Oct 23, 2023, 9:11 pm
Last edit by: YVR72
Mainline A320/321 cabin refurbishment tracker
Aircraft are being upgraded to the "Dream Cabin" standard. Modifications include Airspace XL overhead bins allowing rollaboard luggage to be stored on their side, improved IFE with exterior tail and belly cameras and Bluetooth-enabled monitors, Intelsat 2Ku Wi-Fi (upgraded, satellite-based), LED mood lighting, power outlets, USB-A and USB-C at every seat. Initial photos available here.
________________________________________
A320
Configuration: TBD
8 aircraft confirmed.
Anticipated:
________________________________________
A321
Configuration: 16J 180Y
14 aircraft
Completed:
Aircraft are being upgraded to the "Dream Cabin" standard. Modifications include Airspace XL overhead bins allowing rollaboard luggage to be stored on their side, improved IFE with exterior tail and belly cameras and Bluetooth-enabled monitors, Intelsat 2Ku Wi-Fi (upgraded, satellite-based), LED mood lighting, power outlets, USB-A and USB-C at every seat. Initial photos available here.
________________________________________
A320
Configuration: TBD
8 aircraft confirmed.
Anticipated:
- Fins 235–242 | The 8 newest of the 11 long-term fleet
- Fins 417-422 | Newly leased in 2024 | Their refurbishment is unconfirmed
- None
- Fin 235 | C-GJVT | Entered maintenance at MLB 2024-Apr-23 - unconfirmed if due to refurb
________________________________________
A321
Configuration: 16J 180Y
14 aircraft
Completed:
- Fin 451 | C-GITU | BHX from 2023-Apr-09 | Returned to service 2023-Oct-21 (6 months, 12 days)
- Fin 457 | C-GJWD | MLB from 2023-Oct-18 | Returned to service 2024-Feb-16 (3 months, 29 days)
- Fin 464 | C-FJNX | MLB from 2024-Jan-10 | Returned to service 2024-Apr-23 (3 months, 13 days)
- Fin 463 | C-FGKZ | Entered maintenance at MLB 2024-Feb-16 | (Estimated r.t.s. ~ May 31)
Airbus A320/A321 (320/321) refurbishment program (beginning 2023)
May 16, 2023, 8:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: Employee Travel LOL (and Aeroplan).
Posts: 184
Airbus A320/A321 (320/321) refurbishment program (beginning 2023)
It sounds likely that C-GITU (451) is in BXH to get a new interior installed (about time); not a refresh of the *A livery as of yet.
May 16, 2023, 8:26 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Vancouver
Programs: AC SE100K 1MM, FB Platinum, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Gold Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,617
Wonder how long it will take AC to refurbish the A321 fleet (hopefully not as long as the A330’s).
Last edited by Adam Smith; May 16, 2023 at 9:19 am Reason: Edit to reflect thread move
May 16, 2023, 8:28 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: Employee Travel LOL (and Aeroplan).
Posts: 184
Interior refurbs are hard to track vs paint because you have to fly on a specific tail to see if it's done vs spotting a painted A/C imo.
Last edited by Adam Smith; May 16, 2023 at 9:20 am Reason: Edit to reflect thread move
May 16, 2023, 8:52 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Vancouver
Programs: AC SE100K 1MM, FB Platinum, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Gold Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,617
I would assume this means Planespotters is incorrect and they are all now 12J with the exception of the EVA FINS?
May 17, 2023, 6:46 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Programs: AC 75K, Hertz President’s Circle, Accor Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 10,071
I am ready to say adios to the old interiors on the A320/321 fleet. The seats are shot. If they keep the 320s hope they refurb them soon….
May 17, 2023, 7:34 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: Employee Travel LOL (and Aeroplan).
Posts: 184
I'd at least take better overheads on the 321s... I think the 320s are sticking it out but who knows if they're in line to get a new interior soon.
May 18, 2023, 8:42 am
#8
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,836
Would be great to see AC do something like that for whatever 32x are going to remain. Everything about them is so old and increasingly out of step with the rest of the fleet. If they're going to put in new seats and IFE, would be nice if they also put in new bins so as to avoid inconsistency in capacity across the narrowbody fleet.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Aug 15, 2023 at 8:40 am Reason: Move content to new thread
May 19, 2023, 12:04 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: Employee Travel LOL (and Aeroplan).
Posts: 184
DL refurbished some (maybe all?) of their old 319s a few years back. They installed what Airbus then called Pivot Bins (I think now they're "AirSpace XL" or something - basically, similar to 787/MAX/A220 bins), new lavs, updated lighting, etc. New IFE too. They feel like brand-new planes. So it's definitely possible to do a lot with these older aircraft.
May 19, 2023, 12:20 pm
#10
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,836
AA seems to have chosen Airbus's Airspace XL bins, but there are several options for retrofitting better bins on 32x aircraft.
I'm less fussed about which one AC picks, if they do it, much more focused just on them doing it in the first place.
May 19, 2023, 12:22 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: Employee Travel LOL (and Aeroplan).
Posts: 184
I presume you mean storing bags on their sides, rather than stacking them?
AA seems to have chosen Airbus's Airspace XL bins, but there are several options for retrofitting better bins on 32x aircraft.
I'm less fussed about which one AC picks, if they do it, much more focused just on them doing it in the first place.
AA seems to have chosen Airbus's Airspace XL bins, but there are several options for retrofitting better bins on 32x aircraft.
I'm less fussed about which one AC picks, if they do it, much more focused just on them doing it in the first place.
Yeah those bins need a massive improvement. The CSAs in YYC are very gruff with people about the 321s and it's starting to make us all get grief from PAX.
Aug 14, 2023, 11:12 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Miami & Leon, MX
Programs: UA 1K, DL GOLD, IHG LIFE PLAT, BONVOY'ED GOLD
Posts: 558
Hey everyone, I heard recently that the first A321 is being retrofitted into the new Air Canada standard, does anyone know the registration for this aircraft?
Aug 14, 2023, 11:17 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: Employee Travel LOL (and Aeroplan).
Posts: 184
GJWD and GJWI are in YRQ but there is nothing concrete internally that they're getting anymore than heavy checks at YRQ right now. That's normally where they're done.
Last edited by Expressflyer900; Aug 14, 2023 at 11:28 am
Aug 14, 2023, 11:27 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Miami & Leon, MX
Programs: UA 1K, DL GOLD, IHG LIFE PLAT, BONVOY'ED GOLD
Posts: 558
Perfect, I'll try to track it down once it comes back into service (hopefully I'll visit me down in FLL haha). Looking forward to see what they do with these.
Aug 14, 2023, 1:07 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 56
And the lavs in the aft are placed like in the MAX and a220.
And the same lav at doors 3. And XL bins to turn luggage sideways.