American Airlines has announced that it will launch a Premium Economy product on selected international routes, from the end of 2016. The new cabin will first feature in 787-9 aircraft being delivered at that time, and then will be gradually rolled out to its 777, 787, A330 and A350 fleets.
Premium Economy is a new cabin many airlines have been introducing to fit between the Economy and Business class cabins. As Business has gained extra features, such as lie flat beds, there has been an increasing gap between Economy and Business, and generally Premium Economy is intended to fill this gap. It is an increasingly popular cabin, and while Qantas has had it for some time, airlines such as Singapore Airlines have been rolling it out over the last twelve months.
American Airlines has created an interactive demonstration of the new Premium Economy product, and it is worth exploring that demonstraton if interested.
American Airlines tout the following features of the cabin:
- A spacious environment with more legroom and wider seats. The seat pitch is set at 38 inches, compared to compared to 36 inches for Main Cabin Extra and 31 for economy.
- Adjustable leather seats with extendable foot, leg and head rests
- An enhanced dining experience
- Personal on-demand entertainment at every seat
- Noise-reducing headphones
- AC power outlets and USB ports at every seat
- Amenity kits
- Priority boarding
On the 787-9 aircraft, there will be a cabin of 21 seats, consisting of three rows in a 2-3-2 configuration. This compares to the rather squishy 3-3-3 configuration that is in Economy.