Tag Archives: American Airlines

American to drop service to three cities in September due to the on-going pilots shortage

American Airlines has announced it will drop American Eagle service to Toledo, OH as well as Ithaca and Islip (Long Island), NY on September 7.

The regional carriers are facing a pilot shortage forcing the parent carrier to make tough decisions.

American Airlines and Qatar Airways expand strategic alliance

American Airlines and Qatar Airways are expanding their strategic alliance with a new codeshare agreement, enabling American’s customers to book travel on Qatar Airways flights via Doha to and from 16 new countries.

Pending any necessary government codeshare approvals, travelers will be able to book travel beyond Qatar to their final destinations in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This expanded codeshare comes as American launches new service on June 4 from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH), recently voted World’s Best Airport. The new service establishes American as the only U.S. carrier to serve the Gulf region, seamlessly connecting through Doha with Qatar Airways.

The strategic alliance includes Qatar Airways, the leading carrier in the Middle East in terms of frequencies and destinations and the six-time Skytrax ‘World’s Best Airline’ award winner, placing its code on thousands of American’s domestic flights — strengthening connectivity and creating new travel options for customers. American’s network enables connections to over 250 North American cities and Qatar Airways’ extensive network of more than 85 relevant destinations allows customers to access the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia gateways. The airlines, both alliance members, are paving the way for more interconnected travel within the alliance and globally.

American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Boeing):

Qatar Airways aircraft photo gallery:

American adds selective flights to support popular college football games

American Airlines is throwing the penalty flag on connecting flights this fall by adding almost 70 nonstop flights for some of the most popular college football games. The world’s largest airline will also add more seats to destinations throughout the season, connecting more fans to their favorite teams for game day. American currently serves more college cities than any other U.S. carrier.

Get ready for game day with 68 new flights

American is adding 68 new flights this fall for college football fans to get to the field faster.

Matchup	Game day(s)	Service
All 2022 University of Notre Dame home games (SBN)	Sept. 10 and 17 Oct. 15 and 22 Nov. 5 and 19	One round-trip flight between New York (LGA) and South Bend, Indiana (SBN), on Friday and Sunday
Orange Blossom Classic Florida A&M University vs. Jackson State University (MIA)	Sept. 4	Sept. 1: Two round-trip flights between Miami (MIA) and Jackson, Mississippi (JAN) Sept. 2 and 3: One round-trip flight between MIA and JAN Sept. 5: Three round-trip flights between MIA and JAN
University of Alabama at University of Texas (AUS)	Sept. 10	Sept. 9 and 11: One round-trip flight between Austin, Texas (AUS), and Birmingham, Alabama (BHM)
Penn State University at Auburn University (MGM)	Sept. 17	Sept. 16: One flight from Philadelphia (PHL) to Montgomery, Alabama (MGM) Sept. 17: One flight from MGM to PHL Sept. 18: One round-trip flight between PHL and MGM
University of Wisconsin-Madison at Ohio State University (CMH)	Sept. 24	Sept. 23 and 25: One round-trip flight between Columbus, Ohio (CMH), and Madison, Wisconsin (MSN)
University of Tennessee at Louisiana State University (BTR)	Oct. 8	Oct. 7 and 9: One round-trip flight between Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS), and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (BTR)
Louisiana State University at the University of Florida (GNV)	Oct. 15	Oct. 14 and 16: One round-trip flight between BTR and Gainesville, Florida (GNV)
University of Iowa at Ohio State University (CMH)	Oct. 22	Oct. 21 and 23: One round-trip flight between Cedar Rapids, Iowa (CID), and CMH
Clemson University at University of Notre Dame (SBN)	Nov. 5	Nov. 4: One flight from Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP) to SBN Nov. 5: One flight from SBN to Charlotte (CLT) and one flight from CLT to GSP Nov. 6: One flight from CLT to SBN and one round-trip flight between SBN and GSP
University of Florida at Texas A&M University (CLL)	Nov. 5	Nov. 4 and 6: One round-trip flight between GNV and College Station, Texas (CLL)

In addition to these new flights, American will also fly larger aircraft on two routes, offering more seats for more fans:

Oct. 8: Texas A&M University at University of Alabama (BHM)
- Flights between BHM and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
Nov. 5: University of Alabama at Louisiana State University (BTR)
- Flights between BTR and DFW

American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):

American Airlines celebrates 250,000th veteran to participate in the Honor Flight Program

American Airlines joined elected officials, team members and volunteers in Washington, D.C., this week to celebrate a historic milestone for the Honor Flight Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing veterans with once-in-a-lifetime trips to visit the nation’s capital and the memorials erected in honor of all those who have worn the U.S. military uniform. To commemorate the occasion, American also announced a donation of 15 million AAdvantage® miles to support and sustain the Honor Flight Network’s ongoing mission.

A milestone flight in honor of our heroes

On May 2, Flagship Valor — American’s newly dedicated Airbus A321 aircraft, which serves as a flying tribute to recipients of the Medal of Honor — departed from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport with the 250,000th participant in the Honor Flight program, two Medal of Honor recipients and more than a hundred World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans.

Medal of Honor recipient Jim Taylor welcomes more than 100 World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans at PHX before boarding the milestone Honor Flight to the nation’s capital.

U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema helps American’s all-volunteer flight crew care for Honor Flight participants while inflight from PHX to BWI.

The 250,000th veteran to participate in the Honor Flight program arrives on Flagship Valor to a hero’s welcome at BWI.

The veterans were accompanied throughout their journey by Honor Flight guardians and other volunteers, including American team members and U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona, who helped pass out refreshments and care for those on board while in flight.

“I’m honored to participate in this week’s hero’s welcome celebrating and thanking Arizona veterans for their service and sacrifice to our state and country. I’m grateful for Honor Flight Network’s and American’s efforts in honoring veterans and bringing them to our nation’s capital,” Sinema said.

On arrival at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport, American team members provided a hero’s welcome — complete with a water cannon salute and cheering crowds — as participants deplaned for two days of activities.

Supporting future Honor Flight missions

The following day, Honor Flight Network leadership and volunteers; U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Jerry Moran; U.S. Congressman Mark Takano; Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Donald Remy; and former Senator Elizabeth Dole, gathered with the veterans at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the program’s milestone achievement.

Honor Flight Network Board Chairman Matthew Shuman welcomes American leadership, elected officials, volunteers and veterans to an event at the World War II Memorial celebrating their historic milestone.

Honor Flight participants tour the monuments and memorials built in honor of their service and sacrifice.

Hundreds attend the May 3 event at the World War II Memorial to commemorate the Honor Flight Network’s milestone achievement.

“Since launching in 2005, the Honor Flight Network has carried more than a quarter-million veterans on flights to Washington, D.C. Nevertheless, there are still more than 50,000 veterans across the country with an expressed and time-sensitive desire to participate in a future mission,” said Matthew Shuman, Chairman of the Board for the Honor Flight Network.

To help the Honor Flight Network achieve its mission, American announced it will donate 15 million AAdvantage miles over three years to support and expand the reach of the program.

“The American Airlines team takes great pride in serving veterans on the many Honor Flights operated annually to our nation’s capital and in caring for all those who have and continue to serve in the U.S. military,” said Nate Gatten, Chief Government Affairs Officer for American. “It is our hope that such a contribution can help the Honor Flight Network fulfill its mission of celebrating America’s veterans, ensuring each experience the honor, gratitude and support they deserve.”

Celebrating Military Appreciation Month

Throughout May, American is celebrating the service and sacrifice of U.S. service members and their families through one-of-a-kind experiences across the country. Later this week, American will host Salute to the Troops in partnership with the USO — flying 20 service members battling cancer from Walter Reed Army Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, to Walt Disney World with their families for a weekend of memories and fun. Then, in support of Seats for Sailors and Armed Forces Day, American will treat sailors from Naval Medical Center San Diego to a VIP experience with the Texas Rangers. American will also sponsor a similar experience at Rangers Stadium for Gold Star families from North Texas in commemoration of Memorial Day.

Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Airbus A321-231 WL N167AN (msn 7013) (Medal of Honor) CLT (Jay Selman). Image: 404152.

American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):

American Airlines Group reports a first quarter net loss of $1.6 billion

American Airlines Group Inc. (American Airlines) today reported its first quarter 2022 financial results, including:

First-quarter revenue of $8.9 billion, representing a recovery to 84% of comparable period revenue in 2019.
First-quarter net loss of $1.6 billion, or ($2.52) per share. Excluding net special items¹, first-quarter net loss of $1.5 billion, or ($2.32) per share.
Company was profitable excluding net special items in March and expects to be profitable in the second quarter based on the current demand trends and fuel price forecast.
Ended the first quarter with $15.5 billion of total available liquidity.
Company continues to execute on its plan to pay down approximately $15 billion of debt by the end of 2025.

“Our priorities for this year are clear: Run a reliable operation and return to profitability,” said American’s CEO Robert Isom. “The outstanding progress we’ve made is only possible because of the amazing efforts of the American Airlines team and we’re optimistic about the continued recovery in the second quarter and beyond. The demand environment is very strong, and as a result, we expect to be profitable in the second quarter based on our current fuel price assumptions. The work we have accomplished over the past two years — simplifying our fleet, modernizing our facilities, fine-tuning our network, developing new partnerships, rolling out new tools for customers and team members, and hiring thousands of new team members — has us very well-positioned as the industry continues to rebound.”

Running a reliable operation

In the first quarter, American led major U.S. airlines in on-time departures and finished a close second in on-time arrivals while flying a schedule that was considerably larger than its closest competitor as measured by available seat miles. Additionally, American delivered its best-ever combined mainline and regional completion factor for the month of March.

The airline has taken steps to ensure it is prepared to deliver for customers during the busy summer travel season. The airline’s summer preparations began last year as demand returned and American has 12,000 more team members in place to support the operation this summer than the summer of 2021.

Returning to profitability

American produced revenues of $8.9 billion in the first quarter, including industry-leading passenger revenues of $7.8 billion, and cargo revenues of $364 million. The airline also produced record sales in March, and it was the first month since the onset of the pandemic that total revenue was above 2019 levels.

Demand for domestic business travel has steadily improved as offices have reopened and travel restrictions have been lifted. Revenue from small- to medium-size businesses and customers traveling for a mix of business and leisure remains very strong and is approaching a full recovery, and corporate bookings are the highest they have been since the start of the pandemic. Demand for international travel has also picked up considerably as travel restrictions have been lifted in certain parts of the world.

American’s continued progress on the path to profitability is driven by the strength of its global network and creating value for customers through consistency, simplicity and transparency. American is proud to offer customers the largest network of any U.S. airline this summer, with an average of more than 5,800 peak daily departures.

Liquidity and balance sheet

American ended the first quarter with $15.5 billion of total available liquidity. Deleveraging its balance sheet remains a top priority for American, and the company is committed to significant debt reduction in the years ahead. The company remains on track to reduce overall debt levels by $15 billion by the end of 2025. In the first quarter, the Company completed $317 million of open market repurchases of its $750 million unsecured senior notes maturing in June. To date, American has reduced its overall debt by $4.1 billion from peak levels in the second quarter of 2021. Additionally, the airline has cost-effective financing in place for all aircraft deliveries through the third quarter of 2022 and is beginning to evaluate financing options for the fourth quarter of 2022 and first half of 2023.

Guidance and investor update

American will continue to match its forward capacity with observed bookings trends. Based on current trends, the company expects its second-quarter capacity to be approximately 92% to 94% of what it was in the second quarter of 2019. American expects its second-quarter total revenue to be 6% to 8% higher than the second quarter of 2019.

Notes

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.

¹The company recognized $160 million of pre-tax net special items in the first quarter of 2022, which principally included a non-cash impairment charge to write down the carrying value of the company’s retired Airbus A330 fleet to the estimated fair value due to current market conditions for certain used aircraft. The company retired its Airbus A330 fleet in 2020 as a result of the decline in demand for air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Update on Federal Mask Mandate

American Airlines has prioritized the health and safety of its team members and customers throughout the pandemic and has supported the federal government’s measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. In accordance with the Transportation Security Administration no longer enforcing the federal face mask mandate, face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights. Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements. In keeping with our commitment to creating a welcoming environment for everyone who travels with us, customers and team members may choose to continue to wear masks at their own discretion.

We are deeply grateful to our team members for their enforcement of the mandate, and will share more information about this transition in the coming days.

American introduces an Airbus A321 “Flagship Valor” special livery on N167AN

American Airlines on March 24 at its Dallas-Fort Worth hub introduced a special “Flagship Valor” livery saluting Medal of Honor recipients.

The special livery was unveiled on Airbus A321-231 N167AN.

Photo: DFW Airport.

American later issued this statement and photos:

Today, on National Medal of Honor Day, American Airlines debuts a new livery dedicated to recipients of the Medal of Honor. Flagship Valor — an Airbus A321 aircraft with a special wrap — is a flying tribute dedicated to recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest award for military valor in action.

The aircraft depicts major military conflicts and the six characteristics that embody the Medal of Honor and those who have received it.

On board, customers can scan QR codes for access to information about the Medal of Honor and its extraordinary recipients, serving as a teaching tool to pass on these remarkable stories for generations to come. Its first official mission will transport Medal of Honor recipients on an honor flight from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Washington D.C. (DCA) today.

Flagship Valor was unveiled Thursday evening ahead of today’s groundbreaking of the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas. Expected to open in 2024, the new museum will create a permanent home for the incredible stories of our nation’s greatest heroes. Learn more about our partnership with the National Medal of Honor Museum and the important mission of the museum.

Watch as Flagship Valor comes to life at American’s Maintenance base at Tech Ops – Tulsa and as the airline welcomes special guests to Dallas-Fort Worth for the big reveal.

Video:

American Airlines and JetBlue introduce enhanced perks for Loyalty Status members

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways are elevating the travel experience for their most loyal travelers, with new perks for AAdvantage® and TrueBlue Mosaic status members when traveling on either airline. It is the latest round of customer benefits made possible by the airlines’ innovative Northeast Alliance (NEA).

Starting today, when checking in for an American or JetBlue flight, AAdvantage status members and TrueBlue Mosaic members can choose complimentary Main Cabin Extra or Even More® Space seats when available. American’s Main Cabin Extra and JetBlue’s Even More Space amenities include extra legroom, early boarding and dedicated overhead bin space.

AAdvantage Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro members and TrueBlue Mosaic members are also eligible for same-day confirmed flight changes when traveling on either carrier.

These new customer benefits are in addition to the priority check-in, priority baggage, priority security and priority boarding benefits that were implemented last fall. AAdvantage status members receive up to two complimentary checked bags when traveling on JetBlue and TrueBlue Mosaic members can also now check two complimentary checked bags at American Airlines kiosks when arriving at the airport.

Also starting in April, Admirals Club members traveling on JetBlue will be able to access Admirals Club lounges, including the newly opened lounge space at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). American’s Admirals Club lounges are membership-based lounges that feature complimentary amenities like food and beverages, Wi-Fi, business centers, and kids’ rooms.

In summer 2022, the NEA will offer nearly 500 daily departures from New York’s three major airports and 200 daily departures from Boston. As part of the growth related to the NEA, American plans to launch new nonstop service between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, Qatar, in June, becoming the only U.S.-based carrier to serve the Middle East destination. Separately, JetBlue will launch its first-ever Canadian route with new nonstop service between JFK and Vancouver, Canada (YVR), in June.

American Airlines to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine

American Airlines made this announcement:

Throughout the month of March, American Airlines is creating opportunities for its customers and team members to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Beginning today, funds collected in flight by flight attendants and online through American’s partnership with UNICEF’s Change for Good program will be directed to support UNICEF and its humanitarian response in Ukraine. The funds raised this month at www.unicefusa.org/aa, and on flights to and from international destinations and Hawaii, will support UNICEF in reaching vulnerable children and families in Ukraine with assistance like access to basic services including water, sanitization, immunization and health care, as well as schooling and learning support and emergency cash assistance for up to 7.5 million children. Additionally, the funds can support UNICEF’s overall response for children in Ukraine and neighboring countries of pre-positioning critical health supplies to cover the immediate needs of internally displaced people in nine strategic hromadas (municipalities).

“It is deeply troubling to see the humanitarian crisis unfolding as a result of the conflict in Ukraine,” said Brady Byrnes, Vice President of Flight Service for American. “Our purpose at American Airlines is to care for people on life’s journey and in order to truly fulfill that purpose, we must step up when it matters most.”

The UNICEF Change for Good program is an alliance between the UNICEF and the international airline industry to convert spare change donated by customers traveling on aircraft into critical services and supplies for vulnerable children around the world. Since their partnership began in 1994, American’s flight attendants have helped to raise more than $17 million to support UNICEF and its worldwide humanitarian efforts.

For more information about the UNICEF Change for Good program and to donate online, visit www.unicefusa.org/aa.

In addition, all AAdvantage miles donated to American’s Miles for Social Good program during the month of March will be directed to Airlink to help transport physicians and relief workers to Eastern Europe to assist with humanitarian relief in Ukraine. Airlink is a global humanitarian organization delivering critical aid to communities in crisis by providing airlift and logistical solutions to nonprofit partners responding to disasters around the world.

For more information about American’s Miles for Social Good program and to donate online, visit www.aa.com/letgoodtakeflight.