Runway Girl

Runway Girl A collective of aviation journalists from around the world delivering intelligence about the diverse airline passenger experience.

A collective of aviation journalists from around the world delivering intelligence about the diverse airline passenger experience.

Welcome aboard American Airlines' newly refurbished, premium-heavy Boeing 777-300ER (tail number N718AN), which ferried ...
09/03/2026

Welcome aboard American Airlines' newly refurbished, premium-heavy Boeing 777-300ER (tail number N718AN), which ferried journalists from DFW to JFK yesterday.

American rolled out the red carpet, quite literally, for this twinjet, which boasts the highest number of premium seats ever installed on a U.S. carrier’s aircraft — at least for now.

The 330-seat aircraft, known internally as Project Olympus, brims with 114 premium seats, including 70 Flagship Suite seats with privacy doors, and 44 Premium Economy seats.

While American’s new long-haul interiors, including Flagship Suite seats up front, are already flying on new-delivery Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A321XLRs, the new-generation products have finally come to the fleet’s flagship.

The very thought of American doing something as audacious as a special media charter is, well, rather un-American.

United is the last U.S. carrier in recent memory to do something on this scale when it previewed its new Polaris product in 2017 (more recently, it hosted media flights as it rolled out SpaceX’s Starlink Low Earth Orbit satellite-powered inflight Wi-Fi.)

Desperate to rid itself of its whipping boy status amongst America’s ‘big three’ global carriers, American Airlines has been on a premium tear lately, awash in customer experience upmarket enhancements.

To wit, seatback IFE is making a much celebrated return on the carrier’s narrowbodies; it’s adding more premium seats; and Starlink has been earmarked for a portion of its fleet.

Taken together, this is nothing short of a giant leap as American tries to change the narrative.

Full trip report: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/09/inside-americans-super-premium-777-300er-flagship-widebody/

Images + report by RGN contributor Chris Sloan

WestJet has restored the legroom on its newly-refurbished Boeing 737s, fulfilling a promise it made in January after fac...
08/30/2026

WestJet has restored the legroom on its newly-refurbished Boeing 737s, fulfilling a promise it made in January after facing passenger backlash for its snug economy class seat pitch.

The Canadian hybrid-network carrier confirms it finished the legroom restoration project in June — months before the expected completion date.

The reconfigured 737 twinjets, which briefly operated with a compact 180-seat layout, now feature a lower-density 174-seat LOPA (layout of passenger accommodations).

Though WestJet originally planned to complete the work this fall, the carrier “proudly wrapped up the project part-way through June,” it says.

“All previously affected aircraft are now flying with 174 seats, a refreshed interior and enhanced amenities, including WestJet Wi-Fi presented by TELUS.”

Previously configured with all-economy layouts, the 737s in question were ingested by WestJet when it acquired Swoop and Sunwing, and picked up tails from defunct Lynx.

WestJet then set about to refresh the twinjets by expanding the extra-legroom economy class section, introducing new features such as device holders and modern charging ports, and notably adding Premium recliners up front.

It also fitted the jets with SpaceX’s Starlink inflight connectivity service, as sponsored by TELUS.

But a tight seat pitch in standard economy didn’t sit well with passengers who experienced the refreshed aircraft. And a viral video brought their consternation into stark relief. Management responded swiftly, freeing up space onboard by removing a row of seats.

The full refresh of these twinjets with new interiors is now complete, WestJet confirms.

Full story: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/westjet-completes-legroom-restoration-project-on-refurbished-737s/

Image credited to WestJet

With deliveries of the A321XLR finally ramping up, United and American have revealed the first full slate of routes util...
08/30/2026

With deliveries of the A321XLR finally ramping up, United and American have revealed the first full slate of routes utilizing the single-aisle aircraft in summer 2027, with each airline choosing different approaches.

While United’s XLR doesn’t have a fun brand name like its domestic A321neo Coastliner cousin, the twinjet’s livery features a “Born to Explore” tagline, as revealed during the carrier’s now annual and frankly well produced route reveal event at its Newark hub.

A far cry from the typical Newark to London lineup, United’s new XLR routes suit the wanderlust-focused branding.

But while they are certainly exciting to the club-hopping Ibiza crowd and indeed the Airbus corporate traveler, the longest route (IAD-TLS, 3,957nm) tops out well below the aircraft’s maximum range of 4,700 nautical miles.

Enter American Airlines, the US major that’s gearing up to give Delta and United a run for their money and which, from summer 2027, will potentially operate the world’s longest XLR route!

Full report: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/a321xlr-set-to-shine-as-united-american-reveal-summer-2027-routes/

Report + images from United's Newark event credited to Jason Rabinowitz

What Breeze Airways is selling on the A220 isn’t the same First Class product you’ll find domestically on a global-netwo...
08/29/2026

What Breeze Airways is selling on the A220 isn’t the same First Class product you’ll find domestically on a global-network carrier, nor is it simply extra-legroom economy.

Breeze's 'Nicest' product, Ascent, occupies a category somewhere in between.

Over five years after Breeze inaugurated all-economy service (with E-Jets) and three years after introducing Ascent on the A220, RGN contributor Chris Sloan explores the product.

This is value airline First. Spirit Airlines proved there was demand for it. Allegiant and Frontier are heading in the same direction.

Breeze, one could argue, is setting the pace.

Full trip report: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/breeze-airways-nicest-cabin-ascent/

Five years can change an airline. They certainly changed Breeze Airways.I should know. On May 27, 2021, I was aboard Bre...
08/28/2026

Five years can change an airline. They certainly changed Breeze Airways.

I should know. On May 27, 2021, I was aboard Breeze Flight 1, the airline’s inaugural scheduled passenger flight from Tampa to Charleston. It was an unusual moment to launch an airline.

We were smack in the middle of COVID. Face masks were mandatory. There was no premium cabin, no Wi-Fi, and no Airbus A220 waiting at the gate.

Instead, Breeze made its debut aboard a second-hand Embraer E190 acquired from Azul, offering little more than a bottle of water and a bag of Utz potato chips to mark the occasion.

And of course, a cake. There’s always cake… even during COVID. I was a lot heavier back then; it must’ve been the cake.

Even then, though, it was obvious those Embraer E-Jets were never meant to be the future of Breeze, just a bridge.

Founded by JetBlue creator David Neeleman, Breeze had always envisioned the Airbus A220 as the airline’s future. The Embraer fleet simply allowed scheduled service to begin while Airbus ramped up deliveries.

I happened to be there for another milestone, too. In October 2021, I joined Breeze in Mobile, Alabama, as the airline unveiled its very first A220-300.

Looking around the cabin that day, it was easy to see that this was the airplane Breeze wanted passengers to associate with its “Seriously Nice” brand.

The roomy cabin, oversized windows, mood lighting, and premium seating felt worlds apart from the stopgap E-Jets I’d flown just a few months earlier.

Shortly thereafter, Breeze accepted its first A220-300 in December 2021. By May 25, 2022, the type entered commercial service, introducing Breeze’s “Nicest” cabin up front, onboard Wi-Fi, and a significantly more polished onboard experience.

By the end of 2024, scheduled passenger flying had become an all-A220 operation, with the Embraers moving primarily into charter service, and Breeze identifying as a ‘premium leisure‘ carrier.

Fast forward to today and Breeze has grown into a very different airline. What began with 13 used Embraer E190s and E195s serving 16 cities has evolved into a network of more than 90 destinations operated almost entirely by more than 56 Airbus A220-300s. Another 34 aircraft remain on firm order, with options for even more.

Oddly enough, despite following Breeze’s journey from the very beginning, I hadn’t actually flown the airline since that inaugural day in Tampa. Finally, this summer I got the chance to give it a go!

That also meant that this wasn’t simply another Airbus A220 review. It was my first opportunity to see whether Breeze had lived up the hype and become the airline that CEO David Neeleman promised back in 2021. Given my history with the JetBlue founder’s early years, I had a healthy dose of optimism. If Breeze’s “Seriously Nice” slogan was more than clever marketing, this Nose to Tail reporter was about to find out.

Full trip report: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/over-five-years-on-breeze-airways-is-still-keeping-it-nice/

Report + images credited to RGN contributor Chris Sloan, TheAirchive

SWISS has started bringing its resplendent new Senses long-haul cabin products to its Airbus A330 twinjets.After launchi...
08/25/2026

SWISS has started bringing its resplendent new Senses long-haul cabin products to its Airbus A330 twinjets.

After launching Senses on new Airbus A350-900s late last year, the carrier reveals that its first A330-300 (HB-JHC) is being retrofitted with the new Senses first, business, premium economy and economy class seats at MRO and refurbishment giant HAECO’s facility in Hong Kong.

The A330 landed in Hong Kong on July 20, according to FlightAware.

“The first major steps are complete. The existing cabin has been removed, the aircraft has been prepared for the technical installations, and a scheduled C-check is taking place in parallel,” SWISS said in a statement published on LinkedIn.

“There is still plenty of work ahead: from installing many elements of the new cabin to extensive inspections and testing. Once the retrofit is complete, the widebody aircraft will return to Zurich with its new SWISS Senses cabin on board ready to fly our passengers around the world with our latest cabin experience.”

Full story: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/swiss-a330-enters-retrofit-for-senses-interiors-at-haeco/

JetBlue's second BlueHouse lounge will open at Boston Logan Terminal C on the morning of August 27.And, in a move being ...
08/25/2026

JetBlue's second BlueHouse lounge will open at Boston Logan Terminal C on the morning of August 27.

And, in a move being celebrated by passengers, the carrier will expand its lounge access to include departing customers traveling on Mint or Mint Flex fares.

JetBlue's full statement about BlueHouse in Boston: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/jetblue-to-open-second-bluehouse-lounge/

Runway Girl's review of JetBlue's first BlueHouse lounge, in JFK: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2025/12/inside-jetblues-first-ever-lounge-bluehouse/

All images credited to JetBlue

American Airlines will bring back seatback IFE to its narrowbody fleet. The oneworld alliance member plans to take new A...
08/18/2026

American Airlines will bring back seatback IFE to its narrowbody fleet. The oneworld alliance member plans to take new Airbus and Boeing narrowbody deliveries with screens in 2028, and implement a massive retrofit of its narrowbody fleet. No vendor has been announced yet, and there’s a reason for that. The RFP is still in play, Runway Girl Network can confirm.

"We are evaluating several leading technology providers and will select the partner that delivers the best customer experience and value for American. Beyond meeting today’s needs, we are looking for a partner with a modern, scalable platform that can evolve alongside technology advancements, enabling continuous enhancements to the customer experience while creating incremental revenue opportunities for American."

American is vowing to offer all the features that have become table stakes for a modern seatback IFE system. Large 4K displays — so large, in fact, that they are expected to be “industry leading” in North America — plus USB-C fast charging, Bluetooth audio, and the promise of a personalized experience more or less to match what American is already offering on its A321XLR twinjets today.

Full story: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/american-talks-rfp-as-it-readies-to-bring-screens-to-narrowbody-fleet/

Just before the pandemic, Allegiant quietly did something that didn’t seem very… Allegiant. The carrier experimented wit...
08/18/2026

Just before the pandemic, Allegiant quietly did something that didn’t seem very… Allegiant. The carrier experimented with its own twist on extra-legroom seating on just three aircraft. The experiment clicked and Allegiant Extra was born. Management expanded the offering to more aircraft and more routes, though not all.

Allegiant Extra bundles extra legroom seating, priority airport services, baggage, and other perks into a more premium experience — by low-cost carrier (LCC) standards anyway. At the time, it looked like just another ancillary product designed to boost revenue by generating more cash than from the ticket itself.

Today, it looks like the opening chapter of a much bigger story. Following the lead of other LCCs before it like Frontier, Spirit (rip), and Breeze, Allegiant in spring 2027 will venture into territory few would have imagined even a few years ago with the introduction of Allegiant First aboard select Boeing 737 MAX twinjets.

Launching first from Punta Gorda, Florida, the new cabin will feature just eight seats in a 2-2 configuration with 37 inches of pitch, generous recline, upgraded amenities, and bundled services that move the airline upmarket for its increasingly upscale customer base.

Allegiant says the new cabin is designed to complement, not replace, Allegiant Extra, making today’s extra-legroom product the clearest preview yet of where the airline is headed.

Full story: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/allegiant-extra-previews-the-airlines-premium-future/

Report + Images by Chris Sloan

As next-gen inflight connectivity arrives on board, Boeing has developed an artfully analog answer to the inflight voice...
08/17/2026

As next-gen inflight connectivity arrives on board, Boeing has developed an artfully analog answer to the inflight voice call conundrum.

During the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, the US airframer’s EnCore interiors subsidiary showcased a variety of ideas for “third spaces” on widebody aircraft, including an E-Lounge concept that features booths with sound dampening material that can accommodate working passengers and their video conference calls.

"It’s not a high-technology solution. It’s actually a very low-technology solution. It’s like a closet. We’ve got two booths here, and it takes up the same space as four economy class seats,” Eaton said of the Door 2-area monument complex. Full story: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/08/boeing-presents-artfully-analog-answer-to-inflight-voice-call-question/

Address

262 Hemlock Hill Rd
Lancaster, PA

Telephone

+17178230540

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Runway Girl posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Runway Girl:

Shortcuts

Share