplaying the event seemed intentional because in this transition period with so much ’œup in the air’, AA had to strike the right tone in not wanting to seem extravagant or over-the-top. With this being mostly a revenue flight with very few VIPs, many in the gate weren’t even aware of the significance of the moment.
We won’t be needing ETOPS today with most of our flight over land.
There was a small snack buffet including 777 commemorative cookies, some ’œNew American’ signage, and a few words from American CEO Tom Horton and Chief Commercial Officer Virasb Vahidi with a particular shout out to the onboard products design team led by Alice Lieu. With that, the boarding began of this entirely sold out flight.
With the importance of Latin America and booming Brazil to American Airlines, it’s no accident Sao Paulo was chosen to be the inaugural flight of the new 777-300ER. Our flight departed right on-time. American’s new counter and terminal branding will debut shortly at DFW’s remodeled Terminal A.
American branded goodies at the gate event.
American Airlines CEO Tom Horton greets the American Airlines team working the gate.
American chose to not only introduce a new aircraft with this flight and aircraft, but an entirely new passenger experience, maybe even the most beautiful 777 cabin in the world. Upon entry, we are immediately struck by the 787 Dreamliner inspired dynamic LED lighting illuminated in red and blue with stars ala Emirates and the dramatic entry archway and ceiling treatment which is a 777-300 first. In another first for a U.S. carrier, there is a fully stocked walk-up bar in First and Business flanking a plasma monitor. According to Virasb Vahidi, American chose to build a customer-centric product ’œinspired by the luxury touches and trends of high-end cars, hotels, and restaurants’.
American Airlines CEO Tom Horton, myself, and Chief Commercial Office Virasb Vahid are all smiles as we board the AA 777-300ER inaugural. They were as excited as all the AvGeeks and very approachable. Horton proudly kept showing off pics of the 777-300ER on his iPHONE.
Vahib admits American ’œtook a gamble in reducing capacity but says this was a cabin designed for its customers not Excel spreadsheets.’ He terms the new service as ’œLife uninterrupted. Customers want an experience that’s the same in everyday life.”
Being Welcomed Aboard the new American 777-300ER article. The aircraft was stunning, but the very friendly crew are what made the flight.
I almost thought I was boarding Cathay Pacific with this is nice face welcoming us aboard. Different faces of American crew are placed randomly on screens throughout the cabin, very clever and personal.
With their 777-300ER, American becomes the first U.S. carrier with a standup bar / buffet for Premium Class since the 1970s. This is also the uncluttered and welcoming entry for the aircraft ala the Dreamliner. Located between First and Business Class, the bar is fully stocked following the dinner service. The Plasma screen is a nice touch.
The 777-300 is 33 feet longer then the 777-200 and the new aircraft carries 304 passengers in 4 classes and 6 cabins, 61 more than the 3 Cabin Dash 200’s 243 passengers. The ultra-exclusive First Class cabin features 8 Zodiac UK seats with an almost unimaginable 80’ of pitch and 36’ width in a herringbone 1-2-1 configuration. These seats become 6’ 8’ beds with a drop-down armrest further enhancing sleep.
For a US domestic carrier, the 8 Zodiac UK First Class Seats are in a league all of their own with swivel seating, 2 IFE controls, an electronically controlled privacy divider, and an ottoman that becomes a seat for invited guests. This cabin is remarkably intimate and is exclusive to American’s 777-300ER. Flagship Suites will be removed from all other American aircraft.
All suites have electrically powered privacy dividers, two universal AC power outlets, one USB outlet, two large tray tables / desks, a swivel seat and a many other creature comforts including American’s trademark Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headsets with charges built into the headrest, and an enlarged 17-inch touch screen IFE. The amenity kits have received a major upgrade as well.
The connectivity box for the American Airlines First Class Flagship Suites is well designed so that all the cables are stored in the box but thread out the bottom. The vanity mirror is a nice touch.
Additional unique touches include swiveling seats and an ottoman so a guest can join the First Class passenger for dinner or a face-to-face conversation; a ’œdo not disturb’ electronic sign (just like a hotel), a secondary remote for the IFE so the passenger can use it without even facing the monitor, and a unique iPod looking display for the seat controls. The ’œTom Horton’ lamp nicknamed after the CEO, gives these suites an additional high-end touch evocative of a Pullman train car. Vahidi’s nicknamed pet contribution is the ’œVirasb Espresso Machine’ which serves up a really nice latte.
An electronically controlled visor between the middle First Class seats adds an additional level of privacy.
The cabin is very elegant with its high-end interior trim and finishes. American has set the bar very high that no other U.S. carrier is matching at the moment, and vaults it into the realm of the highest echelon airlines in the world. In fact, the seat product is similar to American’s One World alliance member, Cathay Pacific.
The new upgraded First Class amenity kit is exclusive to the 777-300ER Flagship Suites. The amenity kit doubles as an iPad case. CEO Tom Horton came back to Business and personally gave me his without even me asking for it.
With First Class cabins becoming ever smaller and more rare (and rarefied), the real important action is in Business Class. Many say Business Class is the New First Class, and this new configuration bears that out. The New American Business Class cabin, the first redesign since the unloved 2-3-2 2006 era product, is upgraded to an incredibly roomy for Business Class 52 75’ pitch and 26’ lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.
First Class Seat in the American 777-300ER.
This is what I would be traveling in, in seat 4J. In a pre-flight boarding, I sampled some of the Sicma Aero seats new features. Highlights include a very tasteful and warm new look unlike the dark, dark cavern feel of the old cabin. In addition, every seat has aisle access. The arm rests fold down so you don’t have to remove your table to crawl out for aisle access, which is a real nicety.
American’s new comfortable Business Class seats convert into lie-flat beds bringing them on-par with their domestic and international competitors. American was late to do this, but the wait was worth it especially replacing its tired angled-bed current Business Class product.
American is the first U.S. carrier to claim this in Business and First Class. This herringbone configuration echoes the Delta layout. Every part of the seat, including the seat back, headrest, and leg rest, can be adjusted. The seats feature a large tray table in addition to a work surface so you can eat and work at the same time, which given the nice, extended meal services is a productive and nice touch.
The New American Sicma Business Class cabin is upgraded with an incredibly roomy configuration with fifty-two seats 75’ pitch and 26’ lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. The seats are similar to those of Cathay Pacific and are a quantum leap improvement over the current 2-3-2 Business Class. American sacrificed capacity for a significantly upgraded passenger experience in Business as this class is the main driver for business travel and premium revenue. This cabin will be the similar to the new 777-200 Business Cabin as these aircraft will no longer have First Class Flagship Suites.
Each seat also has a water bottle holder and ’œcubbie hole’ headset stowage for the Bose headsets offered to all Premium passengers. There’s even a vanity mirror on the storage door. Seat controls, power ports, USB’s, and a reading light are located to the right within arms reach. Two of my favorite features are the folding armrest and pivoting table that allows an easy exit from the seat without removing everything off the seatback table.
Business Class cabin on American’s 777-300ER.
The Business Class Cabin for the 777-200s and some 767-300s, due in January 2014 will reportedly be a further upgrade, as it will be a hybrid between the Flagship and Business. This new cabin will be very key to the airline as the First Class Flagship suites will be removed from these particular aircraft.
The Bose headphones and cubby hole storage box, complete with vanity mirror in Business Class. The self-charging Bose plug into a 3 prong socket in the box but room is left to allow the door to close with cables plugged in. The seat controls and IFE are located here as well.
The Panasonic eX2 IFE is much improved and enlarged over the old system that I always found particularly poor. It’s new touch screen user interface is much more responsive the catalog of 120 movies, 150 TV shows, and more than 350 audio selections is much more impressive. Tom Horton points out that there are enough entertainment options for 15 trips around the world.
Business Class cabin with morning / daylight orange cruise dynamic LED lighting
The GUI has a fluid, user-friendly operation similar to Apple’s Cover-flow. The system currently operates on the Linux Platform but will be switching to the Android Platform in November 2014. The Moving Maps are the main area that will be improved with ultra-high resolution user controllable Google Maps.
The Panasonic eX2 IFE system is a major upgrade over American’s previous system in terms of interface, selection, and clarity. Running on Linux but soon to change to an Android Platform. It has a unique ’œcoverflow’ GUI. CEO Tom Horton commented there’s enough entertainment options onboard for 15 trips around the world.
The Ku-Band Satellite Panasonic Wi-Fi, so highly touted, functioned intermittently on the flight. Normally priced between $12-$19 USD, the Wi-Fi was free and once we entered Brazil it functioned more reliably. American, who ran a special test flight for connectivity, can’t be happy nor were the social media folks American had in the back tweeting the flight. American had even run a special proving flight over Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, and Miami just for the IFE and connectivity but this new route into deep South America was new for the technology. Panasonic actually had crew onboard the flight troubleshooting the problem. The flight crew apologized on the P/A for the service issues.
AA left no detail untouched. The Premium Class lavatories seem bespoke with their granite floor texture, high-end boutique hotel sink, and electronically controlled faucet ala the 787 and A380.
Even the Main Cabin received some love with Main Cabin Extra Weber seats boasting a 17’ width, 35’ pitch, and a roomy 9 abreast configuration in its 30 leather seats, similar to JV partner British Airways offering. The standard Economy Cabin’s 214 seats were also leather-clad but remained at 31’ pitch and 10 abreast. New seatback 9’ touch-screen AVOD IFE’s using the Panasonic Eco monitor and personal 110 Volt power ports are located at every seat. By swiping your hand in front of the monitor, the controls illuminate. Both seats have a higher pivot providing increased knee room and an articulating seat bottom, which provides a greater, recline angle. The new Main Cabin is a major improvement over the status quo.
The new Main Cabin Extra Weber seats have 17’ width and 35’ pitch in its 30 leather seats with an 9 abreast configuration, similar to JV partner British Airways offering. This is a 4’ gain in pitch over previous Main Cabin.
For an inaugural, our flight AA 963 is a late night flight. This flight, the 2nd daily departure to São Paulo GRU, normally operated by a 777-200 pushes back on time at precisely 8:35pm CST for the projected 9:06 trip from Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport International Concourse Gate D-23 to São Paulo Guarulhos Airport. This flight would is scheduled to take us 5,161 miles well within the 777-300ER’s maximum range of 7,930 miles.
The standard Main Economy Cabin’s 214 Weber seats are also leather-clad but remain at 31’ pitch and are at a 10 abreast configuration. New seatback 9’ touchscreen AVOD IFE’s using the Panasonic Eco monitor and personal 110 Volt powerports are located at every seat.
Our payload is 698,000 pounds well below the 777-300ER limits with 198,000 pounds of fuel taken aboard. As we push back, we are saluted by a nighttime water cannon salute. At 8:46pm, we begin our rotation on DFW’s runway 18L. V1 is 164 mph, Vr is 170 mph, and after just 30 seconds of a very quiet roll, V2 comes on at 174 mph at around 5,000 feet and we are airborne to the obligatory boisterous applause.
The standard Weber Economy Cabin’s 214 seats are also leather-clad but remain at 31’ pitch and are at a 10 abreast configuration. New seatback 9’ touchscreen AVOD IFE’s using the Panasonic Eco monitor and personal 110 Volt powerports are located at every seat.
Even though115,000 pounds of thrust is available on the GE engines, the takeoff is de-rated at around 70%. We climb effortlessly to our initial cruising altitude of 31,000 feet though light to moderate turbulence dogs us throughout the first third of the flight. To take advantage of favorable winds and weather, Flight 963 is on a route from DFW southeast over New Orleans, The Gulf of Mexico, Miami, The Dominican Republic, Eastern Caribbean, Venezuela, and the Amazon River Basin of Brazil (where we deviated around a lot of weather), and into São Paulo.
Heading to Sao Paulo on AA’s 77W.
After a quick 30 second, 5000 feet, and quiet take-off roll, we are airborne over Dallas/Ft. Worth heading east to thunderous applause.
Our very senior flight crew consists of 3 Captains on the flight deck under the command of Captain John Hale, the VP of 777 Flight Operations who is joined by Captain Bill Elder, Fleet Training and Familiarization, and Captain and 777 Examiner David Schelener. Typical flights have a Captain, First Officer, and International Officer. Schelener, who has flown every widebody in the AA fleet dating back to the 747 remarks that the 777-300 is basically a ’œvery smooth sports car, similar to the 777-200 but with more mass, more thrust, and a fasting cruising speed of .89’. The iPAD equipped, roomy flight deck is a pilot favorite made all the more spacious with the absence of the 42 pound brain bag.
American Airlines Captains John Hale, the VP of 777 Flight Operations and Bill Elder, Fleet Training and Familiarization on the capacious flight deck of the 777-300ER
Due to the length of the 777-300ER, there are three cameras to allow for ground operations – one on each horizontal stabilizer and front landing gear. They are visible to pilots on the Navigation Display while on the ground.
The Flight Deck Crew’s Rest quarters are quite roomy indeed.
55 minutes into the flight American’s top 2 executives CEO Horton and Chief Commercial Officer Vahidi serve champagne to the entire flight. With the bubbly served, Horton makes a toast ’œI really like to fly as a passenger and a weekend pilot, but I won’t be at the controls. I am an aviation geek but I won’t be flying’. He offers a few neat stats: The 777-300ER has 134 miles of wiring enough to stretch from Dallas to Austin, it accelerates from 0-60 in less then 6 seconds, and the Wi-Fi will connect to 3 different satellites. Even with the airline’s status up in the air, he proclaims this flight as ’œthe beginning of the New American with lots more to come’.
American Airlines CEO Tom Horton personally serves champagne to the passengers on the inaugural flight, after leading a toast to the new American. He had a very easy-going, genuine rapport with passengers and crew.
Nearly 90 minutes since take-off. The LED lights are dimmed to American’s unique blue ceiling and red side-panels display signaling the beginning of the meal service. This isn’t just any meal service; this is the launch of American’s new International Premium Service, which replaces the Flagship Service. Yes, the Sundaes are still there (a favorite of founder C.R. Smith), but everything else is new.
Business Class Appetizer service on the Inaugural Flight is now branded International Premium Service. The menus, china, and flatware are new.
Explains Flight Service Manager Leland Hinley: ’œThe customer has changed. They want lighter and more universal options in a more elegant setting. We have no logo on our new china, new white linen, full sized flatware, all meals plated in Premium Cabins, and soon even real stem wine glasses in Business. We are going for a 5-Star dining experience of a fine restaurant in the air.’ The only hitch is that the wrong Business Class menus are on our flight, but no matter ’“ the selection is still extensive.
Business Class Dinner service on the Inaugural Flight is now Called International Premium Service. The menus, china, and flatware are new. The wrong menus were loaded aboard – but no matter there were 4 entre choices including this delicious chicken curry.
I chose a shrimp and lentil starter, a Curry Chicken and Rice entre’, and a side of pretzel bread. Being sadly lactose intolerant, I now have to pass on the famous Sundae’s. Flight attendants are given 1 day training in the new service, and are clearly working very hard but they are still efficient and very friendly in spite of the stress of seemingly being short 1 or 2 people. By now, this article must seem like a gloat fest but I was very impressed by the entire service. It was the best service and food I have ever experienced on a U.S. carrier, one that compares very favorably with the world’s premium carriers.
Main Cabin in cruise following the meal service, the Dreamliner 787 inspired lighting changes to a darker blue ceiling and red sidewalls look.
The dome lighting of the Premium Class bar changes to the dark red/blue LED lighting along with the rest of the cabin…Dreamliner, eat your heart out!
With the meal service completed, the action shifts over to American’s new 777-300 standup bars, a first for a U.S. carrier since the 1970s. It’s stocked with wine, soft drinks, snacks, and water. It quickly becomes a popular place to congregate in spite of the very late hour. With our conveyance approaching South America, the lights are dimmed with 5 hours left to go to allow everyone to sleep.
The Business Cabin in cruise following the meal service. The Dreamliner inspired lights are further dimmed for sleeping.
The seats become very comfortable flat beds, but with the stormy ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) in full force, the flight was quite turbulent most of the way, but though the 777-300 isn’t immune from Mother Nature, she handled the weather with aplomb. Stepping the Dash 300 up to 37,000 feet, the flight crew skillfully earned their keep tonight and deviated around all sorts of weather that is common in the Amazon Basin.
With their 777-300ER, American becomes the first U.S. carrier with a standup bar / buffet for Premium Class since the 1970s. This is also the uncluttered and welcoming entry for the aircraft ala the Dreamliner. Located between First and Business Class, the bar is fully stocked following the dinner service. The Plasma screen is a nice touch.
The enhanced moving map shows us on a direct route from DFW southeast over New Orleans, The Gulf of Mexico, Miami, The Dominican Republic, Eastern Caribbean, Venezuela, and the Amazon River Basin of Brazil (where we deviated around a lot of weather), and into São Paulo. We had to deviate around numerous storms due to the ITCZ, where cloud tops reach as high as 80,000 feet. These maps will be updated to user-programmable high-resolution Google Maps when the IFE is upgraded to an Android platform.
One hour before landing we were served a light breakfast consisting of cereal or an asparagus omelet with a lovely apricot sauce accompanied by fruit and potatoes. This was a very brisk service. The only hitch is when one of the galley ovens failed causing the meal to be lukewarm. The meal trays were quickly picked up and we were in our descent into smooth air (finally!).
Our 2nd Business Class meal, breakfast was served just 60 minutes before arrival into Sao Paulo GRU
After 9 hours and 18 minutes in the air, at 10:06AM local time, we touchdown smoothly at São Paulo GRU’s to another round of thunderous cheers. After a quick taxi, we were treated to a water cannon salute just short of our gate in Terminal 2. Even with all the deviation for weather, and the water cannon salute, we arrived 1 minute ahead of schedule. The entire flight crew and some fellow journalists would have just over 14 hours before turning around back to DFW but even though everyone seemed exhausted, I got the feeling that they all were excited to do it again!
Though 2 fire trucks lined up for our Water Cannon Salute at Sao Paulo’s GRU, the vehicle on our side of the plane never sprayed.
There are still many unanswered questions for American Airlines but if this flight and the new product are any indication, this Eagle is rising from the ashes just like a Phoenix. Whether a certain Phoenix based carrier is part of this future isn’t known yet. From a passenger perspective, this is one of the very best flights I have ever been on regardless of airline, aircraft, and destination. Just taking this particular flight, American leaps up with the best of its One World partners such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific.
We arrived 1 minute ahead of schedule into Sao Paulo GRU despite having to deviating around the weather, which seems built into American’s schedules to Brazil and Latin American Countries affected by the ITCZ, especially during their Summer.
Even though I am press, I chose to pay for this flight entirely at my own expense. I am a very frequent traveler on American, given my Miami home-base, so my expectations were high and hopeful that they would live up to all the hype. I am happy to report my expectations were exceeded on virtually all accounts. Reiterating this was just one flight and service, the true measure of success and changing public perception will be how these changes affect the entire experience from 777-300ER Flagship service all the way to an American Eagle ERJ-145 Main Cabin flight from Amarillo to DFW, and flight on the system. American has made it clear that the goal is a fundamental change encompassing every part of its operation and in-flight experience. As a customer and journalist, I am keenly interested in this story as it unfolds. Stay Tuned’¦
Our Captain gives us a fond farewell upon landing at Sao Paulo. The Flight Crew were very proud of their new 777-300ER, and while not entirely certain of what the future holds, are passionate about their airline.
Click for our full gallery of American Airlines 777-300 inaugural flight images here.
This post is dedicated to NYCAviation Co-Founder and Co-Owner Matt Molnar who tragically passed away last week at the age of 33. Matt embodied the best qualities in all of us: passion, smarts, wit, and he was a gentle soul. #AvGeek or not, if you knew Matt, your life was better for it. If anyone would’ve enjoyed this trip and covered the Hell out of this story, it would have been him. God Speed Dude.
Special Thanks to: American Airlines’ Andrea Hugely, Kent Powell, Lauren Mungula, and Dori Robau Alvarez for their assistance in this article.
 |
This story written by…Chris Sloan, Correspondent.Chris has been an airline enthusiast, or #AvGeek, since he was 5 years old. Over the years, he has amassed an extensive collection of aviation memorabilia and photos that he shares on his site, Airchive.com. He is the President and Founder of the TV production and promotion company, 2CMedia.com and Executive Producer and Creator of ’œAirport 24/7’ Travel Channel series. |
The American Airlines cabin on the Boeing 777 300 ER looks absolutely magnificent.
I’ve now flown AA 135, LHR-LAX on the new 777-300ER in business twice now and I can unequivocally say I love it. It’s the nicest US-based airline business class I’ve ever flown. The new seats are incredible comfortable and well thought out and the cabin is a pleasure. The 1-2-1 seating configuration is so nice it’s as nice as quite a few first class cabins. The lighting, the bathrooms, the snack bar are all a treat.
If you get the opportunity to fly business on AA’s 777-300ER’s it’s well worth it.