http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/JetBlue_Airways/JetBlue_Airways_Airbus_A320.php
A320 Shows 25 rows x 3 x 3 = 150 seats

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/JetBlue_Airways/JetBlue_Airways_Embraer_190.php
E190 shows 25 rows x 2 x 2 = 100 seats

So, the two jets server different sized markets.

But even then, that is not a sufficient enough distinction. You could realistically put another 2 rows in the A320 and still have a decent seat pitch (your weight would go up by 12 seats + 12 pax + one flight attendant, reducing the plane’s available range on those transcons), so the stats for comparison should be:
A320 Shows 27 rows x 3 x 3 = 162 seats
E190 shows 25 rows x 2 x 2 = 100 seats

I don’t think there is really much more overhead space on a #20 than on an E190/E175. The rationale: yes, the overheads are large enough to store the rollaboards “wheels-in first” on a A320. Great, buy you’ve got to get 3 people’s worth above each person. An E175 stores them just find “sideways”, but only has 2 people on each side of the aisle, so there are less bags to occupy a smaller area.

The extra bonus to the E190 is a guarantee of not being in a middle seat.

As to the other point:
The Alternative to an E190 is not an A320. They serve different markets.

The E190 is most like a DC-9 or a CRJ900 or an A318 or a 737-200/500 in terms of capacity.

The A319 is most like a 737-300/700 in terms of capacity.

The A320 is most like a 737-400/800 in terms of capacity.

The A321 is most like a 737-900 or a 757-200 in terms of capacity.

Switching out an A320 for an E190 means losing money by not boarding a bunch of pax (due to less seats available); switching out an E190 for an A320 means running the A320 a good percentage empty and thus losing money there as well.

But I’m really shocked to hear about DRG’s experience in the 190 vs. the A321 on Jetblue. Have you guys flown much in either on them? If so my apologies I suppose we have difference in taste, although I really am surprised here. For three years I shuttled back between Bos and Oak on jetblue on the a321. After I started doing the East Coast to Austin on the 190s or on transfers through jfk up to bos, I longed for the airbusses again. Why? More overhead space, greater width of the aisle, and are the seats narrower too on the 190? Certainly if you have the window seat on the 190 you have less space than the airbus. It’s not necessarily fair in my opinion to compare it to the CRJ in Jetblue’s case…because the alternative isn’t really the CRJ, but rather the a321. thoughts?

DRG – More info

Well first of all, the Queen doesn’t write British Airways materials. And yes, British Airways ARE is WRONG, no matter who writes it.

You are in a minority. The Embraer 170 series has been extremely well received by passengers and yours is the first complaint I have ever heard. I prefer flying in it over an Airbus any day.

The Embraer was designed for smaller cities. Not every market is viable with an Airbus A320, which incidentally is the other aircraft that JetBlue flies (it has no A321s)

The A321 is versatile? Yes, it does have a low operating cost, but it does not have much of a gas tank, and it’d go overweight if one was ever installed. Heck, the A320 (much smaller and lighter) needs to make refueling stops on transcons when the wind kicks up.

People think that an A321 is just like a 757 becuase they appear to be the same size. In fact, there is no real replacement for the venerable ’57.

As to an E190, I have not been on an E190 yet, but I have been on an E175. Much preferred to a CRJ900. Real cabin size; real overhead bins; quiet; etc.

Just my thoughts.

I think the Queen would disagree with you, DRG. It’s very common to see “British Airways ARE . . .” over in the UK. For example, this part of BA’s site has something at the bottom saying “British Airways are in no way responsible for any problems associated with these plugins.”

Does that mean I should have used it the way I did? Probably not. But I’m not going to bother changing it either.

…errr, no, this is false. A company is an “it.” They is plural and is used to refer to more than one of something. You would never say “JetBlue ARE introducing new routes,” therefore you cannot say “THEY are introducing new routes.”