Flying on American Eagle (Skywest under AA)

[Lost Redditor]

I've just booked us on a flight with AA8442 going SEA-LAX, in First. It's serviced by Skywest Airlines.
Looks like they're using an E175 which will be first for me, looking forward to it.

Has anyone else flown Skywest here? How do they compare to other brands they fly for?

 

[justinbrett]

It’s just American Eagle (AA). You won’t notice a difference.

Think of Skywest like Sunstate or Alliance, who flies for American Eagle (like Qantaslink), who flies for AA (like QF).

E175 are fine, just a smaller E190.

 

[AV8]

Generally have to check your carry on luggage - extremely limited overhead storage - large handbag, small backpack about all will fit. They grab your carry on as you enter the plane and you wait on the airbridge on arrival for it's return. Embraer's are one of my favourite planes.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

TBH, I can’t say I could differentiate the service provided by any of the affiliates operating on behalf of any of the majors!

 

[justinbrett]

Generally have to check your carry on luggage - extremely limited overhead storage - large handbag, small backpack about all will fit. They grab your carry on as you enter the plane and you wait on the airbridge on arrival for it's return. Embraer's are one of my favourite planes.

Not E175s. You’re thinking ERJ135/145s etc.

You can fit a roller in sideways in a E175.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not E175s. You’re thinking ERJ135/145s etc.

You can fit a roller in sideways in a E175.

Yes. And i think the bins over the A seats in FCl are only single width. The main problem is space. While you can fit a bag overhead, there isn’t enough room for most.

Early boarding should be ok.

 

[justinbrett]

Yes. And i think the bins over the A seats in FCl are only single width. The main problem is space. While you can fit a bag overhead, there isn’t enough room for most.

Early boarding should be ok.

It's no worse than the E190s in use by Alliance - exactly the same actually.

Same cabin bag space issue with all US single aisle aircraft, regardless of aircraft type.

I don't recall it being an issue on the QF Alliance flights.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It's no worse than the E190s in use by Alliance - exactly the same actually.

Same cabin bag space issue with all US single aisle aircraft, regardless of aircraft type.

I don't recall it being an issue on the QF Alliance flights.

The new larger bins to store bags in their sides has made it much easier of late. Unfortunately cant be replicated on the ERJs or CRJs Plus on ERJs larger bags can’t always fit wheels first, taking up more room lengthways.

 

[justinbrett]

The new larger bins to store bags in their sides has made it much easier of late. Unfortunately cant be replicated on the ERJs or CRJs Plus on ERJs larger bags can’t always fit wheels first, taking up more room lengthways.

You are aware there's a difference between an E-jet and an ERJ?

We're talking about E-jets on this thread.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You are aware there's a difference between an E-jet and an ERJ?

We're talking about E-jets on this thread.

Yes.

 

[justinbrett]

Yes.

OK good, because the overhead bins are completely different between the two and it seems like it's been used interchangeably here.

For OP - cabin bags on an E-jet (170/5, 190/5) will fit just about as well as any 737/A320. They may need to go sideways but as it's only 2x2 (instead of 3x3) it all balances out. I haven't really seen a higher proportion of gate checks for an E-jet vs a 737/A320.

They won't even let you take a roller onto an ERJ. It won't fit.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

OK good, because the overhead bins are completely different between the two and it seems like it's been used interchangeably here.

For OP - cabin bags on an E-jet (170/5, 190/5) will fit just about as well as any 737/A320. They may need to go sideways but as it's only 2x2 (instead of 3x3) it all balances out. I haven't really seen a higher proportion of gate checks for an E-jet vs a 737/A320.

They won't even let you take a roller onto an ERJ. It won't fit.

That’s right. I consider them all ERJs, as in embarer regional jets.

The 135/145s can’t take much larger than a backpack.

But the for the 170-190s there are two issues. In first class the A seat overheads are half size, meaning there’s not always room for the whole cabin if everyone has a large bag.

Back in coach, my international-size bag doesn’t always fit wheels first, so it has to go lengthways. So instead of two bags you might get one. On a mainline jet with the super-sized bins you can get six bags in for the two rows per bin. Very hard to get one bag per pax into the 170-190s, if everyone is taking the max size.

For full flights ex LCY BA often check BPs and asks those in the main cabin in lower groups to gate check.

 

[justinbrett]

That’s right. I consider them all ERJs, as in embarer regional jets.

The 135/145s can’t take much larger than a backpack.

But the for the 170-190s there are two issues. In first class the A seat overheads are half size, meaning there’s not always room for the whole cabin if everyone has a large bag.

Back in coach, my international-size bag doesn’t always fit wheels first, so it has to go lengthways. So instead of two bags you might get one. On a mainline jet with the super-sized bins you can get six bags in for the two rows per bin. Very hard to get one bag per pax into the 170-190s, if everyone is taking the max size.

For full flights ex LCY BA often check BPs and asks those in the main cabin in lower groups to gate check.

You might consider them ERJs but that's very confusing (and incorrect) as they are two different product lines of two very different products. It makes as much sense as calling a 787 a 737.

ERJs are the small regional jets that as you say don't fit any roller bags.

E-jets do have lockers that can fit roller bags but they go in sideways, similar to an A330 on the outboard lockers.

But as I also said, per row you only have four seats instead of six, so that's not a huge deal. Sure the new 737s/A320s have the tall lockers that fit bags in on their side; but most Australian 737s don't have them and still it's not common for pax to have to gate check their bags. Even with the larger lockers I see AA still gate checking bags.

Similarly, flying on QF Alliance E190s, I haven't seen any dramas in fitting all the bags on. VA used to operate E-jets and I didn't see many dramas there either.

This goes back to the airlines not restricting cabin bag weights and/or charging for checked bags. The E-jet lockers are pretty standard.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Size rather than weight?

in the E jets you have 1 out of 2 people missing out on overhead space (for a full 115cm bag) = 50%. in first it’s 1 out of three .

One a mainline ‘old bin’ you have 1 out of 3 missing out = 33%.

On new super size you have far fewer than that.

Maybe Aussies are more used to the 105cm bags?

CRJs are just awful

 

[justinbrett]

Size rather than weight?

in the E jets you have 1 out of 2 people missing out on overhead space (for a full 115cm bag) = 50%. in first it’s 1 out of three .

One a mainline ‘old bin’ you have 1 out of 3 missing out = 33%.

On new super size you have far fewer than that.

Maybe Aussies are more used to the 105cm bags?

CRJs are just awful

Some creative maths there.

Let’s assume standard cabin bag is 35x56x23 (as is Antler Clifton cabin bag).

3x35 = 105
2x56 = 112

Pretty minor difference. The difficulty in fitting your bag isn’t significantly harder on an E-jet. About 6.7% harder.

And yes I speak of restricting weight as that will likely reduce size, or encourage check in.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Some creative maths there.

Let’s assume standard cabin bag is 35x56x23 (as is Antler Clifton cabin bag).

3x35 = 105
2x56 = 112

Pretty minor difference. The difficulty in fitting your bag isn’t significantly harder on an E-jet. About 6.7% harder.

And yes I speak of restricting weight as that will likely reduce size, or encourage check in.

QF likes the 105 and 115cm sizing. AA uses 115cm. BA allows 126cm. Which definitely starts to get big for their E jets.

I have trouble fitting my 115cm wheels first on E jets, that couple of cm can make the different in how you have to shunt the bag in! Once it has to go sideways another pax can’t also put theirs in.

I got caught out by FlyBe’s 105cm limit once. Never flew them again.

 

[Quickstatus]

Generally have to check your carry on luggage - extremely limited overhead storage - large handbag, small backpack about all will fit.

Only in the sense that most carry ons won't fit into the overheads. But don't need to check it in at the check in counters.

At the aircraft just drop it off and at the other end pick up as you exit the aircraft.

I always try to board last because I want my carry on the be stored last - hopefully it comes out first. (Not always the case).

 

[justinbrett]

Only in the sense that most carry ons won't fit into the overheads. But don't need to check it in at the check in counters.

At the aircraft just drop it off and at the other end pick up as you exit the aircraft.

I always try to board last because I want my carry on the be stored last - hopefully it comes out first. (Not always the case).

Can we please stop this misinformation that an E175 is an ERJ! You guys are killing me!

 

[Quickstatus]

Can we please stop this misinformation that an E175 is an ERJ! You guys are killing me!

The post I was commenting on obviously was referring to the ERJ. My comment therefore was not about the E-Jet. Only about the "check in" of carry on.

 

[justinbrett]

The post I was commenting on obviously was referring to the ERJ. My comment therefore was not about the E-Jet. Only about the "check in" of carry on.

That post mistook an E175 for an ERJ.

Let’s stay on topic with the OP.