757 coming to STX!

Except all the 757s are older and clunkier than the newer 737s, and seem to be the planes that I'm always stuck on broken down in Dallas. Sounds to me like they're just rearranging the newer planes in the fleet as they buy them. Pout!

And the 737s are never full. I'll be glad when it's season and we have two flights a day again though. :--)

Don't get too excited because the schedule in season now calls for one 737 daily and 2 on Saturday only. It could change.

The 757 seems to be a temporary replacement and only holds about 40 passengers more.

The two flights a day on AA during season are actually Saturday, Monday, and Thursday, three days a week.

Has anyone looked into what Delta is doing?

The two flights a day on AA during season are actually Saturday, Monday, and Thursday, three days a week.

Has anyone looked into what Delta is doing?

JulieKay, right you are! I as looking yesterday into Feb and March 2013 and the only morning flights from STX-MIA were on Sunday morning yet I just looked and they are back. Strange!

Well don't be surprised if it changes again tomorrow, haha! I think AA has PMS or something, as much as they change their mind... *grins*

I just wish I could get to Austin on JetBlue. Pouts.

JulieKay, right you are! I as looking yesterday into Feb and March 2013 and the only morning flights from STX-MIA were on Sunday morning yet I just looked and they are back. Strange!

I fly AA about every six weeks to STX.. I did noticed that and inquired about it... The unofficial response was the obvious one... They adjust the schedule as per demand and season... They also mention that the number of travelers to the VIs has changed a lot with the Hovensa closure and the trend is very inconsistent...

I've always flown on the 737... I don't see how they could make money on a 757 unless it is almost to full capacity both in passengers and load... Specially since, as far as I know, they are not as fuel efficient as the newer 737 (easily distinguished by the blue ambient lighting throughout the cabin)... Whenever I've boarded from Miami to STX the flight has always been either full or with just about a couple of empty seats...

I have no complaints about AA whatsoever and their service has improved.. They will have the largest newest fleet very soon... I hope the ongoing merger with US Airways works well, even when history has proven otherwise...

I agree with everything you said Rowdy. We're both also frequent AA fliers, and they have treated us very well this last year. The times when we have had to deal with issues they've always made it right, even gave me a free ticket for one series of events. We will continue to fly with them and are hopeful about the merger also.

JetBlue I just would really like an alternative when AA gets expensive for some reason, like this last June when tickets were $2000 to Austin! No idea why that happened but they are back to what we normally see now.

I was going to travel from Ohio (out of CLE) to Texas (either HOU or IAH) a couple of weeks ago, and the tickets went from $376 to over $1200 in a span of 3 days and that was with Delta... I did notice AA was upwards of $1600..

I checked which planes I am flying in for my next week trip... Inbound/outbound MIA & STX: 737-800 (AA code on the plane ticket = 738) ... Turns out AA has 3 versions of the same plane... V3 has the Main Cabin Xtra configuration so, my guess is that is the one they use for that route...

Julie, I am all up for other airlines... mostly for the additional alternatives and, sometimes, may lead to price competition...

Link for the curious frequent travelers:

http://www.seatguru.com/

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/American_Airlines/American_Airlines_Boeing_737-800_MCE_new.php Here is the 737-800 V3

I haven't used this website, but heard it was good and worth a try.
Does anyone have experience with the following website?

ITA is supposed to be a good website to look for low airline prices. You can't buy your tickets on this site. You have to go to the airlines website.

http://www.itasoftware.com/

Does anyone have experience with the following website?

I haven't tried that one... Thanks for the link..

I use all kind of sites, but I use them more as a reference... They mix and match airlines and you may get a better deal... My experience taught me the hard way that, when you mix them, you may end up stranded, worn-out, and in a foul mood... and much worse, a combination of all of the above...

What I do is find out who is the dominant airline to my destination, then go to that airlines' site and buy the tickets... I few times they have given me better prices than those overly complicated sites...

For all.. The 757 is a narrow body airliner that didn't exactly do well in the market and Boeing had to "grow it up" and renamed it the 767... They stopped production for the 757 in 2004... The new trend of "Wide Body Airliner", meaning they can pack-up-us-like-sardines while using less fuel, is the future.. Hence, Boeing has the 777 and the new 787, A380, etc....

My best guess is that maybe AA needed a plane and, with no 737 available, they decided to use a 757...

757 is actually a great plane. The 767 was in developed a few months ahead of the 757 and the 757 actually took a lot of the features of the 767. Production ceased in 2004 as demand at the time was for smaller jets and the 737 NG or Next Generation came out and the 737-800 was very simaliar in capacity as is the 737-900ER. Also with the downturn in air travel from 9-11 contributed to demand for smaller aircraft. Up next will be the 737 - MAX

the 757 are being used on the flights that bring the feds in to deal with all the corruption.

(wishful thinking 🙂 )

the 757 are being used on the flights that bring the feds in to deal with all the corruption.
(wishful thinking 🙂 )

Then, as ample as the 757 is, it will not be big enough for that... They need an Antonov 225...

Tuesday August 27 is the change to the 757 daily flight into STX from MIA.
There also seems to be no more additional or second flights after that time for MIA-STX traveler.
So then there will be only 182 daily seats available instead of the present 150, 22 first class versus 16 for the 737.

They are doing the 757 service for the fall.

In December, it reverts back to a daily 737 plus the 3X or 4X per week 2nd 737.

I just flew in on the 757... Almost half empty... and business class was 70 percent empty... they wouldn't have been able to fill the 737 either...

Yay!! Wait until we are in season!! Bring em on!

I just flew in on the 757... Almost half empty... and business class was 70 percent empty... they wouldn't have been able to fill the 737 either...

We're at the prime time of hurricane season. I wouldn't want to fly in at this time. I can understand why it's empty.

I generally try to fly mid week...the time most people do not wish to travel...most open seats!
So far this year I am at about #72 or 73 flights to and from STX and the states for this year...and I have to say that most every flight to STX, and elsewhere is very full and that the ticket lift persons in MIA and other stations are unable to clear the standby listing for travelers on most flights.
This is good for the airline for middle week travelers...I do not know the load factors for the balance of the week...but according to the statistics published by the airline...capacity is in the high 80%'s to low 90's every week.
I have not really seen a great drop in passengers since the closure of HOVENSA...but I have seen more tourist traveling to the island.

I just flew in on the 757... Almost half empty... and business class was 70 percent empty... they wouldn't have been able to fill the 737 either...

We're at the prime time of hurricane season. I wouldn't want to fly in at this time. I can understand why it's empty.

I do! LOL...

Since I travel here a lot, when I compare the number of travelers last year to what I saw this year, the difference is huge because back then those flags were packed...

Re: itasoftware. Yes, they rock. Bunch o' MIT folk whose software powers many major sites. Their own UI is lean and mean. Try 'nearby airports', and multi-leg trips are easy.

Have flown the 757 back and forth to MIA several times in the last three weeks now...I think it's the oldest plane in the fleet! Beat up, seats torn, very dirty, armrests in exit row almost impossible to get tray out, etc, etc, etc. Flights have been half empty but I've been flying on weekdays.

Only one mechanical problem so far...the flight out of MIA two weeks ago was delayed because the weather radar was broken...ouch! But no issues other than that.

I will be happy to get the 737s back, as well as the adjusted schedule. Right now the flight times are almost impossible for connections. And it's tough flying into MIA and seeing the brand new planes sitting on the tarmac - wah!

But we're still AA loyalists. Waiting to see what happens with the delayed impossible (not likely to happen) merger.

Have flown the 757 back and forth to MIA several times in the last three weeks now...I think it's the oldest plane in the fleet! Beat up, seats torn, very dirty, armrests in exit row almost impossible to get tray out, etc, etc, etc. Flights have been half empty but I've been flying on weekdays.

I flew in on a Saturday and it was just over half full.... Flew out of STX on Sunday and it was fairly packed...

The 757 is an old plane... The one I flew out on Sunday was so old that it still had CRT monitors dropping off of the ceiling at the center isle...The one on the forward end had to be pulled down and raised up by the flight attendant... LOL... I'd rather fly in the 737-800...

I remain with AA....