The new American Airlines 787-9s debuts June 5. That’s when the first plane flies Chicago – Los Angeles and back and then on to London. Come July all three of American’s Chicago – London flights transition to this new aircraft (“789P”).
It features business class suites with doors, including an enhanced bulkhead row, as well as new premium economy seats. The plane is also equipped with ViaSat wifi which is far more functional than the Panasonic installs that have been featured on all of American’s wifis prior to the ‘block 2’ 787-8s which were delivered after the pandemic.
American’s premium entry isn’t quite ready for prime time, though, and if the airline has their way service might not be very premium either. Aviation watchdog JonNYC reports that the business class doors aren’t certified for use yet, and that the airline is still working on FAA approval to operate the plane with just 7 flight attendants rather than the current 8.
The 789p FA staffing (8 vs. minimum of 7) debate (for lack of a better word) goes on. At present, minimum is 8, AA continued to hope to bring minimum down to 7
(I may not be describing this well)Also doors might be deactivated upon entry to service (related)
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) May 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
My understanding is that American still hopes to have the business class suite doors certified for the plane’s commercial launch on June 5. But if they don’t get FAA approval in time, then the doors will be deactivated and locked open until approval comes. American has been dealing with FAA red tape for these doors since 2022, even though they’re a common feature of long haul aircraft.
Meanwhile I reported on the airline’s plan to get the plane certified for reduced staffing back in December. American says that they plan to operate the plane with 8 flight attendants – but want to be able to operate with 7, for instance if one gets sick this would allow them to avoid cancelling a trip.
Current Boeing 787-9s with more seats operate with 9 flight attendants, which is one more than the legal minimum.
American began reducing onboard staffing before the pandemic. Then in 2020, American Airlines further reduced flight attendant staffing to one above FAA legal minimums on international widebody and transcon flights and to the legal minimum on Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
This would certify the 787-9P at legal minimum providing the airline with greater flexibility (and of course the opportunity to make a permanent change in the future).
Flight attendants lost a grievance over the reduced staffing but didn’t make staffing levels an issue during recent contract negotiations.
They are so cheap. People complain about AA’s flight attendants but yet when their flight attendants ask for more staffing for a better passenger experience the company tries to set them up for failure.
What the airline is saying is that they plan on operating the a/c with 8 flight attendants but if there’s a call out they want to be able to operate it with 7 flight attendants versus cancelling the flight or delaying it while trying to find a reserve. Assuming that is the intention I’d vote for option one rather than have my flight cancelled or delayed by a couple of hours.
During covid American cut the number of Flight attendants as they were not doing full service. Now they are doing full service but did not bring back the flight attendants. I noticed the difference and asked several FA’s. So now they are trying to cut even more of them. If they get approved to go with 7 instead of 8. They will always use 7. They proved that with the covid cuts. They do not care about service times to customers.
Interesting how AA’s crewing strategy plays into it’s endeavors to offer a more ‘premium service’.
Both objectives seem diametrically opposed….
Wonder how much fuel is wasted & costs flying those dead weight locked doors around..
Most of the flight attendants r gossiping and playing games anyway. If they worked for Emeritus they would be fired
I am not looking forward to the new PE seats, as I am a fan of the Collins MIQs. The only saving grace will be more of them.
@ George N Romey -that is a very naive take. If the flight can legally operate with 7 FA’s, that will become the new standard. Afterall the the CEO’s philosophy is to never spend a dollar more than you need to.
Neil,
Sorry the flight attendants turned you down.
Tom,
You are right. Airlines will bring staffing down to the FAA minimum to the detriment of their service scores.
You can’t lead your workers with a stun gun if you want your passengers to be happy.
AA preaches caring for customers along life’s journey but for years they have enacted policies, made cuts and reduced service that prove otherwise. They may preach now that they intend to focus on premium service, but it’s just not part of the current company culture or DNA. The America Worst management team will forever enrich themselves and the investors at all costs and don’t really care about any collateral damage to the company, the customers or the employees. If they succeed at reducing the number of flight attendants it will eventually become permanent.
@Tamerra, is that a reveal? Flight attendants sit in galleys “turning down” passengers? No wonder they can’t deliver a service and have reputations and NPS scores to support that.
I am sorry that their management also refuses to seek acceptable service levels, but blame is shared and the service culture is long broken.
8 FAs for a 787?? Is this Frontier? No wonder service is so awful (this, and probably rushed training).
How awful. AA will never exit the financial hole it’s in any other way but bankruptcy
Pretty sure staffing levels are dependant on number of seats. 1 fa for every 50 – the 787-9P has 244 seats whereas the 787-9 has 285.. I’m grateful for Union representation – but sometimes we need to pick our battles better.
Yet another reason that I will not fly American Airlines. Anywhere!
Why don’t we judge on facts versus rumor alone? American can deliver a premium product and strong customer service. I see it time and time again. Like all the legacy carriers these days, the problem is consistency. Regulations do require a given number of flight attendant per seat configuration. Let’s reexamine the actual product after it has beed delivered and stop unfairly knocking a company before it’s product is actually revealed.
AAL FAs are the worst.
– They hate their job
– They hate their customers
– They won’t go “the extra step” to help disabled people with carryon
– They won’t walk the aisle offering another bottle of water, a coffee, a Biscoff Biscuit (/shout out to Hank Mishkoff!)
– They want to be paid from when you park at the airport to when you get your rental car at the other one.
Enshitification is not just an Internet meme (/shout out Cory Doctorow) but rather the overall removal of services, increase in prices. and shrinkflation.
AAL is the #1 airline in doing this in the US.
Don’t give them a pass.
Like previous posters have said, DO NOT FLY AAL.
This stupidity will continue until the public pushes back…as they are right now with SWA. Airlines will continue to push the envelope of cheapness, and even safety, until either we send them a strong message, or there is a terrible accident.
American needs a serious food overhaul. Whether I fly in Premium Coach or First, the food is absolutely awful, tasteless, nearly inedible and so poorly presented on the plate that it is unappetizing from the first glance.
They have been serving slop for years and between that and the poor service, I only fly them when I can’t find any other carrier that goes to the destination I need to get to.
@Neil, it’s understood that people who complain that the crew “isn’t doing their job” if they have 2 minutes to breathe, are generally the type that have the personality that no one would interact with them if they were the only two people in the room..
How safe does it make someone feel that less crew to assist in an emergency is a smart plan?
1 FA /34 passengers vs
1FA /40 passengers
@Ehud Gavron.
Sounds like princess is have a bad day. No one massaging your feet and/ or other parts? Upset that the flight attendants don’t ignore the other 200 passengers just to attend to you? Lol.
American Airlines have the laziest and roughest flight attendants I’ve flown with, and I’ve been on many airlines, especially the foreign ones, and the company knows it. They are just trying to remove an excess baggage.
P.S they are my co workers.
It’s a really good airline, I mostly fly domestic now so I switched to American from delta. I flew delta last week and it was still a nicer plane but they haven’t kept them operating properly. On my return flight on Delta sitting in 1st class, they didn’t re-stock the food for a 2.5hr flight, the TVs didn’t work, the power outlets didn’t work and drinks were so limited they wouldn’t give me a full can of soda…in 1st class. American is not without their issues, mostly stemming from gate staff being rude, screaming about luggage size (I opened the extender and threw my backpack in my roller bag because I was in row 1 with no under seat storage. They made me take it out which took up twice the overhead space, I guess you get what you pay for in employee quality, it’s also the lat time I’ll be mindful of other passengers at CLE.