American Airlines Launches International Premium Economy

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — American Airlines will offer customers Premium Economy seating on its international widebody fleet starting late 2016. This new class of service will be directly behind Business Class, providing an enhanced product offering compared to the Main Cabin.

This seating, an enhancement over seating in the Main Cabin, will offer a new type of seat with benefits that include:
◾more legroom
◾wider seats
◾personal on-demand entertainment
◾noise reducing headphones
◾priority check-in and boarding
◾checked baggage allowance
◾amenity kits
◾enhanced meal service
◾spirits, beer and wine

“Travelers want more choice when they fly and have unique preferences depending on each trip. Our customers tell us they want a class of service between Business Class and Main Cabin, and this feedback provided the genesis for our new Premium Economy service,” said Andrew Nocella, American’s chief marketing officer.

“Premium Economy is offered today by many premier carriers around the world. We studied those offerings and developed a world-class product with larger seats, more legroom, improved entertainment and upscale headphones and amenity kits, just to name a few features of this new service. As the world’s largest carrier, we are excited to introduce this product for our customers.”

American’s first plane with Premium Economy seating will be its Boeing 787-9 which is expected to enter service in late 2016. The 787-9 will offer Business Class, three rows of Premium Economy in a 2-3-2 configuration, Main Cabin Extra, which offers customers up to 6 inches of additional leg room, and Main Cabin seats. Premium Economy will also be installed on the Airbus A350, which arrives in 2017.

Over the next three years American plans to add Premium Economy to all Boeing 777-300ERs, 777-200ERs, 787-8s and Airbus A330s. The 777-300ER will feature First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy, Main Cabin Extra and Main Cabin seating options for customers. All other retrofitted aircraft will continue to offer all-aisle access, lie-flat seats in Business Class, as well as Main Cabin Extra and Main Cabin seats.

The Boeing 767-300s, which are scheduled to be retired from service in upcoming years, will not be retrofitted with Premium Economy.

Premium Economy will offer a seat featuring 38 inches of pitch, personal on-demand entertainment systems, larger touchscreen monitors with access to movies, TV shows, music and games, and noise reducing headphones.

Preflight, customers will be able to check up to two bags free of charge and board earlier with priority boarding. Once in the air they will be offered enhanced meal service, access to global Wi-Fi connectivity, on-demand entertainment, and complimentary wine, beer and spirits.

You can read more about American’s plans for Premium Economy at aa.com/premiumeconomy. You can take an interactive look at the new premium economy product at explorethenewamerican.com/premiumeconomy.