American’s 2nd Boeing 777-300ER, N718AN, seen at DFW Gate D-23, the day of departure flew the inaugural flight. Much more than just a new aircraft joining the fleet, It signifies the re-birth of an iconic airline.

On January 31, 2013 American Airlines launched their first Boeing 777-300 ER into service with attention that rivaled any airline’s launch of a new type in recent memory. On the face of it, even though American became the first operator of the 777-300 in America, this event would almost seem overkill if for that reason alone. After all, American began 777-200 flights back in 1999 and the first 777-300 was first delivered to an airline, Cathay Pacific back in May, 1998. The first 777-300ER entered service nearly 10 years ago with Air France. Boeing’s two stretch variants of their venerable cash cow, the 777, easily have become the type’s most popular versions with over 680 orders and deliveries between them out of the entire 777 program’s 1,380 orders and deliveries. (as of December, 2012). In an era of smaller airliners, American  inaugurated the 777-300, the largest new airliner by a U.S. carrier since the last Boeing 747-400s entered service with U.S. airliners in the late 1990s.

This inaugural, flight 963, from Dallas/Ft. Worth to São  Paulo, Brazil in the author’s view is one of the most significant in the airline industry in years because it is about something much bigger than just the launch of a new airliner, it’s about the re-birth of a proud American institution that happens to bear the name of our country – American Airlines.

American Airlines problems are well known. After becoming the world’s largest airline with its 2000 acquisition of TWA, the 2000s were not kind at all to the Silver Bird. TWA and American merged during an economic downturn and by most accounts, the merger was anything but an unqualified success. American shed most of TWA’s assets, routes, staff, and many of its aircraft. On September 11^th, 2 of American’s airliners, their crew, and passengers were forever lost in the atrocities of this horrible day. As if things couldn’t get any worse, the world’s airline industry hemorrhaged with the U.S. legacy carriers losing more money during this time then they had profited in their entire history. All of them declared Chapter 11, with the exception of American. Under the category of “no good deed goes unpunished”, this decision would come back to haunt American for years. The competitors were able to re-organize, upgrade service, rebrand their images, get their costs under control, renew their fleets, expand their route structure, and finally in the case of Continental/United and Delta/Northwest consolidate into mega-carriers that dwarfed American. American was left with a barrage of serious problems: a revolving door in the executive ranks, fractious management and labor relations, dwindling market share, increasingly massive financial losses as their competitors recorded profits, devastating operational problems of which many were self-inflicted, an aging fleet, outdated and stripped down in-flight passenger service, soaring operating expenses, declining bookings, and a very unsympathetic press that at times almost seemed on a witch hunt. Like Pan Am and other failed airlines there were a few bright spots: the extremely profitable Latin American hub, the North Atlantic / London Heathrow joint-venture with British Airways, the strong and dominant hubs particularly at DFW and Miami, strength on the highly profitable trans-continental services particular JFK-LAX, and many proud employees across all positions who still believed their company could once again live up to American’s 1980s advertising claim that they were “Something Special in the Air”.

But the headwinds seemed to far outweigh the tailwinds and finally on November 29, 2011 American filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy becoming the last U.S. legacy carrier to do so. On top of that, US Airways began aggressively pursuing a merger, securing an agreement with the pilots unions. Then came the 2012 “Summer of Discontent” with flight cancellations and operations disruptions that sent customers into the arms of their competitors and who can forget the seats onboard a few 757s becoming unbolted during flights. It would have been understandable for the once proud Eagle to fold its wings. If the one unthinkable collapses of majors like Pan Am and Eastern occurred, could American meet the same fate?

It may be hard to remember, but since the beginning of commercial aviation: American was an innovating pace setter in the industry, and generally a profitable one at that. In many ways, American virtually wrote the history of the airline industry: American introduced the airliner that changed aviation, the Douglas DC-3. The first non-stop transcontinental services were flown by American in 1953 and then they pioneered the first regularly scheduled domestic jet services in 1959. Their legendary CEO C.R. Smith, along with an American 707 Astroliner, appeared on the cover of Time Magazine for this honor. American was the launch customer for other airline types such as the Douglas DC-10 (which was based on their specifications) and the blazingly fast Convair 990. American even leased to NASA and maintain the 747s used to ferry the Space Shuttle. Of even greater significance, American introduced the first airline computer reservation system, Sabre, back in 1961. In 1981, they created the world’s first frequent flyer program, still known as AAdvantage. Under their controversial but genius CEO Robert Crandall, American became the leader in dynamic pricing and computerized yield management as well as cost control, which made the airline very profitable. They were even the first airline to introduce a wireless app back in 1999 on the Palm Pilot, long before they were in vogue. Along the way, they acquired numerous airlines such as Trans Caribbean, AirCal, RenoAir, and finally TWA.

With that spirit of innovation and comeback even in the face of severe turbulence, American chose to move forward even before the Chapter 11 filing. On January 19, 2011 American became the first U.S. airline to order the Boeing 777-300 ER, the world’s most successful twin-engine airliner. Initially ordering 2 and then upping the order to 10 with options to covert other Dash 200s, AA would initially use the 777-300 ER on super high density premium routes to South America and London from their major hubs at DFW, MIA, LAX, ORD, and JFK. London Heathrow was announced as the initial destinations, but perhaps in a nod to the importance of Latin America and particularly economically booming Brazil, São Paolo became the inaugural destination.  The first 2 777-300ERs delivered are scheduled to only be deployed on this route through March until London Heathrow is added until March.

American president C.R. Smith and Douglas president Donald Douglas famously placed a $300 long-distance phone call where the American agreed to purchase the Douglas DC-3 if Douglas would build it. American was the launch customer for the airliner that changed commercial aviation forever with over 10,000 built for civil and military use.

As seen on the cover of a timetable from 1953, American Airlines pioneered nonstop Transcontinental flights in 1953 with its Mercury Douglas DC-7 service.

American Airlines pioneered nonstop Transcontinental flights in 1953 with its Mercury Douglas DC-7 service.

When American became the first airline to launch regularly scheduled domestic jet service in 1959, their President C.R. Smith and 707s made the front page of “Time Magazine”.

American timetable from January, 1959 when the airline became the first to operate regularly scheduled domestic jet service, using the Boeing 707 between New York City IDL (now JFK) and Los Angles LAX.

Beginning in 1961, American was the first airline to equip their Boeing 707 jets with FanJet technology which improved range, fuel economy, speed, and were less polluting then the original “water wagon” turbo-jet Pratt and Whitney engines.

American was the innovator who started the first modern successful Frequent Flyer mileage program, AAdvantage.

On July 20, 2011 American ordered $13 billion worth of 460 narrow-body Boeing and Airbus aircraft, the largest commercial aircraft order in history. This fleet renewal, designed to replace the aging MD-80s, 757s, and 767-200s, consists of 200 aircraft from the Boeing 737 family: The 737-700, 800, 900ER, and the new ultra fuel-efficient 737 Max (which it launched). From Airbus, a company previous management had vowed never to do business with again, American ordered 260 aircraft from the Airbus A320 family including the 320, 320 Neo, and new 321 which would become the new Transcontinental Flagship with a game changing cabin experience beginning in November, 2013. Reportedly, the airline gained even better terms in negotiations during bankruptcy. Even after the bankruptcy filing AA continued other upgrades such as Wi-Fi across the domestic fleet and international satellite Wi-Fi for international flights, new Boeing Sky Cabin equipped 737s at the rate of approximately 3 per month, Samsung Galaxy tablets for use by premium passengers for in-flight entertainment and by flight crew for a myriad of flight information, in-fight streaming of movies and video content, and innovative new pricing options called “Choice”. The long in the tooth vintage 1980s and 90s era cabins received much attention as well new extended legroom Main Cabin Extra, a new transcontinental Flagship Business and First Class product with lie-flat seats, a new long-haul Business and First Class product debuting on today’s 777-300 flight, and new leather seats in economy. Power on demand throughout all new aircraft and cabins would become the exception rather than the rule. American also confirmed its order for the arrival of 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners commencing in 2014-15. Unlike many airlines that wait for exiting from bankruptcy before announcing upgrades, American announced many of these changes from the outset of its reorganization and continued throughout the proceedings even during the USAirways merger discussions.

Almost 2 years after placing the order, on December 11, 2012 Boeing delivered the first 777-323ER to American. The plane, sans fanfare was ferried in its still anonymous scheme from Everett’s Paine Field to the DFW base and quickly placed in a hanger. A second 777-300ER (N718AN) was delivered quietly on December 19^th with the next 8 following in 2014. These planes were delivered a bit late, reportedly due to the new Zodiac UK First Class seats not being ready in time postponing the inaugural from early January 2013 to January 31. A 3^rd 777-300ER was delivered in early January while its stable mates made a few proving trips, including the MIA hub to test the IFE and Satellite Wi-Fi.

American’s first 777-300ER (N717AN) rolled out from Boeing’s Everett Plant in late October, 2012 painted in a dull-gray fuselage instead of AA’s traditional polished aluminum look further fanning the flames that a new look was in the works.
Image Courtesy: Russell Hill

Another shot of American’s first 777-300ER painted in a gray finish but sans any logos or cheatlines, even down to the rudder.
Photo Courtesy: James Hackney

After a tough fall, American began to gather momentum in its operational and financial results. It reported revenue of $24.9 billion in 2012, the highest in company history and a full-year operating profit of $494 million, excluding special items, a $749 million improvement over 2011. These were impressive, especially given the operational issues of the Summer and Fall and losses cased by Hurricane Sandy.

Perhaps the most excitement surrounded the mystery of the new brand. There have been rumors for years that the airline’s 1968 era and virtually unchanged since then, signature polished aluminum look and Massimo Vignelli’s stylized Eagle would be replaced. Since Eastern’s demise, American is the only major U.S. airline that leaves the majority of its aircraft surfaces unpainted. This was because C. R. Smith hated painted aircraft, and refused to use any liveries that involved painting the entire plane. Robert “Bob” Crandall later justified the distinctive natural aluminum finish by noting that less paint reduced the aircraft’s weight, thus saving on fuel costs. With new aircraft like the 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 Max coming online having more composite surfaces, the unpainted look technically would no longer be possible. This rebrand was more than a rumor, one that CEO Tom Horton did little to discourage. When the first 777-300 ER (N717AN) rolled out in late October, 2012, with a gray fuselage and white tail, it virtually confirmed a new livery was in the works. The blogosphere went abuzz with speculations and designs of what that might look like, but American kept this as tight as a state secret. Suddenly in the early morning hours of January 17, 2013, American Airlines sent out a press advisory that the new look and livery would be introduced to the world at 9:00AM CST that same day with a live webcast. Immediately, a 2 hour countdown began on the airline’s website, AA.com. At the appointed hour, a stream of a pre-produced video began featuring CEO Tom Horton recounting the history of American and its progress in reinventing itself and then with the CEO’s words ““Since placing our landmark aircraft order in July of 2011, we’ve been building anticipation toward a moment in time when the outside of our aircraft reflects the progress we’ve made to modernize our airline on the inside”, a computer graphic montage of the Boeing 777-300ER with the new look appeared on-screen. But where was the real thing? In true cloak and dagger form, while everyone was expecting one of the 777-300ERs to be the first painted in the scheme, a Boeing 737-800 arrived stealthily that morning from Victorville, CA emblazoned with the new look. The 777-300ERs were spirited out the night before the reveal for their visit to the paint shot with the first returning painted the Sunday before the inaugural. As an aside, Virasb Vahidi, American’s Chief Commercial Office revealed to Dallas TV station WFAA that the new look and logo had been finalized a year ago. He was amazed that that “the new look didn’t leak”. American’s CEO Horton only tipped US Airways CEO Doug Parker the night before that the reveal would be the next morning, but was quoted as saying the US Airways team did not see it before nor have any input. American said that by the end of 2013, they expected a third of the fleet to features the look with all planes completed within 5 years. The website and Twitter feed immediately changed to the clean, new look.

The new Futurebrand designed livery features a silver mica paint that was chosen as a way to maintain the heritage of the unpainted aluminum look. Just beyond the flight deck, the updated Eagle insignia features the beak pointing right with a blue and red geometric shape flanking it on top and bottom. Aft of the logo, The word “American” dominates the forward fuselage top to bottom. It is evocative of the Pan Am “Billboard” look of the 1980s and was one of the rumors that turned out to be correct. These elements were generally well received as “elegant”, “clean”, and “a needed update”, though some did compare the new logo to that of Greyhound Bus. Personally, I found the fuselage an elegant and sophisticated change. The tail itself, with its 11 red and white stripes and 7 blue bars echoing an American flag met with decidedly mixed reaction. Some called it “gaudy”, “fugly”, though most agreed it was “patriotic”. Others went so far as to compare it to Aeroflot (due to the abstract flag design concept on the tail and silver fuselage paint) with many questioning why some iteration of the classic and beloved Eagle icon wasn’t used on the tail. Many pundits openly hoped that if there is indeed a merger with USAirways that the airline would change course. Unsurprisingly, the classic 1968 logo’s designer Massimo Vignelli was the harshest pundit saying in “Business Week” that “the new logo has no sense of a permanence. There was no need to change. I bet this logo won’t last 25 years”. Initial reactions to changing icons like American’s iconic Eagle or United’s Sal Bass designed Tulip are often very critical, so this was to be expected.  In my opinion, the new “Soaring Spirit” look is necessary upgrade given the need of American to re-position itself in the minds of the flying public. Upon seeing it in person I found it quite striking and believe it will grown on people, though certainly not everyone agrees. Virtually everyone agrees, however, that a new livery is just paint and “window dressing” so the real test would be the airline’s new product on the ground and in the air. Fans of the current livery will be pleased to know that American will be retaining 1 of their aircraft in the current livery as a “new” Retrojet (possibly the Susan B Komen 777), as well as the current “AstroJet” 737.

Except for minor changes such as when AA operated the A300-600R’s painted gray due to its composite construction, American’s iconic polished aluminum fuselage, livery, and logo have remained virtually unchanged since 1968.

This proposed new American livery, designed by Anthony Harding, gained a lot of traction in the Blogosphere.

Except for minor changes such as when AA operated the A300-600R’s painted gray due to its composite construction, American’s iconic polished aluminum fuselage, livery, and logo have remained virtually unchanged since 1968.

The World’s first look at American’s new branding was on this computer generated of the new Boeing 777-300ER as they had not been painted in the new livery at the time of the debut.

A Boeing 737-800 surprisingly, instead of the new 777-300ER Flagship was the first airliner painted in the new livery. It was flown in stealthily the morning of the announcement and put on display for employees and press in a hanger in front of an unpainted 777-300ER. The 777-300ER flew out later that day for painting in Victorville, returning to DFW the night of Sunday January 27th while the 737-800 went on a tour of American’s hubs. Image courtesy: American Airlines

A Boeing 737-800 surprisingly, instead of the new 777-300ER Flagship was the first airliner painted in the new livery. It was flown in stealthily the morning of the announcement and put on display for employees and press in a hanger in front of an unpainted 777-300ER. The 777-300ER flew out later that day for painting in Victorville while the 737-800 went on a tour of American’s hubs. Image courtesy: American Airlines

A Boeing 737-800 surprisingly, instead of the new 777-300ER Flagship was the first airliner painted in the new livery. It was flown in stealthily the morning of the announcement and put on display for employees and press in a hanger in front of an unpainted 777-300ER. The 777-300ER flew out later that day for painting in Victorville while the 737-800 went on a tour of American’s hubs. Image courtesy: American Airlines

American’s Second 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.

Business in the front and party in the back! Reactions to the new livery were mixed: The updated Eagle icon, “billboard” 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.

Business in the front and party in the back! Reactions to the new livery were mixed: The updated Eagle icon, “billboard” 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.

Some staff and critics criticized the new “Eagle” logo as looking more like a Greyhound bus. Replacing a treasured and historic corporate marque is always risky and evokes a-lot of strong opinions. After 45 years with the same logo, there was no way to avoid controversy but I find this logo forward looking while still respectful of the Eagle.

American’s GE90-115B engines develop up to 115,000 pound of thrust to carry a maximum payload of nearly 800,000 pounds. They were de-rated on take-off for our flight. I am glad they weren’t spooling up when I was standing in front of these behemoth’s.

We won’t be needing ETOPS today with most of our flight over land.

There was a substantial press presence at the AA 777-300ER launch, including this crew who came in from my home-base of Miami where American is one of the largest employers.

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. Downplaying the event seemed intentional because in this transition period with so much “up 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. There was a small snack buffet including 777 commemorative cookies, some “New 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’s “Soaring Spirit” promotional brochures arranged at the gate event

American Gate D-23 at DFW is the site of the understated and brief inaugural, with a small pre-boarding snack buffet. The highlight was the AA 777-300ER branded cookies.

American Gate D-23 at DFW is the site of the understated and brief inaugural, with a small pre-boarding snack buffet. The highlight was the AA 777-300ER branded cookies.

American Airlines CEO Tom Horton greets the American Airlines team working the gate.

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.

American Airlines CEO Tom Horton delivers brief remarks at the gate just before the low-key inaugural event. He was clearly enjoying the moment, but left the limelight for the employees and aircraft. He spent a lot of time mingling with crew and passengers at the gate and on the plane.

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 “inspired by the luxury touches and trends of high-end cars, hotels, and restaurants”. Vahib admits American “took a gamble in reducing capacity but says this was a cabin designed for its customers not Excel spreadsheets.” He terms the new service as “Life 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. 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. 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 “do 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 “Tom 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 “Virasb Espresso Machine” which serves up a really nice latte.  Another high-end touch that doesn’t seem like its high-end: a Microwave Oven for First Class! 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.

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.

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.

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.

An electronically controlled visor between the middle First Class seats adds an additional level of privacy.

The seat controls, privacy lamp switch, and visor in American First Class are operated by this iPOD looking device.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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 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. Each seat also has a water bottle holder and “cubbie 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. 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.

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.

The New American Sigma 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

IFE, seat controls, and a reading light are conveniently located at eye and shoulder level on the American Boeing 777-300ER Sigma seat.

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.

Business Class cabin with morning / daylight orange cruise dynamic LED lighting

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. 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 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.

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 “coverflow” GUI. CEO Tom Horton commented there’s enough entertainment options onboard for 15 trips around the world.

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 “coverflow” GUI. CEO Tom Horton commented there’s enough entertainment options onboard for 15 trips around the world.

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 “coverflow” GUI. CEO Tom Horton commented there’s enough entertainment options onboard for 15 trips around the world.

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 “coverflow” GUI. CEO Tom Horton commented there’s enough entertainment options onboard for 15 trips around the world.

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 “coverflow” GUI. CEO Tom Horton commented there’s enough entertainment options onboard for 15 trips around the world.

The Panasonic Ku-Band Wi-Fi was a disappointment for much of the flight. It only worked reliably in the last third of the flight over Brazil. American officials apologized on the PA for its issues. The service is free for the first 3 months.

Following in the footsteps of Emirates and Lufthansa, American ups the ante in the lavatory. The Premium Class lavatories are among the most well appointed in the air with the granite floor texture, high-end boutique hotel sink, and electronically controlled faucet from the 787. They elicited many positive responses from customers.

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 8 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 9 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 seats with an 9 abreast configuration, similar to JV partner British Airways offering. This is a 4” gain in pitch over previous Main Cabin.

The standard Main Economy Cabin’s 214 Weber seats 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.

The Panasonic Eco monitors seat-back controls turn on with the whisk of a hand across the monitor. Also note the individually random flight crew “Welcome Aboard” faces on-screen during the boarding.

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.

For an inaugural, our flight AA 963 is a late night flight. This flight, the 2^nd 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. 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. 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.

After a quick 30 second, 5000 feet, and quiet take-off roll, we are airborne over Dallas/Ft. Worth heading east to thunderous applause.

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 “very 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 “I 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 “the 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. Explains Flight Service Manager Leland Hinley: “The 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. I chose a shrimp and lentil starter, a Curry Chicken and Rice entrée’, 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.

Business Class Appetizer service on the Inaugural Flight is now branded International Premium Service. The menus, china, and flatware are new.

The wine was nice but the cabin crew service divine! Their positive attitude in spite of working a new and much larger plane didn’t go unnoticed. They could’ve used an additional 1 or 2 FA’s for the early flights as they acclimated to the new plane.

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 entrée choices including this delicious chicken curry.

The International Premium Service might be new, but ice cream sundaes are an American Airlines tradition. Founder C.R. Smith loved his sundaes so they weren’t about to go anywhere. This was my favorite desert anywhere until I could no longer eat dairy products…damn!

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!

The First Class Cabin in cruise with the LED red and blue lighting. The elegant lamp at the front of each suite is nicknamed the “Tom Horton lamp”, gives the suites a feel of a luxury Pullman train car.

The Business Cabin in cruise following the meal service. The Dreamliner inspired lights are further dimmed for sleeping.

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 soft drinks, snacks, and water.  As its unmanned, alcohol has to be ordered at the passenger’s seat. 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 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.

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.

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. 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.

Checkout AirlineReporter.com and an upcoming issue of “Airways” Magazine for more coverage.

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.