CNBC | by Leslie Josephs | April 26, 2024
Source: American Airlines cuts some international flights citing Boeing delays (cnbc.com)
theNational.buzz Summary:
- American Airlines reduces long-haul flights due to Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery delays.
- Routes to Europe and Hawaii affected, with some suspensions and frequency reductions.
- Airline adjusts schedule to accommodate customers and mitigate impact of production problems.
American Airlines on Friday said Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner delivery delays are forcing it to cut some long-haul flights in the second half of the year and into early 2025, the latest carrier to change its schedule tied to the plane-maker’s production problems.
American expects to receive three Dreamliners this year, down from six, it said in a filing Thursday. Boeing said earlier this week that parts shortages will prevent it from ramping up production of the wide-body planes.
“We’re making these adjustments now to ensure we’re able to re-accommodate customers on affected flights,” American said in a statement. “We’ll be proactively reaching out to impacted customers to offer alternate travel arrangements. We remain committed to our customers and team members and mitigating the impact of these delays while continuing to offer a comprehensive global network.”
American will suspend some routes to Europe at the end of the summer. Here’s what’s changing:
- Flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Athens will be suspended on Sept. 3. The seasonal route was previously scheduled to end Oct. 26.
- Flights from New York to Barcelona will be suspended Sept. 3. The route was previously year-round, and will resume next year.
- Flights from Dallas/Fort Worth International to Dublin and to Rome, which were both scheduled as year-round flights, will now be suspended on Oct. 26, and return next year.
- Flights from Chicago O’Hare to Paris will end Sept. 3 and resume next year.
American will also offer just a single daily flight between New York and Rome, instead of twice daily, starting Aug. 5, and service between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Kona, Hawaii, won’t operate this winter.
American said it will continue to offer 55 long-haul international routes this winter and that it will add nonstop service between Philadelphia and Barcelona on a daily basis starting in January, as well as seasonal service between Miami and Montevideo, Uruguay. It will also add three-times-a-day flights between Miami and Sao Paulo.
The airline is further evaluating its schedule because of Boeing’s 737 Max delays, it said.
Boeing didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
