American's First Aircraft Featuring Bigger Overhead Bins and More Room Throughout Coach Takes to the Skies.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ --

American Airlines today rolled out its first aircraft featuring bigger overhead storage bins, continuing the airline's "More Room Throughout Coach" initiative. American Flight 1257, a newly reconfigured Boeing 757, is scheduled to depart from D/FW Airport bound for Austin at 8:03 a.m. on Jan. 18, 2001.

In February 2000, American Airlines began removing thousands of coach seats from its entire fleet to provide greater seat pitch and more legroom for its passengers. With the seating initiative complete on American's domestic fleet, American has begun an $80 million campaign to increase overhead storage capability on nearly 500 of its narrow body jets, making it easier for passengers to stow and remove luggage and other personal items. The new extensions will more than double the overhead bin capacity on American's 123 Boeing 757s. American is targeting completion of its Boeing 757 bin extensions for February 2002.

"American Airlines is committed to providing its customers with maximum comfort and personal space," said Mike Gunn, American's executive vice president of marketing and planning. "Our passengers can now stretch their legs and stow their carry-on items with fewer hassles, meaning a more relaxed and enjoyable flight."

Eventually, additional overhead storage capability will be available on American's entire domestic fleet, including 259 Super 80s and 75 Fokker 100s. Altogether, these aircraft fly nearly 70 percent of AA's domestic departures. Installation of the Super 80 bin extensions will begin in February 2001, followed by work on the new F100 bins in May 2001.

Current AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) news releases can be accessed via the Internet. The address is http://www.amrcorp.com/corpcomm.htm