Category Archives: American Airlines

American Airlines responds to California wildfires

American Airlines made this announcement:

As the California wildfires continue to unfold, we have activated our disaster response giving process. American has served the L.A. area for more than 70 years and has more than 7,300 team members who call the area home, and we are saddened by the destruction left by these fires. As always, team member safety is our first priority and we are in the midst of verifying the well-being of our team members in the affected areas.

American is proud to be a $1 million member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and is committed to supporting those impacted by natural disasters. In the last two months, American and its customers have donated nearly $400,000 to the Red Cross. Team members from around the system have flocked to CLT, MIA and ORD to assemble 5,000 hygiene comfort kits with soap, deodorant, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste and more to be distributed by the Red Cross. In addition, American partnered with Feeding America to pack 150,000 pounds of food for food banks in the areas impacted by Hurricanes Florence and Michael.

The Red Cross has activated its fullest resources in the impacted regions of the California wildfires. Monetary donations are the best way to assist those in need at this time, which will help provide shelter, food, relief supplies and health services through trained Red Cross personnel who are on the ground in disaster areas. From now through Dec. 10, AAdvantage members can earn 10 miles for every dollar donated to the Red Cross with a minimum $25 donation. Visit the Red Cross website to donate now.

While there is no impact to the operation, customers who have travel plans that may need to be changed as a result of the fires can visit aa.com/travelalerts for details.

American Airlines opens a new facility at Santiago, Chile

November 9, 2018 was the date when American Airlines officially inaugurated its new facilities in the northwestern area of Arturo Merino Benítez international airport (SCL), despite the fact they were already operating from some months.

These comprises an area of 16,000 square meters; of these, 2,000 sqm belong to a two floor building with offices, classroom, storage of spare parts, technical library and resting areas for the 57 professionals that work there.

The tarmac is able to hold the two airliners that daily operates AA routes between Chile and the United States. The investment was of US $15 million.

The official opening was highlighted by the presence of US Ambassador in Chile, Carol Z. Perez, and Chile’s minister of Transportation, Gloria Hutt, among American Airlines executives and its workers.

Alvaro Romero reporting from Chile.

All photos by Alvaro Romero.

American to add new domestic routes in the spring

American Airlines is planning to add the following new domestic routes in early 2019 according to Airline Route:

Charlotte – Erie – daily effective May 3, 2019 (Piedmont Airlines)
Chicago O’Hare – Allentown (ABE) – daily effective April 2, 2019 (Envoy Air)
Chicago O’Hare – Destin/Ft. Walton Beach – weekly effective March 9, 2019 (Envoy Air)
Chicago O’Hare – Erie – daily effective May 3, 2019 (Envoy Air)
Chicago O’Hare – Northwest Florida (Panama City) – weekly effective March 9, 2019 (SkyWest Airlines)
Chicago O’Hare – Pensacola – weekly effective March 9, 2019 (Envoy Air)
Chicago O’Hare – State College, PA – daily effective April 2, 2019 (Envoy Air)
Los Angeles – Louisville – daily effective April 2, 2019 (mainline, Airbus A319)
Los Angeles – Tulsa – daily effective April 2, 2019 (Compass Airlines)
Philadelphia – Asheville – daily effective May 3, 2019 (Piedmont Airlines)
Philadelphia – Chattanooga – daily effective May 3, 2019 (Piedmont Airlines)
Washington Reagan – Hilton Head Island, SC – twice weekly effective May 4, 2019 (Republic Airlines)

Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Airbus A319-132 N837AW (msn 2595) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 944288.

American aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Embraer and American Airlines sign a new contract for 15 E175s, total now 104

Embraer and American Airlines Inc. signed a firm order for 15 E175 jets in a 76-seat configuration. The contract has a value of $705 million, based on current list prices, and will be included in Embraer’s 2018 fourth-quarter backlog. Deliveries will take place in 2020.

Combined with the airline’s previous orders for the E175, this new contract results in a total of 104 E175 jets for American Airlines since 2013. The most recent order took place in May 2018 for 15 aircraft.

American Airlines selected Envoy, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, to operate the 15 aircraft, which will be configured with a total of 76 seats, being 12 in First Class and 64 in Main Cabin, including Main Cabin Extra seats.

Including this new contract, Embraer has sold more than 435 E175s to airlines in North America since January 2013, earning more than 80% of all orders in this 76-seat jet segment.

Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 150 seats. The Company has 100 customers from all over the world operating the ERJ and E-Jet families of aircraft. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,400 deliveries, redefining the traditional concept of regional aircraft.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Envoy): American Eagle (2nd)-Envoy Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N223NN (msn 17000529) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 937819.

American Eagle-Envoy aircraft slide show:

American comments on Chilean Authority’s Approval of Joint Business Agreement between American and LATAM Airlines Group

The Court of Free Competition (TDLC) in Chile approved the Joint Business Agreement (JBA) between American and LATAM Airlines Group for both their passenger and cargo businesses. American is currently evaluating the mitigating conditions included in the agreement.

“Our JBA is good news for Chile and for our customers around the world,” said American’s Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. “While we are currently evaluating the conditions proposed by the TDLC, we are confident that these types of agreements are the future of the airline industry as they have been proven to benefit consumers, local economies and tourism industries, while also encouraging market growth and competition.”

Since the JBA with LATAM Group was announced in January 2016, the agreement has been approved by Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), the antitrust division of the Ministry of Justice; by Aerocivil, Colombia’s civil aviation authority; and by DINACIA, Uruguay’s civil aviation authority.

American Airlines Group reports third quarter 2018 profit

American Airlines Group Inc. (American Airlines) today reported its third-quarter results, including these highlights:

Reported a third-quarter 2018 pretax profit of $456 million, or $688 million excluding net special items¹, and a third-quarter net profit of $341 million, or $523 million excluding net special items
Third-quarter 2018 earnings were $0.74 per diluted share, or $1.13 per diluted share excluding net special items
Returned $46 million to shareholders in the form of dividends during the third quarter

“Strong demand for American’s service led to record revenue in the third quarter and our eighth consecutive quarter of unit revenue growth. Our team continues to do an outstanding job of taking care of our customers, including during difficult situations such as Hurricanes Florence and Michael,” said Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. “Unfortunately, higher fuel prices increased our expenses by approximately $750 million versus the third quarter of 2017, which led to a decline in earnings.

“We have moved quickly to adapt to the higher cost environment with lower planned capacity growth, the cancellation of unprofitable flying, deferral of new aircraft deliveries and continued aggressive cost management. We have significant revenue growth opportunities through initiatives such as expanded product segmentation, harmonization of aircraft configurations and high-margin growth prospects in our most profitable hubs. We are confident these actions will return American to both revenue outperformance and earnings growth in 2019 and beyond, and we remain very bullish on the future of American Airlines.”

Third-Quarter Revenue and Expenses

Pretax earnings excluding net special items for the third quarter of 2018 were $688 million, a $485 million decrease from the third quarter of 2017, driven by higher fuel prices. In addition, the company’s third-quarter pretax earnings were negatively impacted by Hurricane Florence by approximately $50 million.


	GAAP						Non-GAAP¹

	3Q18			3Q17			3Q18			3Q17

Total operating revenues ($ mil)	$	11,559		$	10,965		$	11,559		$	10,965
Total operating expenses ($ mil)		10,910			9,709			10,693			9,602
Operating income ($ mil)		649			1,256			866			1,363

Pre-tax income ($ mil)		456			1,063			688			1,173
Pre-tax margin		3.9	%		9.7	%		6.0	%		10.7	%

Net income ($ mil)		341			661			523			729

Earnings per diluted share	$	0.74		$	1.36		$	1.13		$	1.50

Strong demand for air travel drove a 5.4 percent year-over-year increase in third-quarter 2018 total revenue, to a record $11.6 billion. Passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) grew 1.8 percent, driven by a 2.2 percent increase in passenger yields. Cargo revenue was up 16.4 percent to $260 million due to a 12.1 percent increase in yield and a 3.8 percent increase in volume. Other revenue was up 14.5 percent to $738 million due primarily to higher loyalty revenue. Third-quarter total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM) increased by 2.6 percent compared to the third quarter 2017 on a 2.7 percent increase in total available seat miles.

The improvement in revenue was offset by the significant increase in fuel prices. Total third-quarter 2018 operating expenses were $10.9 billion, up 12.4 percent year-over-year, driven by a 42.6 percent increase in consolidated fuel expense. Had fuel prices remained unchanged versus the third quarter of 2017, total third-quarter 2018 expenses would have been approximately $750 million lower. Total third-quarter 2018 cost per available seat mile (CASM) was 14.54 cents, up 9.4 percent from third quarter 2017. Excluding fuel and special items, consolidated third-quarter CASM was 10.60 cents, up 0.8 percent year-over-year.

Strategic Objectives

American is focused on four strategic objectives to ensure a healthy, competitive company for the long-term that includes world-class service, a focus on its team, revenue and cost initiatives, and innovative thinking. The company continued to deliver on these objectives in the third quarter.

Create a World-Class Customer Experience

Delivering a world-class customer experience includes operating reliably, building a strong network, continually raising the bar on product offerings and making it easy for customers to do business with American. During the third quarter, American:

Expanded the world’s largest network to even more destinations. American announced planned service to Berlin (TXL); Bologna, Italy (BLQ); and Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV). American will be the only airline to serve Bologna and Dubrovnik from North America.
Made significant improvements in onboard technology by:
- Activating live TV on domestic aircraft, with 12 free channels available in all cabins. Live TV is rolling out throughout the airline’s domestic mainline fleet in 2019. American already offers live TV on its long-haul international flights, the only U.S. airline to do so.
- With 380 aircraft complete, just over half of American’s domestic mainline aircraft now offer high-speed Wi-Fi. The entire long-term mainline fleet will be complete by mid-2019.
Continued updating food offerings to reflect evolving consumer tastes. American entered into an exclusive partnership with Zoës Kitchen to offer healthy choices beginning Dec. 1 and added a vegan option on transcontinental flights.
Received APEX recognition as a Five Star Global Airline. The Airline Passenger Experience Association, which bases its awards on anonymous passenger feedback on overall flight experience, awarded American its highest rating for in-seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Make Culture a Competitive Advantage

Taking care of team members translates into better customer care. American’s culture reflects its emphasis on providing the right tools, training, and care for its frontline team members. During the third quarter, American:

Fully integrated the best flight attendant team in the business. With its largest and most complex integration project to-date now complete, flight attendants are now able to fully intermix across the entire fleet. This integration creates improved scheduling options for flight attendants and the airline, and provides greater flexibility and service recovery during irregular operations.
Accrued $43 million in profit sharing during the third quarter and $135 million for the first nine months of 2018.
Reopened the newly redesigned CR Smith Museum to showcase the men and women who make American run and to encourage young people to aspire to careers in aviation. The museum’s interactive displays include an MD-80 cockpit, an Airline Command Center where visitors make operational decisions and a baggage loader where visitors can try their hand at loading bags in record time.
Supported relief partner efforts after recent hurricanes. The American Red Cross and the North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund received $300,000 each as American and its customers stepped forward to ease the burdens of Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Florence. In addition, team members in Miami and Chicago have planned large-scale assembly projects that will send 5,000 hygiene comfort kits and 75,000 pounds of food to areas impacted by the recent natural disasters.
Celebrated being an inclusive and diverse employer by honoring four team members with the 10th annual Earl G. Graves Award for Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion. American also awarded Morgan State University in Baltimore a $10,000 education grant as part of the 10th anniversary commemoration. For the third year in a row, the airline was named among the 2018 DEI Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion and received the top score of 100 on the 2018 Disability Equality Index.
Supported the Stand Up To Cancer telecast with 94 team members, all of whom have been personally impacted by cancer. These team members from around the world came together at our Los Angeles maintenance hangar to film a music video that aired during the telecast, which raised $123.6 million.

Ensure Long-Term Financial Strength

Long-term strength is realized by capturing merger efficiencies, improving unit revenue performance, and increasing margin performance. During the third quarter, American:

Returned $46 million in dividends to shareholders and declared a dividend of $0.10 per share on Oct. 25, 2018, to be paid on Nov. 20, 2018, to stockholders of record as of Nov. 6, 2018.
Updated the youngest fleet of the network airlines with more aircraft deliveries, including three new more efficient Boeing 787-9 aircraft (top) and four new Boeing 737 MAX 8s.
Lowered planned capital expenditures in 2019, 2020, and 2021 by $1.2 billion, by deferring delivery of 22 Airbus A321neos.
Evolved its segmentation strategy by:
- Removing the carry-on bag restriction from domestic and short-haul international Basic Economy fare rules. This action makes the airline’s Basic Economy product more competitive and enables the airline to offer it on more flights.
- Continuing the installation of Premium Economy, now on 92 widebody aircraft with expected completion by mid-2019. Main Cabin customers continue to select this highly differentiated product and the company expects to drive more value from this product with new revenue management and merchandising initiatives in 2019.

Think Forward, Lead Forward

Along with executing the day-to-day operation, the airline has a focus on moving new products to market more quickly and embracing technological advancements. In the third quarter, American:

Enabled the world’s largest mobile and online payment platform, Alipay, on aa.com in China. Alipay is the preferred method of payment for more than half of consumers in China and has more than 870 million users worldwide.
Opened up new ways to earn miles with its Citi AAdvantage MileUp card, a new no-annual-fee credit card for consumers to turn everyday spending into travel.
Enhanced aviation security for team members and customers by partnering with the Transportation Security Administration to add a state-of-the-art computed tomography scanner at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 8 security checkpoint.
Furthered the airline’s commitment to reduce environmental waste by beginning to replace plastic straws and stir sticks with biodegradable, eco-friendly alternatives.

Guidance and Investor Update

American expects its fourth-quarter 2018 TRASM to increase approximately 1.5 to 3.5 percent year-over-year. The company also expects its fourth-quarter 2018 pretax margin excluding special items to be between 4.5 and 6.5 percent.² Based on today’s guidance, American continues to expect its 2018 diluted earnings per share excluding net special items to be between $4.50 and $5.00.²

Notes

In the third quarter, the company recognized $232 million in net special items before the effect of income taxes. Third-quarter operating special items of $217 million principally included $109 million of fleet restructuring expenses and $68 million of merger integration expenses. The company also recognized nonoperating special items of $15 million primarily related to mark-to-market net unrealized losses associated with certain of the company’s equity investments. See the accompanying notes in the Financial Tables section of this press release for further explanation, including a reconciliation of all GAAP to non-GAAP financial information.
American is unable to reconcile certain forward-looking projections to GAAP, as the nature or amount of special items cannot be determined at this time.

Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N830AN (msn 40650) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 944058.

American aircraft slide show:

American Airlines adds second Memphis-Miami frequency at Memphis International Airport

Memphis International Airport has made this announcement:

American Airlines has added a second frequency between Memphis and Miami for passengers at Memphis-International Airport (MEM). The second route began on October 4.

For Memphis passengers, the additional flight will also open 25 new one-stop connections through Miami to the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The airline will use 50-seat Embraer ERJ 145 and 76-seat Embraer ERJ 175 aircraft for the route.

American Airlines offers nonstop flights between MEM and eight destinations, including Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

Updated schedule:

Memphis-Miami	Miami–Memphis
Departs: 6:24 am (CST) Arrives: 9:45 am (EST)	Departs: 9:50 am (EST) Arrives: 11:15 am (CST)
Departs: 11:59 am (CST) Arrives: 3:20 pm (EST)	Departs: 9:55 p.m. (EST) Arrives: 11:25 p.m. (CST)

Photo: MEM.

American Airlines, Los Angeles World Airports break ground on $1.6 billion reimagining of Terminals 4 and 5 at LAX

Screen Shot 2018-10-17 at 2.31.55 PM.png

Today, American Airlines and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) officially broke ground on a $1.6 billion modernization project to fully reimagine Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Terminals 4 and 5. The project marks American’s largest individual investment at an airport in its 92-year history and reaffirms the airline’s commitment to Los Angeles.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/294818626

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Councilmember Joe Buscaino and LAWA Commissioner Sean Burton and CEO Deborah Flint joined American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker, Senior Vice President of Los Angeles Suzanne Boda and frontline team members for a ceremony to unveil the project and begin construction in Terminal 5.

“Los Angeles stands at a global crossroads — a place where the world comes to meet, innovate and create,” Garcetti said. “American’s commitment to the reinvention of Terminals 4 and 5 will create good, middle-class jobs and better connect Los Angeles to the world.”

“Our mission to create a world-class airport can only be realized in collaboration with our airline partners like American Airlines, and we are grateful for the substantial commitment they have made to improving our guests’ experience at LAX,” Burton said. “We have set high expectations for LAX, and the project we are kicking off today will raise the bar for both American and this airport.”

In June 2017, American signed a letter of intent with LAWA, which set the framework for the carrier’s record investment. Now, less than 18 months later, construction is officially underway.

“Today marks an important milestone in the journey to creating an airport experience second to none,” said Flint. “The improvements included in the lease agreement between Los Angeles World Airports and American Airlines are ones that go to the heart of the guest experience. Working together with our airline partners as we reimagine our airport, we will transform LAX into the gold-standard airport that this city deserves.”

“American has proudly served Los Angeles for more than 70 years,” Parker said. “From the very beginning, when LAX first became a commercial airport in 1946, we’ve played a major role in keeping Southern California connected to the world. This remains one of the most important and fastest-growing markets for American, and today is a tremendous step forward as we continue to grow and strengthen our presence in the City of Angels.”

“Our $1.6 billion investment will not only transform the customer experience at LAX, it will also give our team members a better place to work every day,” Boda added. “It’s an exciting time for American Airlines. We’re investing back into our business and the communities we serve. That’s exactly what we’re doing here in Los Angeles, and thanks to our strong partnership with LAWA, the airport experience at LAX will soon set an example for the world.”

Renderings of the $1.6 billion modernization project to fully reimagine Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Terminals 4 and 5.

The future of LAX begins

The project will fully modernize and update the infrastructure of LAX’s two busiest domestic terminals. When completed, the new facility will create a world-class customer experience from end to end, with open and efficient check-in and security processing areas; more inviting gate areas with increased seating and access to modern amenities; and greater ability for airline operations to quickly adapt to and incorporate rapidly evolving new technologies.

Renderings released at the event show the unified departure hall, which will combine the entranceway of Terminals 4 and 5. Together with the secure-side bridge connecting Terminal 4 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), which was completed by American and LAWA in 2016, movement between terminals for connecting passengers will become significantly easier and more convenient.

The project will also reimagine the workspace of American’s 7,300-plus team members at LAX. Collaborative and open spaces will be designed to meet modern needs, with renovated break rooms; multi-use small and large meeting rooms; and team gathering spaces incorporated throughout the terminals.

Construction is now underway to reconfigure the Terminal 5 ticket lobby, allowing for the buildout of the Landside Access Modernization Project (LAMP) Core, a new facility being built in between Terminals 4 and 5 that will provide vertical circulation (elevators, escalators and stairs) for passengers arriving from the new Automated People Mover (APM) train system. From there, the project will continue in a carefully planned, phased approach that will move from curbside to gate areas.

In total, the project is expected to generate more than 6,000 jobs with more than 30 percent dedicated to local labor and 20 percent for minority- and women-owned business participation.

Additional benefits and features include:

Fully upgraded and modernized Terminal 4
Unified 300,000-plus square-foot, 28-gate complex for Terminals 4 and 5
Less roadway congestion thanks to access from public transportation via the new APM train system
A spacious new departure hall that allows direct natural sunlight throughout the building to reduce energy consumption
Reconfigured ticket counter and check-in areas to reduce wait times before security screening
Seamless access from check-in area directly to security screening areas
16 lanes for security screening with automated technology
Transparent design with modern signage to intuitively guide passengers to their gates
Modern, state-of-the-art finishes and restroom facilities
Upgraded amenities at gate areas, including more access to power outlets and world-class dining and retail options

Strengthening the Los Angeles community

American was one of LAX’s first commercial carriers and the airline continues to grow and strengthen its presence of 70-plus years at the hub through significant direct and indirect investments in the region.

In May 2017, Boda was named Senior Vice President of Los Angeles for American, a newly created position charged with developing and achieving the airline’s strategic goals in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California. Since 2013, the carrier has increased its employee presence in Los Angeles by nearly 60 percent, including the hiring of nearly 200 Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking flight attendants and customer service agents. Today, American is the largest airline employer at LAX with more than 7,300 team members based at the hub, producing a $13.4 billion total economic output (direct, indirect and induced combined) in the greater Los Angeles area.

On Nov. 8, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) will recognize American as the 2018 Corporate Honoree at the 22nd annual Eddy Awards®. The Eddy Awards celebrate exceptional contributions to economic development in the L.A. region, consistent with LAEDC’s focus on increasing shared prosperity for residents and communities.

American is the largest carrier at LAX with more than 200 daily flights on peak days to 70 destinations and is the only airline with nonstop service to five continents. Since 2015, the carrier has added service to 26 new destinations from LAX, including Sydney; Hong Kong; Tokyo (Haneda Airport); Beijing; Auckland, New Zealand; and, most recently, Buenos Aires, making American the first and only airline to offer nonstop service from LAX to Argentina’s capital city.

In addition to strengthening the local economy, American has established strong partnerships with community organizations focused on education, human services and military/veterans initiatives. Highlights include:

Donating 10,000 premium amenity kits to the Los Angeles Mission, enough to reach nearly one in five who experience street homelessness each night
Helping to open Flagship Compton, a gourmet food truck built from a World War II Douglas DC-3 aircraft that now serves as a fundraising tool for Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, a living classroom in South Los Angeles that brings aviation history to life and is empowering the dreams of more than 5,000 local youth to take flight
Strengthening the partnership with Stand Up To Cancer through a collaborative, multifaceted awareness campaign with Marvel Studios
Supporting the Gary Sinise Foundation’s military and veterans programs, including Snowball Express in which 12 chartered American aircraft will fly to more than 35 locations, picking up children and spouses of those who have died in service to our nation for a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando for five days.

The most premium amenities at LAX, complimented by a premium airport experience

With three Admirals Club lounges and the recent addition of a Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining, American offers the most premium amenities of any carrier at LAX.

The opening of Flagship First Dining last December gives American’s customers traveling in first class on qualifying international flights or on nonstop transcontinental flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) exclusive access to a preflight tableside restaurant experience that offers complimentary, full-service dining with seasonal, locally inspired dishes and drinks. It is the first product of its kind to be offered by a domestic carrier at LAX.

The newly renovated Flagship Lounge, which also opened in December, allows customers flying in international first class or business class or on nonstop transcontinental flights to JFK an exclusive space to unwind, work or refresh before their flight. Customers can enjoy a range of food options, including a robust hot and cold buffet and a chef action station with freshly made-to-order dishes, along with the ability to pair meals with premium wine, champagne and spirits, or a refreshing drink from the “build your own cocktail” station.

The addition of Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining are part of a $200 million investment in American’s premium travel experience. At LAX, other dedicated investments include a new Admirals Club in Terminal 5, a redesigned and renovated Admirals Club in Terminal 4 and a new Admirals Club in the American Eagle terminal.

Thoughtful planning to ensure a world-class experience

Construction at Terminals 4 and 5 will occur in a carefully planned, phased approach to ensure a world-class experience for American’s nearly 16 million annual customers and more than 7,300 team members at LAX. The majority of the public-facing components of the project are expected to be complete in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

During construction, customers are encouraged to use the following tips and tools:

Download the American App before you fly to check in, access your mobile boarding pass, track your bags, stay informed of your flight status and more.
Visit aa.com prior to arriving at LAX for special updates, airport details and ticket counter hours.
Arrive early to allow plenty of time to navigate traffic and secure parking.

American Airlines new Flagship Burger

This weekend, chefs, culinary experts and foodies gathered at the New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) to celebrate the best of the culinary world and try some tasty burgers, including American’s very own Flagship Burger.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/294887279

As the official airline sponsor of NYCWFF, American was onsite all weekend celebrating with attendees in its Flagship-themed lounge and participated in the annual burger competition Friday. The popular rooftop party, where chefs and restaurants show off their burger skills, included more than 30 of NYC’s best burgers and featured American’s Flagship Burger.

“We knew we had something special with the Flagship Burger and were excited and proud to be the first airline to have its burger entered into the New York City Wine & Food Festival contest,” said Janelle Anderson, vice president of Marketing for American. “The Flagship Burger was created with local professional chefs and first launched when we opened our restaurant style lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) last year. We had fun being a part of the competition and know we put up a good fight.”

The NYCWFF burger competition has two awards — a people’s choice award and a winner picked by a panel of judges who participate in a blind tasting. This year’s judges included Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka, Geoffrey Zakarian, Rachael Ray and Andrew Zimmern. The people’s choice award is decided by the festival attendees who have the chance to taste all of the burgers participating and vote for their favorite.

Professional chefs designed the Flagship Burger using locally sourced ingredients, and the burger made its debut in May 2017 at Flagship First Dining at JFK. American celebrated the opening of its premium lounge and showed off the Flagship Burger to customers and media, including Travel + Leisure who called it the “best airport burger.”

The Flagship Burger is available in Flagship First Dining locations at JFK, Miami International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. Flagship First Dining is open to customers traveling in first class on a transcontinental or long-haul international route.

American continues to invest in the premium experience and plans to open the next Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in 2019.

American Airlines Chef John Ogden presented NYCWFF attendees with the signature Flagship Burger.

The Flagship Burger presented at NYCWFF’s annual burger competition.

American Airlines employees “go pink” this month

American Airlines has made this announcement:

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, American Airlines and its team members and customers are “going pink” this month to raise awareness and critical funds for long-time partner Susan G. Komen®.

Winnie Su, a Dallas/Fort Worth-based Envoy Flight Attendant, is all too familiar with breast cancer. She loves her job, and her calm, positive demeanor is well known among customers and her colleagues. But when Winnie went from not knowing she had breast cancer to a stage 2B diagnosis overnight, she was shocked. Hear Winnie share her story of who helped her make it through to the other side of breast cancer in the video below.