One of the oldest operating aircraft flying for American Airlines is the Boeing 757. While American has worked to upgrade these aircraft, some Boeing 757s still lack WiFi. Now, American Airlines will start to change that according to the View from the Wing.
In the wake of the 737 MAX grounding, American is working hard to maintain capacity. One way in which the airline can maintain operations is by holding on to older aircraft. Several other airlines have also done the same. However, this does raise the airline's costs.
WiFi on American 757s
American Airlines is facing a capacity crunch. While the airline has options to grow – and is making strides – the 737 MAX grounding is forcing the airline to make some changes. Amid the grounding, which has now extended to nearly one year, American is upgrading the Boeing 757 aircraft.
American Airlines has confirmed that the airline operates 34 aircraft. Of these 34, 29 have wifi capability. Finally, the last five are confirmed to receive wifi. This will be a welcome benefit for passengers as more and more airlines upgrade aircraft with wifi. In fact, some airlines are even looking at offering free inflight WiFi.
American will use the Gogo2Ku system on the 757s receiving wifi. This marks a change from some of American's others 757, as View from the Wing notes, which have Panasonic WiFi system. This will help the airline achieve consistency. And, more so, will allow the airline to operate more efficiently. Perhaps, this move could also lead to American Airlines being able to offer free inflight WiFi easier.
Where does American fly the 757?
The 757 is an incredibly versatile aircraft. This type can fly on some long-haul routes such as from Philadelphia to Edinburgh, Shannon, Dallas to Lima, Miami to Brasilia, and more. In addition, the 757 does fly several key domestic routes. Nevertheless, no matter which route, the lack of wifi on the 757 can be a pain for business travelers looking to get some work done or passengers who want to find their own form of entertainment. And now, wifi is one of the major drivers of passenger loyalty.
Onboard the 757
On these long-haul routes, American usually offers lie-flat seating in business class in a 2-2 configuration. This is similar to the product offered on A321T aircraft. Although it is not the best configuration in American's fleet, this is still a more comfortable way to make a long-haul.
Other of American's 757s are in traditional domestic configurations that contain recliner-style First Class and economy.
Overall
American Airlines is working to keep its 757s competitive as the 737 MAX remains grounded. This means that the remaining five Boeing 757s in American's fleet without wifi will be outfitted with wifi. However, American still has yet to make moves towards offering free inflight wifi as some notable competitors have worked towards this goal.
Will you fly on American's 757s? What do you make of this development? Let us know in the comments!