As the busy summer travel period quickly approaches, American Airlines has announced changes to its policies regarding oversize sports and music equipment. American is eliminating oversize bag fees for common sports and music equipment, effective for travel on or after May 21. The updated policies, which will be music to the ears of musicians who fly on American, will also ensure that customers can more easily pursue active and healthy lifestyles wherever their travels may take them, without having to pay additional oversize bag fees.
Customers can check common oversize sports and music equipment as standard baggage, up to the maximum allowed dimensions and within the weight requirements. Refer to the full policy for additional information.
Based on feedback from our customers and American team members, American is eliminating the charge for common oversize sports and music equipment โ up to the maximum size we accept for these items. The change is effective for travel on or after May 21.
American will accept these oversize items as a standard checked bag without an additional oversize charge.
The checked oversize bag counts toward a customerโs normal baggage allowance. For example, customers traveling within the United States, who used to pay $150 to check one oversize item such as a surfboard, will now pay $30 โ the cost of a standard first bag โ if the weight is less than 50 lbs. Customers traveling with skis or a snowboard will now be able to check in an equipment bag with the skis or snowboard as one bag (up to 50 lbs./62 in.).
Due to special handling requirements, oversize items such as antlers, hang gliders, scuba tanks and kite/windsurfing items will continue to incur a flat $150 fee.
Additional allowances/restrictions may apply based on destination, class of service, elite status, active U.S. military members or AAdvantageยฎ cardmembers (on domestic American-operated itineraries).
American Airlines Group has filed a lawsuit against two of its unions (IAM and TWU) representing its mechanics. The Group is alleging a slowdown by both groups.
According to Reuters, the union activity has caused 650 flight cancellations and more than 1,500 maintenance delays since February.
American recently cut its profit forecast for 2019 blaming the Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 grounding.
Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport and American Airlines have announced plans to develop a sixth terminal, providing a long-term commitment from the airline and opportunities for businesses and customers in the fastest growing region in the United States.
The plans call for DFW to invest up to $3 to $3.5 billion in terminal improvements, including the construction of Terminal F and enhancements to Terminal C. The identified site south of Terminal D provides significant flexibility for phasing in the number of gates for Terminal F, with a long-term projection of up to 24 gates, as demand for additional facilities is warranted.
Design work for Terminal F will begin immediately. DFW and American will explore several different options for the layout of the Terminal F site. DFW and American expect the details to be finalized as part of a new airlines lease agreement for DFW that is being negotiated. DFW and American anticipate the investment to be financed by bonds and repaid through airlines rates and charges over the life of the bonds.
โTodayโs announcement sets the stage for DFW Airportโs next 50 years,โ said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW Airport. โThe new Terminal F and the expansion that could follow will provide the region with the growth it needs to compete with international business centers. The Airport is growing faster than ever, and it needs to keep pace with the Dallas-Fort Worth economy to provide jobs and connections for businesses and families. Weโre grateful to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Board Chairman Bill Meadows for their leadership. I want to especially recognize American for its commitment to DFW Airport. We look forward to working together to deliver what will be an efficient, modern terminal with a state-of-the-art customer experience.โ
โThis is an exciting day for American and our more than 31,000 team members who call Dallas-Fort Worth home. American enjoys a wonderful relationship with the City of Fort Worth, the City of Dallas and DFW Airport, and we thank Mayor Price, Mayor Rawlings, and Sean and the entire DFW team for being such great partners. DFW is Americanโs largest hub and a central gateway to our extensive international and domestic network. The plans weโre announcing today will allow for the continued growth of DFW and ensure the airport remains a premier gateway for American for many more years to come.โ
โ Doug Parker, American Airlines Chairman and CEO
โWe look forward to accommodating the continued growth of our city and the region through infrastructure improvements and expansion at DFW Airport,โ said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. โWeโre glad to see DFWโs anchor carrier, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, collaborate with the Airport to take this area to new heights. This new terminal will further fuel economic development and job growth in our region.โ
“This is one of the most significant announcements in my eight years as mayor,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “The fact that American Airlines believes in the DFW International Airport Board and management enough to make this tremendous investment in the future of the Airport is something we should all celebrate. This will further solidify DFWโs standing as one of the best international airports in the world.”
The design of Terminal F is expected to accommodate a changing aviation industry as DFW utilizes innovative technologies to facilitate the movement of customers, maintain cost efficiencies for airlines and improve operational performance.
Terminal C is one of the Airportโs original terminals and opened in 1974. DFW and American plan to significantly improve the customer experience at Terminal C, bringing it in line with Terminals A, B and E, on which renovations were completed in 2018. Those renovations included redesigned check-in areas, larger security checkpoints, expanded concessions spaces, and improved lighting and flooring.
DFW Airport welcomed a record 69 million customers in 2018, and the Airport anticipates more passengers and air service to be added in the next two years than in the past two decades. In 2018, DFW announced 28 new destinations, giving it a larger domestic footprint than any other U.S. airport. Customers also have access to more than 60 international destinations from DFW, with double the number of European destinations and frequencies since 2015.
Over the past several years, American has expanded with additional DFW service, and by June 2019, the airline will operate more than 900 daily flights from the Airport. In total, customers have access to more than 230 nonstop destinations on American from DFW.
A 2015 economic impact study indicates DFW Airport contributes more than $37 billion to the Dallas-Fort Worth economy, with nearly 60,000 jobs at the Airport and more than 228,000 jobs created across the region. In 2018, DFW Airport awarded more than $150 million in contracts to small, women- and minority-owned businesses, and concessions agreements generated more than $155 million in revenues for disadvantaged businesses.
American Airlines welcomes the U.S. Department of Transportationโs (DOT) tentative approval of additional service at Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND). American was tentatively granted authority to operate a daily flight between HND and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and a second daily flight between HND and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
โWe are encouraged by the DOTโs tentative decision and look forward to operating more flights into Tokyo Haneda and beyond with our joint business partner, Japan Airlines,โ said American Airlines President Robert Isom. โWe understand the unique opportunity weโve been granted with new Haneda service from our largest hub at DFW and additional service from LAX, and will deliver a world-class customer experience when flights begin next year.โ
A second daily LAXโHND flight will complement Americanโs existing LAXโHND service, which began in 2016. The new flight from DFW will provide Japanese customers convenient connections throughout Americanโs vast network with more than 900 daily flights to more than 200 destinations.
Americanโs new DFWโHND service would be operated with a Boeing 777-200, while its second LAXโHND service would be operated with a 787-8 (top).
The final decision from the DOT is expected in the next few weeks.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N816AA (msn 40634) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 946295.
More gates. More flights. And now, more ways to relax.
American Airlines took the next step in its unprecedented growth at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) today (May 16) with the grand opening of its newest Flagship Lounge, located in Terminal D. The luxury, on-the-ground experience is complemented by the airlineโs best-in-class Flagship First Dining.
โIt made sense for us to go all-in on the Flagship experience at our largest hub,โ said Kurt Stache, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Loyalty and Sales for American. โMore of Americanโs premium customers fly through DFW than anywhere else, and we think theyโll agree the Flagship experience is unlike any other.โ
Flagship Lounge
Customers traveling in Flagship First and Flagship Business will have access to Americanโs Flagship Lounge to refresh, unwind or work before their flight with quiet spaces for taking a rest, lounge-style seating, luxury showers and ample wireless chargers. Flagship guests can choose from a robust variety of hot and cold entrees including Texas brisket in adobo sauce, Korean-style chicken wings and sushi. Also available to guests will be a rotating chef-action station with made-to-order omelets and Asian-style pancakes. Premium wine, Champagne and local craft beer are available to pair with any meal.
Flagship First Dining
Flagship First Dining is Americanโs high-end, sit-down dining experience located within the Flagship Lounge and is available exclusively for customers traveling in Flagship First. Guests will experience a complimentary, fine-dining restaurant experience with an array of appetizers, entrees and desserts. The DFW Flagship Dining menu features the flavors of Texas with double-smoked beef brisket, slow-braised pork shoulder and Texas pecan pie, as well as premium wines picked by master sommelier Desmond Echavarrie, Krug Champagne, signature cocktails and local craft beer.
American will also launch the plant-based Impossible Burger as an alternative to its signature Flagship Burger, providing even more food choices to its customers. The vegetarian option will be available at DFW first, and there are plans to expand it to additional Flagship First Dining locations later this year.
Admirals Club
Americanโs renovated Admirals Club lounge in Terminal D has also opened, providing customers with an updated modern look, more power outlets, access to showers and space to relax. Guests will have access to snacks such as hummus, veggies, soup and the signature make-your-own guacamole station, as well as complimentary beer, wine and spirits. The Admirals Club lounge will also feature local craft beers for sale from breweries in Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
This June, American will also launch an exclusive label from master sommelier Bobby Stuckey as its complimentary wine.
Building the most connected network
Americanโs lounge investments at DFW are in conjunction with its strategy to build the most connected network at its most profitable hub. The airline has been steadily adding service from DFW and, beginning in early June, will operate more than 900 daily flights from the hub, an increase of 100 flights per day from last summer. The new flights include service to 23 new markets, including Dublin (DUB); Munich (MUC); Kalispell, Montana (FCA); Harlingen, Texas (HRL); Monterey, California (MRY); and Augusta, Georgia (AGS); as well additional service to 84 existing markets such as Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (LGA).
Earlier this month, American opened 15 new gates in the Terminal E satellite, which supports more than 100 daily regional flights for American Eagle. In June, American will open six mainline gates in Terminal B to further position itself for this summer’s growth. When American opens its next DFW Admirals Club lounge in Terminal E later this summer, travelers will have access to a lounge within any of DFWโs five terminals.
In total, customers have access to 234 nonstop destinations from DFW and a network that enables over 9,000 one-stop connections through DFW โ more than any other airline hub in the world.
Flagship coast to coast
These enhancements are just the latest in Americanโs more than $200 million investment in the luxury travel experience. The worldโs largest airline recently opened Flagship Lounges at New Yorkโs John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LAX, Miami International Airport (MIA) and Chicago OโHare International Airport (ORD), with the exclusive Flagship First Dining experience available at JFK, LAX and MIA.
A PSA Airlines pilot was arrested at Louisville International Airport before his flight. The pilot was taken into custody and is being charged for three murders in November 2015 in Pembroke, KY.
American Airlines has announced two new destinations: Huatulco (HUX) and Acapulco (ACA).
American will also add a new flight to Chihuahua (CUU) in addition to five new Caribbean and eight new domestic routes.
Mexico
American offers more service between the U.S. and Mexico than any other airline with up to 85 daily flights to 22 cities. On December 18, daily service between Phoenix (PHX) and CUU will begin, complementing existing daily service from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW).
Tuesday and Saturday service from DFW to HUX and ACA begins December 21, adding two new routes to Americanโs vast footprint in Mexico and the only nonstop service from DFW. These flights will be operated seasonally with an Embraer E175 featuring 12 first class seats, 64 Main Cabin seats, free wireless entertainment and Wi-Fi.
Caribbean/Latin America
As previously announced, service between New York (JFK) and Georgetown, Guyana (GEO), will launch December 18. Customers can also benefit from increased service between DFW and Costa Rica with a second daily flight to San Jose (SJO) and Liberia (LIR) starting the same day.
Americanโs growth in the region continues December 21, when a series of new Saturday-only flights kick off. St. Thomas, USVI (STT), known for beaches and snorkeling, will welcome wanderers from DFW and Chicago OโHare (ORD). Seasonal service will also begin between ORD and St. Lucia (UVF).
On the East Coast, customers traveling from New York (LGA) can pack their shorts for Bermuda (BDA), and customers traveling from or through Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT), can spice up their winter on the spice island of Grenada (GND).
These new routes continue a trend of increased service to popular destinations like Nassau, Bahamas (NAS), which welcomed new flights from ORD and LGA in December, and unique destinations like St. Kitts (SKB), which will see new service from DFW beginning May 25.
Domestic
MIA serves as Americanโs gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, and the airline will be creating more opportunities for customers to take advantage of the hub this winter. New daily service is planned from Oklahoma City (OKC); Northwest Arkansas (XNA); and Columbia, South Carolina (CAE), starting December 18, with convenient flight times that will connect customers to dozens of warm-weather destinations.
If warmth really isnโt your thing, American has you covered there, too. The only daily service between DFW and St. George, Utah (SGU), launches September 26, and new Saturday service between Philadelphia (PHL) and Eagle/Vail, Colorado (EGE), starts December 21.
Other domestic highlights include PHXโRapid City, South Dakota (RAP) and ORDโCharleston, West Virginia (CRW), which both start December 18. Business travelers heading to and from New York will also have new options for travel to Richmond, Virginia (RIC), with three daily flights launching from JFK on November 21.
Mexico
Hub
Destination City
Aircraft
Flights begin
Frequency
Season
DFW
Acapulco, Mexico (ACA)
E175
Dec. 21
Tues./Sat.
Winter/Summer
DFW
Huatulco, Mexico (HUX)
E175
Dec. 21
Tues./Sat.
Winter/Summer
PHX
Chihuahua, Mexico (CUU)
CRJ700
Dec. 18
Daily
Year-round
Caribbean
Hub
Destination City
Aircraft
Flights begin
Frequency
Season
CLT
Grenada (GND)
A319
Dec. 21
Saturday
Year-round
DFW
St. Thomas, USVI (STT)
757-200
Dec. 21
Saturday
Year-round
LGA
Bermuda (BDA)
737-800
Dec. 21
Saturday
Year-round
ORD
St. Lucia (UVF)
737-800
Dec. 21
Saturday
Winter
ORD
St. Thomas, USVI (STT)
A319
Dec. 21
Saturday
Winter
Domestic
Hub
Destination City
Aircraft
Flights begin
Frequency
Season
DFW
St. George, Utah (SGU)
CRJ200
Sept. 26
Daily
Year-round
JFK
Richmond, Virginia (RIC)
E140
Nov. 21
3x daily
Year-round
MIA
Northwest Arkansas (XNA)
E175
Dec. 18
Daily
Year-round
MIA
Columbia, South Carolina (CAE)
E145
Dec. 18
Daily
Year-round
MIA
Oklahoma City (OKC)
E175
Dec. 18
Daily
Year-round
ORD
Charleston, West Virginia (CRW)
CRJ200
Sep. 4
Daily
Year-round
PHX
Rapid City, South Dakota (RAP)
CRJ200
Sep. 4
Daily
Year-round
PHL
Vail/Eagle, Colorado (EGE)
757-200
Dec. 21
Saturday
Winter
New international routes are subject to government approval.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 737-823 WL N823NN (msn 29560) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 945872.
American Airlines is planning to add daily Boeing 737-800 service from New York (JFK) to Georgetown, Guyana on December 18, 2019 according to Airline Route.
Above Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 737-823 WL N997NN (msn 33250) SNA (Michael B. Ing). Image: 946426.
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