American Airlines to add seatback screens to every seat on narrowbody fleet

American Airlines has announced plans to install seatback entertainment screens across its narrowbody fleet, as the carrier attempts to wrestle back a share of the premium market its critics say has shifted to Delta and United. 

The Dallas-based carrier is also planning on “significantly increasing” the number of premium and Main Cabin Extra seats across its narrowbody fleet by retrofitting existing aircraft and receiving new aircraft deliveries with premium configurations.

American Airlines commits to premium upgrades

American said that its fleet today consists of around 25% premium seating on its narrowbody fleet, but that will rise to 40% in the coming years. Specifically, American is retrofitting its Airbus A319 and A320 fleets to add an additional row of First Class seating. 

Upcoming deliveries of its Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft will also have 24 First Class seats and the A321neo fleet will also be reconfigured to feature additional First Class seats.

American’s Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden called it “one of the most significant investments in the onboard experience” in the airline’s history. 

“From next-generation seatback entertainment at every seat to substantially more premium seating options, these enhancements will give our customers more ways to relax, stay connected and enjoy their journey,” she said. 

Cabin retrofit includes return to seatback IFE

Under the fleet upgrade plan, the majority of American’s narrowbody fleet will see an expanded number of Main Cabin Extra seats; an upgraded economy seating option starting at $20 per flight. That will create additional seats with extra legroom, earlier boarding, dedicated overhead bin space and a complimentary beverage.

At the same time, American said it would work on upgrading the interiors of its cabins, providing more storage, redesigned seats and enhanced lighting. 

Starting in 2028, all new Airbus and Boeing aircraft deliveries will come with seatback screens as well as USB-C fast charging ports and Bluetooth audio connectivity. The upgrades form part of what American is calling a “broader commitment to elevating the customer journey”.

American seeks to counter criticism of its premium product 

The airline faced criticism for its decision around a decade ago to remove seatback screens from its Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s, in a cost-cutting move that led some to claim that the airline was no longer able to compete with Delta and United on their premium offering, particularly on domestic and regional services. 

Even JetBlue, not one of the big three US legacy carriers, offered seatback entertainment, and a meal service that rivalled the bigger airlines. 

At the time, American said the weight of the screens, and the resultant fuel cost, was not worth the investment, while many passengers were happy to use their own devices to access inflight entertainment.

That stance has now changed, as the premium market has grown rapidly post-Covid, especially in the US. 

“The technology has advanced so much from when we made this decision more than a decade ago,” Garboden was quoted as saying by CNBC. 

“Ultimately, when you have customer preference and customer satisfaction improvements, that also generates revenue.”