American Airlines proudly announces a historic endeavor to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. On May 31, American will fly 70 World War II veterans to France on a donated charter flight to honor them for their service and sacrifice.
“We’re honored to play a part in helping this group of heroic veterans return to Normandy,” said David Seymour, American’s Chief Operating Officer and a veteran of the U.S. Army. “This special journey is not only an expression of our gratitude for these heroes and the sacrifices they made for our freedom, but we hope to help shine a light on their extraordinary stories and preserve their legacies for generations to come.”
D-Day marks a pivotal moment in history, and this trip reaffirms American’s commitment to supporting veterans and preserving their stories 80 years later.
Among the many heroes who will return to Normandy with American is U.S. Navy veteran Felix Maurizio, who was on a landing craft that deployed troops onto Omaha Beach on D-Day. One of the soldiers he dropped off was his brother, Sal, who served in an Army medical unit.
Frank Perry, B-24 gunner
Also taking the trip is Frank Perry, who served in the Army Air Corps as a turret gunner in central Europe in March 1945, and recalls staying on high alert for enemy fighter aircraft. After being discharged from service, he pursued his dream of a career in aviation with nearly 40 years of service at Piedmont Airlines. Piedmont is one of the many heritage airlines that came together to form today’s American Airlines.
The journey will begin with a kickoff dinner at the American Airlines headquarters in Fort Worth the night before, followed by a send-off parade at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport before the group boards a chartered flight to Paris.
The veterans will spend two days in Paris before traveling to the Normandy region for commemorative events. The trip will include visits to key historical sites, concerts and special ceremonies to honor the courage and sacrifice of all who served during World War II. The trip will culminate with a June 6 ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery, where more than 9,000 U.S. service members have been laid to rest.
American has a long history of supporting those who have sacrificed to serve our nation and has formed partnerships with many organizations to support their mission. This historic trip includes partners like TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Gary Sinise Foundation, Robert Irvine Foundation and Old Glory Honor Flight.
American Airlines Boeing 737-823 WL N892NN (msn 31145) MIA (Bruce Drum). Image: 105921.
American Airlines issued this report:
The summer travel season is about to arrive, and American and its more than 130,000 team members are ready to care for customers during the peak travel period. Following strong operational performance over the winter holidays, American continues to deliver an industry-leading and safe operation for its customers.
The airline is investing in new technology to get customers on their way faster and more efficiently. Between May 17 and Sept. 3, American expects to welcome more than 72 million customers.
Summer by the numbers
New destinations
Getting ready
People
The American team is ready to welcome millions of guests aboard its flights this summer. The airline has hired and trained new team members across the operation to ensure it has the right talent in the right place.
Aircraft
American’s Tech Ops team has taken its fleet through proactive reliability visits during the off-season to reduce maintenance delays, and has been laser-focused on the systems that keep the aircraft cool.
Facilities
Facilities Maintenance teams have focused on air conditioning systems at airport terminals to ensure a comfortable experience for customers, crews and aircraft while on the ground. The airline’s baggage handling systems are also ready.
Technology
A new electronic aircraft maintenance log system gets aircraft back in service faster, while the HEAT tool continues to help the airline manage through severe weather, minimizing disruptions and cancels for customers and team members.
Partners
Catering, cabin cleaning, wheelchair service and other vendors are also ready. The airline is closely coordinated with the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to prepare for peak volumes.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 737-823 WL N892NN (msn 31145) MIA (Bruce Drum). Image: 105921.
American Airlines Airbus A321-231 WL N167AN (msn 7013) (Medal of Honor) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 963117.
Serving in the military can be one of life’s toughest journeys as members of the Armed Forces navigate active service and veteran life. During Military Appreciation Month and throughout the entire year, American Airlines honors those who are serving and those who’ve served, including the more than 11,800 American team members who are veterans or currently serving in the National Guard or Reserves.
American offers a robust network of support for service members and veterans through its partner programs and offers generous benefits to service members and their families when traveling on both official orders and personal travel.
“Supporting our nation’s service members and veterans is part of our DNA at American Airlines,” said American’s Chief Operating Officer David Seymour. “As a veteran of the U.S. Army myself, I’m proud to be a part of a company committed to supporting our nation’s greatest heroes and their families, whether it be alongside the military organizations we support, donating charter aircraft for special missions, or caring for service members each time they fly with us.”
Through the airline’s Military and Veterans Initiatives program, the airline supports many programs and partnerships to honor, support and pay tribute to those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. The airline works with the Gary Sinise Foundation, the USO, the Medal of Honor Foundation and many other organizations to give back to those who serve our country.
Flagship Valor™
American’s fleet boasts an Airbus A321 with a livery design that includes three variations of the Medal of Honor. Flagship Valor™ is a flying tribute to the men and women whose brave actions are worthy of the prestigious Medal of Honor, and whose military service allows for the freedom to fly around the world.
Snowball Express
American partners with the Gary Sinise Foundation for the annual Snowball Express event that honors those who have lost a loved one while serving in the nation’s military or First Responders who have died in the line of duty.
Last year, more than 1,000 team members sent nearly 3,000 participants on donated charter aircraft to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, for an all-expense-paid experience where these families are united and can create new, happy memories during the holiday season.
Seats for Heroes
In January, American partnered with the Dallas Mavericks and Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse to bring more than 100 wounded, ill, and injured service members from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio to Dallas for dinner and courtside seats at a Mavericks game at the American Airlines Center. This is the 17th year American has provided chartered flights for the event.
Other annual Seats for Heroes events include VIP trips to Texas Rangers games, a suite at a Dallas Cowboys game, and a special experience with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Salute to the Troops
In the 14th annual event, American flew more than 80 wounded and ill service members from Washington, D.C., to Las Vegas for an all-expenses paid weekend filled with sight-seeing, dinners, and shows, to include a concert on Freemont Street by Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band.
Each spring, American flies 20 military families from Washington, D.C., to Orlando, Florida, for a VIP experience at Walt Disney World Resort. In each of these families, either the service member or spouse is battling cancer.
Soaring Valor
Alongside the Gary Sinise Foundation, American bridges generations by bringing together World War II veterans and high school students on trips to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Traveling on an American chartered aircraft, the living history lessons allow veterans to share their firsthand experiences with the next generation.
Military and veteran resource group for team members
American continuously works to support our team members as they make the transition to civilian careers or manage the dual responsibility of working at American while also serving in uniform. Our Veteran Military Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG) provides connections to others who have made the same shift to offer guidance and support.
American takes pride in honoring its commitments to military service members traveling on the airline, including:
Government or military fares, where available.
Free checked bag allotment for active U.S. military members traveling on orders and leisure travel and for dependents when traveling on orders.
Offering active-duty military priority boarding.
Complimentary access to Admirals Club® lounge locations to current U.S. military personnel in uniform during the day of travel on an American Airlines-operated flight, when space is available.
Waived pet charges for trained active military dogs traveling in the cabin if on official duty.
Discounted vacations for U.S. active-duty military, veterans, and their families through WeSalute+.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Airbus A321-231 WL N167AN (msn 7013) (Medal of Honor) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 963117.
American Airlines aircarft photo gallery (Airbus):
American launches airline’s first-ever rotating collection of premium onboard amenities, along with new bedding.
Throughout the year, new inflight amenities will feature diverse designers and brands, sustainably sourced materials and causes important to American and its customers.
Customers can indulge in fresh entrees, inspired by popular American Airlines destinations, across all domestic and international flights.
AAdvantage® members can continue to earn or use miles for flights with these premium experiences.
American Airlines is heating up the inflight experience ahead of the summer travel season with a wave of premium onboard enhancements to make travel even more enjoyable. Customers will fly in style with a new, reimagined amenity kit series and bedding, and savor new dishes throughout their journey. In the future, customers can anticipate an increasingly elevated experience with the arrival of new Flagship Suite® seats.
“We thoughtfully curate each element of the onboard experience so every customer can look forward to the time they spend in flight,” said Kim Cisek, American’s Vice President of Customer Experience. “Part of the magic of travel is connecting our customers to the people and experiences that matter most to them. We’re taking that concept to the skies by introducing a new, dynamic onboard program that’s inspired by feedback from our customers and team members.”
American worked with a mix of boutique and well-known brands to create a program that will evolve throughout the years and feature rotating kit designs and high-quality skincare products in addition to the new bedding program.
A rotation of stylish new amenities and more
The new program will be on board more than 300 international and transcontinental flights beginning Memorial Day weekend in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy cabins.
American’s primary amenity kit will be available yearlong for customers flying in premium cabins. The kit will include staple amenities customers have come to expect while in flight, such as a toothbrush, dental kit, eye mask and earplugs, in addition to new and evolving skincare products and offerings. American will cycle new brands and products within the kits for customers in all premium cabins, creating a unique customer experience several times over, based directly on customer feedback.
American collaborated with beauty retailer Thirteen Lune to curate the skincare offerings, which will feature high-quality beauty brands from Thirteen Lune’s tailored collection with wide ranging representation of diverse founders and voices such as Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
Limited-edition kits
In addition to these rotating products within the kits, customers will enjoy limited-edition specialty kits created in collaboration with diverse designers and brands based primarily in the U.S. Through the designs of these specialty kits, American will recognize specific milestones and initiatives that reflect the values and backgrounds of the airline’s customers and team members. These limited-edition kits will debut in the months and years ahead.
In fact, the all-new amenity program will launch with a Thirteen Lune specialty kit to introduce customers to the new kit line and the opportunity to start collecting the limited-edition kits. Customers flying in premium cabins will receive the Thirteen Lune kit for the first few weeks of the kickoff to the new program. Customers can then look forward to receiving the primary amenity kit on board throughout the rest of the summer.
Each specialty kit will be available for a limited time on eligible flights in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy. Travelers will be able to learn about each brand and partner featured in the specialty kit by scanning a QR code found within the kit.
Amenity kit in American Airlines Flagship® First, Thirteen Lune limited-edition kit
Amenity kit in American Airlines Flagship® Business, Thirteen Lune limited-edition kit
Amenity kit in American Airlines Premium Economy
Elevated bedding inspired by customer feedback
Customers will travel in elevated comfort with new bedding, pillows and sleepwear that deliver on customer expectations for a restful experience on board. In American’s research with customers, travelers shared that 75% prefer dual-sided pillows, with different materials on each side of the pillow. Based on this feedback, customers traveling across Flagship® First Class or Flagship® Business Class will enjoy a dual-sided pillow with cool touch fabric on one side, and traditional fabric on the other.
Those traveling in Flagship® First Class on international flights will continue to enjoy a set of pajamas, based on feedback that 80% of first class customers value having pajamas onboard. In addition, travelers in Flagship® Business Class on all international flights will now enjoy slippers onboard, instead of only on ultra long-haul flights.
Customers in all cabins, including Premium Economy and Main Cabin, will enjoy enhanced bedding, with cabin-specific options such as lumbar pillows, throw blankets, premium duvets and fleece blankets — all developed from premium brands that are leaders in their space.
American collaborated with the inflight textile company John Horsfall to develop bedding made with recycled materials from their Re-Thread® collection*.
Reusable Zipper Product Bag
Bedding in American Airlines Flagship® First
Bedding in American Airlines Flagship® Business
Bedding in American Airlines Premium Economy
Bedding in American Airlines Main Cabin
Bedding in American Airlines Transcontinental Flagship® First Class
Bedding in American Airlines Transcontinental Flagship® Business Class
Nearly all of the pillows, duvets and blankets created for American flights were made with recycled fibers that maintain a premium feel, while filled bedding includes 100% recycled fill. To reduce single-use plastic waste connected to the distribution of pillows and blankets, customers traveling in Flagship® First, Flagship® Business and Premium Economy will now receive their bedding in a reusable zipper product bag also made with recycled fibers. Using the bag will save 25 tons of plastic waste a year.
New dining menus soar within the U.S. and beyond
While dining on board, customers can embrace the journey with diverse flavors and new menus that are inspired by popular American Airlines destinations worldwide. The offerings feature internationally inspired pastas, salads and more.
Travelers jet-setting to one of American’s new summer destinations like Nice, France; Naples, Italy; or Copenhagen, Denmark, will be able to relish delicious offerings like macadamia crusted sea bass with citrus cream sauce, quinoa, toasted orzo, and haricots verts. In addition to these offerings, pan roasted chicken, tortellini pasta and other offerings, including new pre-order options, will continue to roll out this spring for business class on flights from the U.S. to international destinations.
Customers traveling from Europe in business class can choose to indulge in menu items like chili marinated chicken with mojo verde sauce, sweet potato mash, roasted corn and mini chili or gnocchi duet with plain and beetroot gnocchi, lentil ragout, apple chutney, brown butter, roasted spring onion and sliced green onion.
Entrees: International US outbound Business Class entrees on American Airlines From left: Pan roasted chicken with pepperonata sauce, mashed potato with chives and broccolini. Macadamia crusted sea bass with lemon herb butter sauce, orzo salad haricot vert and red bell pepper. Tortellini in sauteed spinach with blushed tomato sauce and grilled zucchini and mushroom medley.
Customers traveling on domestic first class can also discover new offerings on their journey. Travelers can enjoy cuisine such as shawarma seasoned grilled chicken, three cheese sacchetti pasta, chicken enchiladas or a plant based stuffed red pepper. Customers can also choose from new pre-order options, including short rib mac and cheese.
These new options in premium cabins will provide a range of diverse culinary creations and award-winning wines. For AAdvantage® members, miles and status can help unlock access to some of these premium inflight experiences.
Domestic First Class hot entrees on American Airlines Clockwise from top left: Vegetable enchilada with red rice and green chili sauce, garnished with crumbled cotija cheese. Cheese sacchetti with garlic cream sauce and marinara sauce, topped with a chopped parsley garnish. Penne pasta with plant-based meat ragu and ricotta, garnished with chopped parsley. Stuffed pepper, green rice and cilantro crema, garnished with crumbled cotija cheese.
Domestic First Class cold entrees on American Airlines Clockwise from top left: The Mediterranean bowl with garlic aioli dressing, couscous spiced with potatoes, almonds, baby arugula, shaved red cabbage, roasted red pepper hummus, tomato & cucumber salad and roasted spiced cauliflower. The bistro grain bowl with red long grain rice, crumbled blue cheese, fresh cucumber, Roma tomato, red onion, green scallion, hard-boiled egg, sorghum and Frisée and Mesclun salad mix. The pesto pasta salad with baby arugula, pesto salad, red and yellow blistered cherry tomatoes, red pepper, sliced mozzarella, and a nut-free basil pesto sauce. The edamame and mandarin orange slaw salad with baby spinach, wonton strips, roasted cashews, green scallion and red miso vinaigrette
Suite experience
Beyond the new inflight amenities, bedding and dining options on board this summer, customers can look forward to an even more elevated experience onboard future Boeing 787-9, 777-300 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft, featuring a new interior with the Flagship® Suite seat and refreshed seats and amenities across Premium Economy and Main Cabin.
Customers traveling in the Flagship Suite® seat will be surrounded by comfort and convenience including wireless charging, Bluetooth capability and multiple storage spaces. With standard features such as lie-flat seats and direct-aisle access, American has modernized the experience by adding privacy doors and the ability to relax in a chaise lounge position, making the Flagship Suite® seat a personalized experience in the skies.
American Airlines Flagship® Suite Preferred seat
American Airlines Flagship® Suite Preferred seat
Customers looking for even more luxury will be able to further enhance their experience with a distinguished front row experience on new Boeing 787-9 and retrofitted 777-300 aircraft through the Flagship Suite® Preferred seat. This seat will offer customers expansive space, several storage areas and exclusive amenities like a Nest Bedding® mattress pad, a throw blanket, a memory foam lumbar pillow, Nest Bedding® pajamas and an exclusive amenity kit featuring additional skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
As these new interiors roll out, customers traveling in Premium Economy will also enjoy new amenities like wireless charging, additional storage space and privacy headrest wings. Customers traveling in Main Cabin will enjoy new 4K seatback screens and new Bluetooth connectivity and AC and USB-A/USB-C charging ports.
Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) and Destination Québec cité are thrilled to announce a new direct route with American Airlines. Starting on August 10, 2024, the world’s largest airline will connect YQB to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina, with one direct flight a week on Saturdays until November 2, 2024.
This route is joining American Airlines’ existing flights from Québec City to Philadelphia and Chicago, giving Québec City passengers more options for direct flights to a major hub in the carrier’s network in the U.S. In particular, it will help develop new markets, mainly in California, Texas, Southeastern U.S., and Florida.
American Airlines, Make-A-Wish and Disney will grant the wishes of children battling critical illnesses in celebration of World Wish Month. On April 17, 28 wish families will board the Wish Flight and fly on a one-of-a-kind, chartered plane from Dallas-Fort Worth to Orlando, Florida, to fulfill their wishes to go to Walt Disney World Resort®.
American recently hosted a special wish reveal celebration at its Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters with local wish families. Team members came together to cheer on the wish kids with congratulatory signs, refreshments and photo stations as the children learned about the extraordinary Wish Flight they will be taking in April.
Wish Flight will be full of unforgettable experiences, beginning with a pre-flight celebration at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, complete with a breakfast bar and a special send-off by WishMakers who make wishes possible. The party will continue with an epic inflight experience and magical moments provided by American, sending these wish kids and their families off on a trip that will be sure to transform their lives.
In addition to interactive games, the flight will feature a special snack menu and surprise moments including live entertainment. The chartered Wish Flight will land at Orlando International Airport, and families will be welcomed by WishMakers cheering their arrival.
The families will then enjoy a welcome reception at Give Kids The World Village, a whimsical nonprofit resort where they will stay for six days and five nights as part of their wish trip. All of the children’s wishes are to visit Walt Disney World Resort®, and together with Make-A-Wish, Disney has helped grant more than 155,000 life-changing wishes like these since 1980.
“As long-time WishMakers, American Airlines and Disney know what it takes to deliver hope, strength and joy to children with critical illnesses and their families,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “In the case of Wish Flight, they will provide wish families with an experience unlike any other that is sure to create unforgettable memories before they even step foot off the plane to begin their wish trips.”
Make-A-Wish needs almost 3 billion airline miles to fulfill travel wishes for children battling critical illnesses each year, making it a critical resource to grant the wish of every eligible child waiting. As the organization’s longest-standing airline partner, American generously donated the chartered aircraft and continues to donate millions of AAdvantage® miles yearly to make wish travel possible.
American will direct all AAdvantage® miles donated to Miles for Global Health and Well-Being during the month of April to Make-A-Wish, up to 50 million miles.
“At American, we’re in the business of connecting people and creating experiences through the joy of travel. We hope these kids and their families can feel the support, strength and excitement of our team members as they embark on this heartwarming journey with us,” said Caroline Clayton, Vice President of Communications and Marketing at American Airlines. “As a partner of Make-A-Wish for more than 35 years, we are grateful to help uplift our community by helping to make wishes come true for those who need it most.”
Wishes wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and generosity of WishMakers. From individual donors to corporate partners, from everyday people to celebrities, everyone has the power to become a WishMaker. But more WishMakers are needed in order for Make-A-Wish to achieve its goal to bring the life-changing impact of a wish to every eligible child.
During World Wish Month in April, Make-A-Wish chapters and affiliates worldwide are inviting communities to join the movement and become a WishMaker between now and the end of World Wish month. The Wish Flight is a perfect example of the impact that’s possible when communities unite to make wishes happen.
Make-A-Wish and American invite anyone who would like to make a difference in the lives of wish kids to learn how to make wishes come true and become a WishMaker at wishmaker.org.
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Boeing):
AAdvantage® members will soon be able to use their miles in even more ways with a new option to redeem for Wi-Fi on board.
All customers can enjoy ad-sponsored Wi-Fi available across 100% of American’s Viasat domestic narrowbody fleet.
Regional high-speed Wi-Fi installations kick off this summer, bringing high-speed Wi-Fi to nearly 500 dual-class regional aircraft.
New inflight content and specially curated channels further enhance entertainment offerings.
American continues to make its high-speed inflight Wi-Fi more accessible and easier to use, whether customers connect to work or browse the internet. From introducing a new way for AAdvantage® members to use their miles to consistently improving the inflight connectivity and entertainment experience, customers can look forward to making the most of their time onboard.
Coming soon: redeem miles for Wi-Fi in flight
AAdvantage® members will soon be able to use miles to pay for Wi-Fi on board. American will start rolling out this new ability to redeem miles in the next few weeks on a couple select aircraft. By the summer travel season, all of the airline’s Viasat-equipped narrowbody aircraft will offer this ability to unlock Wi-Fi in exchange for miles. With this enhancement to help loyalty go even further, American continues to deliver on the commitment that travel is better as an AAdvantage® member.
Taking Wi-Fi connectivity to new heights
Once connected, customers can enjoy Wi-Fi even longer with gate-to-gate connectivity on most mainline aircraft, allowing customers to stay connected from the minute they find their seat to when they’re deplaning. and connectivity is only going up from here. Customers looking for a free Wi-Fi option can enjoy ad-sponsored Wi-Fi across 100% of American’s Viasat domestic narrowbody aircraft.
All Wi-Fi connectivity enhancements will be powered by a new design for the Wi-Fi portal that customers use inflight, rolling out throughout the year. The new Wi-Fi portal design will further enhance the customer experience by making Wi-Fi offerings even more accessible for customers with a user-friendly Wi-Fi purchase process with fewer clicks and effective direct-to-customer communication through strategic pop-up messaging. The portal will also make content easier to navigate through a sleeker design, providing an aesthetically pleasing experience that highlights American’s Wi-Fi, entertainment and partner offers on a single page.
Traveling on a regional aircraft? This summer, American and Intelsat will begin installation of high-speed Wi-Fi on nearly 500 dual-class regional aircraft — helping even more customers have a consistent and connected inflight experience.
Staying entertained on board
American is the first airline to offer streaming capabilities on 100% of its mainline fleet, allowing customers to stream video content from their favorite streaming platform. Customers can continue accessing one of the regularly updated 1,500 pieces of free content on inflight entertainment.
Customers can discover fresh and free content, as American updates approximately 200 titles monthly inspired by current entertainment trends, customer feedback and data analysis to create a robust content offering that includes Movies, TV Shows, Audio and Lifestyle options such as:
A chance to catch up on all the 2024 winners and nominees by checking out the Award Nominated channel.
A Women’s Stories channel, with female voices, from actresses and directors to writers and singers.
A Paramount Scares channel featuring specially curated horror and scary movies.
American is committed to a premium customer experience, and this includes creating a fun experience for all travelers. Customers can enjoy options such as:
Our youngest flyers can enjoy baby sensory videos through our new exclusive partnership with Hey Bear Sensory to captivate the attention of little ones contributing to a calm and stress-free journey for parents and nearby passengers.
Customers looking for wellness options can find custom content like meditation, affirmations, seated stretches, self-care and more wellness categories on their flight through our new partnership with FitOn.
Music fans can enjoy exclusive access to some of the most exciting artists around today through Center Stage. Each episode features in-depth interviews with emerging and established artists.
Looking for unique offers from American’s partners? American continues to provide even more value for customers via the partners page, where customers can discover special offers from our partners like Apple TV+, where new customers can get a free two-month subscription to continue watching Apple Originals they’ve discovered in flight.
American orders 85 Airbus A321neo, 85 Boeing 737 MAX 10 and 90 Embraer E175 aircraft.
Orders enable American to upgauge aircraft on domestic and short-haul international routes and offer more premium seats than any other U.S. airline.
American expects to remain within its previously announced guidance for capacity and capital expenditures inclusive of the aircraft orders.
With growing customer demand for a premium travel experience, American will retrofit its A319 and A320 fleets beginning in 2025, increasing the number of domestic first class seats on each aircraft.
Narrowbody orders complement existing orders of Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A321XLR long-haul aircraft.
American Airlines today announced orders for 260 new aircraft, including 85 Airbus A321neo, 85 Boeing 737 MAX 10 and 90 Embraer E175 aircraft. The orders also include options and purchase rights for an additional 193 aircraft. As part of the Boeing order, American has upgauged 30 existing 737 MAX 8 orders to 737 MAX 10 aircraft.
The orders are part of American’s continued investment to expand premium seats across its narrowbody and regional fleets and support the long-term strength of the airline’s domestic and short-haul international network.
Since 2014, American has taken delivery of more than 600 mainline and regional aircraft. With this announcement, American has 440 aircraft on order, extending its aircraft order book into the next decade so the airline can continue to meet the growing demand for air travel.
Measured narrowbody fleet growth
The aircraft orders support American’s measured growth into the next decade and smooth the delivery schedule in the coming years. Accounting for these orders, American expects to remain within its previously announced guidance for capacity and capital expenditures.
For the past decade, the A321 and A321neo aircraft have flown American’s customers across the U.S. and to short-haul international destinations. American continues to be the largest single-carrier operator in the world of A320 family aircraft.
“The continued investment in the A321neo is a testament to the unprecedented value of the world’s most versatile and capable single-aisle aircraft,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft, Airbus. “For nearly two decades, American Airlines has used its A320 family of aircraft, some of which have been produced in the U.S. in Mobile, Alabama, to grow its domestic and short-haul international network and provide an exceptional experience for its passengers and crews.”
American is planning for the future with the new order of 737 MAX 10s and looks forward to certification of the aircraft. The airline currently operates the 737 MAX 8 and the addition of the 737 MAX 10 will allow American to continue to upgauge its fleet and provide more flexibility across its network.
Upgauged regional fleet
American is focused on bringing larger, dual-class regional aircraft into its fleet, which will continue to drive connectivity from smaller markets to the rest of the airline’s global network. The airline expects to retire all of its 50-seat single-class regional jets by the end of the decade and will continue to serve small and medium-size markets with larger regional jets.
Dual-class regional jets with premium seating, high-speed satellite Wi-Fi and in-seat power are expected to make up American’s entire regional fleet upon completion of the Embraer E175 deliveries. The new E175 aircraft will be operated by American’s wholly owned regional carriers.
Enhancements to existing aircraft
To serve customers’ growing demand for a premium travel experience, American will be retrofitting its A319 and A320 aircraft beginning in 2025. The retrofit will refresh the interior with power at every seat, larger overhead bins and new seats with updated trim and finish.
American’s A319 fleet will be outfitted with more premium seats for a total of 12 domestic first class seats. The A320 fleet retrofits will increase the aircraft’s domestic first class seat count to 16.
With the planned refresh of existing aircraft and the expected deliveries of new aircraft, premium seating in American’s fleet is expected to grow by more than 20% by 2026.
CEO Robert Isom and American Airlines’ senior leadership continue to disrespect 27,000 Flight Attendants as they reward themselves with bonuses and incentivesWHAT: As American Airlines puts on a show for investors, proclaiming the company’s goal is “To Care for People on Life’s Journey®,” its Flight Attendants will be outside, demanding to be cared for on their life’s journey. Flight Attendants picket to educate investors that AA is still waging labor war against its largest unionized workgroup. AA has thus far refused to make the improvements to wages and quality of life the way that Flight Attendants need to see, driving Flight Attendants to ask for release from mediated negotiations so they can move toward a strike.
WHERE:Entrance to the New York Stock Exchange, corner of Broad and Wall Streets, New York, NY.
WHEN:Monday, March 4, 2024, 12:30 p.m. EST
WHO: American Airlines Flight Attendants will join Julie Hedrick, National President of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the Union of American Airlines Flight Attendants, and other Union leaders to protest management’s lack of meaningful contract improvements. APFA has petitioned the National Mediation Board (NMB) to be released to strike American Airlines. Flight Attendants, in uniform, will stand outside, holding picket signs and chanting.
WHY: American Airlines Flight Attendants continue to languish under pay rates negotiated in 2014. While American’s upper-level management has rewarded themselves handsomely with incentives and bonuses, they refuse to offer Flight Attendants sufficient pay improvements that address inflation and the cost of living in Flight Attendant bases like New York City, Boston and Miami.
APFA, the Union representing American’s 27,000 Flight Attendants, has petitioned the NMB for a release to strike. Last August, American’s Flight Attendants overwhelmingly voted to authorize APFA to call a strike if necessary. In mid-March, they will make their case to the NMB at a status conference in Washington, D.C. Once released by the NMB, Flight Attendants will strike in support of contract demands if necessary.
American’s Flight Attendants join Workers across industries and occupations as the fight against corporate greed rages. Flight Attendants at American Airlines are fully prepared to do what it takes to secure a contract that addresses the current economic realities.
The economic framework currently proposed by American Airlines’ management does not align with the needs of Flight Attendants.
The Flight Attendants’ message is clear: “American Airlines –come to the table and close out this contract NOW!”
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