American Airlines Flagship Business Class Flight Review- Boeing 777-200ER
I recently flew to Honolulu from St. Louis via Charlotte on American Airlines flagship business class on their Boeing 777-200ER.
The following is a review of the entire experience.
After a pretty uneventful flight from Saint Louis, we proceeded to gate A4 to Honolulu. Two hours after our arrival, our beautiful aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER, painted in the One World livery, inbound from Miami arrived at the gate. Every time I see this aircraft up close, I’m in awe of how MASSIVE it is.
About an hour later, boarding began. As first-class (business class technically) passengers, we were granted priority boarding. Upon boarding, we proceeded to turn left to our seats. My wife sat in 3L, and I was behind her in 4L. We settle in for the 4,670-mile journey nonstop to Honolulu.
FLIGHT DETAILS
Date: June 17, 2021
Airline: American Airlines (One World livery)
Flight #: 569
Flight Time: 9 hours, 47 mins
Origin: Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Destination: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
Seat: 4L
Departure Time: 12:05 p.m EST(15 mins late)
Arrival Time: 3:35 p.m HST
We pushed back a few mins late. We taxied on the tarmac for what seemed like forever, maybe 15 mins. We then lined up for departure. We were # 3 in line. We roll down the runway, and we take off smoothly.
THE SEAT CABIN
On the 777-200, there are 37 business class seats divided into two cabins. There are 21 seats in the front cabin and 16 in the cabin behind it. Both sections are in a 1-2-1 configuration, allowing everyone to have direct aisle access.
The seat is very comfortable and can be adjusted via the touch screen console on your right. The seat can be converted to a flatbed, as well as other adjustments. The one downside to these seats is that the footwell is on the relatively small side, so when you recline your seat all the way, it might feel a bit tight, but it’s not too problematic.
Each passenger is offered a pillow and blanket. Both of which were soft and comfortable. There is a tray table under the TV that can be pulled out with the lever under the table. There are plenty of charging ports in the console on the right. There is a universal power adapter and 2 USB ports. Storage was no issue either. There are plenty of areas to store your shoes and other items. I didn’t even have to put my suit in the overhead bin because there was ample space in my seat area.
PREMIUM ECONOMY
There are 24 seats in premium economy in a 2-4-2 configuration across three rows. These seats are the same seats that American uses on their domestic narrow-body fleet in first class.
MAIN CABIN
There are 146 seats in the main cabin in a 3-4-3 configuration. Unfortunately, most airlines have ditched the 3-3-3 configuration in economy on the 777.
FOOD
About 30 mins after takeoff, the first meal was served. On American, business class meals can be pre-ordered between 24 hours and 30 days before departure. I pre-ordered my meal, the Island Surf and Turf, which consisted of grilled shrimp, a beef filet, roasted fingerling potatoes with truffleyaki sauce, bread, burrata with strawberry salsa on a small plate, and a Belgian chocolate cheesecake for dessert. ACTUAL silverware was also given, which is a surprise because Airlines has been using Covid as an excuse to cut costs. The beef filet was very tender and seasoned perfectly. The potatoes needed a little salt but were still tasty. The Burrata was nasty.
Ninety minutes before arrival, a pre-arrival snack was served. The choices were a fruit and cheese plate or an Asian BBQ beef wrap. I chose the wrap and wasn’t a fan. It was cold and didn’t taste ANY BBQ at all.
ENTERTAINMENT & WIFI
American offers Bang & Olufsen(B&O) noise-canceling headphones for business class passengers. Personally, I prefer Bose, but these did the job.
The entertainment screen is massive. The only downside is that it’s stationary. There were PLENTY of movies, TV shows, games, and music to choose from via the touch screen or the remote in the console to your right.
The wifi is fast for airplane wifi. For a 2 hour pass, it was $29, and $35 for the entire flight. On this 10 hour flight, the obvious choice was the complete flight pass. It’s great if you want to browse social media or get some work done.
SERVICE
The service on this flight was excellent. The crew were senior flight attendants and were really friendly and attentive. We arrived at around 3:30 local time.
VERDICT
Having flown all of the legacy Airlines, including Hawaiian to and from Hawaii, American Airlines is the best choice, in my opinion. It was a treat to have lie-flat seats on a domestic flight, and the crew made the experience even better., even during these unprecedented times
It should be noted that American has two versions of the 777-200. The version we flew on had the better reverse herringbone seats, while the other version has the Concept D seats, which are widely criticized by travelers and aviation enthusiasts. You won’t know which version you’re on until 24 hours before your flight.
Author- Leroy Tyler IV