American’s Full Fleet of 777-200ERs to Have Fully Lie-Flat Business Class Seats with All-Aisle Access, International Wi-Fi, In-seat Entertainment, and Main Cabin Extra
American’s 767-300ERs to Have Fully Lie-Flat Business Class Seats with All-Aisle Access and Main Cabin Extra
FORT WORTH, Texas, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – American Airlines today took the next step in its fleet modernization plan – to ensure that its customers are flying onboard one of the most modern fleets in the industry. Today’s progress includes the redesign and refresh of the airline’s international widebody aircraft – a demonstration of the forward movement of the company’s business plan, which includes the investment of several hundred million dollars per year in enhancements to the customer experience. As part of this redesign, American’s entire fleet of 777-200ERs will have fully lie-flat Business Class seats with aisle access for every seat, international Wi-Fi, in-seat entertainment throughout all cabins, and Main Cabin Extra seating offering more legroom. The 767-300ERs will have fully lie-flat Business Class seats with aisle access for every seat, and Main Cabin Extra seating.
“This redesign will comprehensively improve our future international widebody experience through fully lie-flat all-aisle access seats, inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi, and will place our product among the industry leaders. This is something our people are excited to see as we work toward a new and modern American Airlines,” said Virasb Vahidi, American’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Our decision to invest in our international widebody aircraft demonstrates significant forward progress, consistent with our plan, and paints a picture of the future for our customers and people.”
Boeing 777-200ERs
American’s entire fleet of 777-200ERs will be redesigned to a two-class cabin configuration to better match capacity and demand. The aircraft cabin will feature unique mood lighting and a dramatic archway and ceiling treatment to create a feeling of spaciousness similar to the 777-300ERs, the first of which American plans to receive later this year. A Business Class walk-up bar stocked with snacks and refreshments is for premium customers. International Wi-Fi will also be available inflight.
Up to 45 new fully lie-flat Business Class seats will provide customers among the largest living spaces of any 777 Business Class seat offered by U.S. airlines. The new seat will be an industry leader giving travelers up to two times more living space than American’s current 777-200ER Business Class seat. Seats will feature a large tray table, a work surface, and every component of the seat – including the seatback, head rest and leg rest – can be individually adjusted using intuitively designed, simplistic seat controls.
Direct aisle access from each Business Class seat will allow customers to easily move about the cabin without impacting other customers. In-seat entertainment will feature more than 700 hours of on-demand audio and video entertainment, which gives customers an enormous selection during their flight. Up to 120 movies, 180 TV programs, 350 audio selections and 30 games will be available on a 15.4-inch HD-capable touchscreen monitor positioned in each Business Class suite. A premium handset will serve as a remote that will allow customers to easily select programming without touching the monitor. Also, every seat will feature individual 110-volt universal AC power outlets and USB jacks for charging personal electronic devices.
Throughout the Main Cabin, new seats will provide increased knee room and improve overall customer comfort. American’s retrofit will include installation of up to 45 Main Cabin Extra seats and up to 170 Main Cabin seats. The Main Cabin Extra seats, located in the forward portion of the Main Cabin, will offer four to six inches more legroom than the standard Main Cabin seat, allowing greater personal space and convenient access when boarding and deplaning.
Every Main Cabin seat will have universal AC power outlets, USB jacks and HD-capable touchscreen monitor – nearly 9 inches – loaded with up to 120 movies, 180 TV programs, 350 audio selections and 30 games. Once redesigned with the new Inflight Entertainment, the 777-200ERs will have more than nine times the number of entertainment options that are currently available in the Main Cabin on today’s 777-200ER.
The 777-200ER is intended to fly mid- to long-haul international markets in Europe, Asia and South America.
“American will be among the first in the industry to offer the combination of fully lie-flat seats with all-aisle access, international Wi-Fi, and top-of-the-line in-seat entertainment,” added Vahidi.
Boeing 767-300ERs
American intends to retrofit up to half of its existing 767-300ER aircraft. Those that are redesigned will operate the new configuration with fully lie-flat Business Class Seats and all-aisle access. The remaining 767-300ERs that are not redesigned will be retired over time.
Customers will enjoy an enhanced onboard experience with the installation of up to 28 fully lie-flat Business Class seats, each with aisle access. The Business Class seats will offer individual tray tables with a work surface, and universal AC power outlets. Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 devices will continue to be available for customers seated in Business Class, offering access to a wide variety of movies, TV programs and audio selections.
The retrofitted 767-300ERs will also feature 14 Main Cabin Extra seats with four to six inches more legroom than a standard Main Cabin seat. The Main Cabin of the retrofitted 767-300ERs will have 167 seats.
The airline intends to use retrofitted 767-300ERs on flights to existing markets.
The redesign is slated to begin in early 2014. American is currently working to determine the installation timeline and will have more details on anticipated completion dates in the future.
As part of its international widebody strategy, American anticipates taking delivery of 10 Boeing 777-300ERs beginning at the end of 2012 through 2013. The 777-300ERs will be configured as three-class aircraft and include fully lie-flat First and Business Class seats, Main Cabin Extra, and Wi-Fi capability to keep customers connected while traveling internationally.
Not only is American’s anticipated aircraft delivery and redesign part of the company’s network focus and international network plan, it is a tangible opportunity for customers to experience American’s focus on modernization and innovation when they travel.
SOURCE American Airlines
AAdvantage Members Can Now Redeem Miles On AA.com For Award Travel On British Airways And Hawaiian Airlines April 25th, 2012
FORT WORTH, Texas, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – American Airlines AAdvantage® members can now book award travel via AA.com on British Airways, a oneworld® alliance member and joint business partner, and on Hawaiian Airlines, an AAdvantage participating airline. These expanded options offer customers a more convenient way to book one-way, round-trip and multi-city award travel on one or a combination of participating airlines on AA.com.
This enhancement to the AAdvantage flight award booking tool is part of American’s ongoing effort to simplify the process of redeeming miles for flight awards on participating airlines.
“This new AA.com functionality gives AAdvantage members more control, convenience and flexibility during the award booking process,” said Suzanne Rubin, President – AAdvantage Loyalty Program. “The ability to book participating airline awards online is something our customers have been asking for, and we’re pleased to offer them this convenient new option when redeeming their miles for flights on British Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.”
The addition of British Airways, American’s fellow oneworld member and joint business partner, to the list of airlines offering this new award booking option highlights American’s ongoing commitment to offering enhanced benefits to its customers and the customers of fellow oneworld members. In 2010, American, British Airways and Iberia implemented a trans-Atlantic joint business allowing the three airlines to cooperate commercially on nonstop flights between the United States (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Canada, Mexico and the European Union, Switzerland and Norway.
In addition to British Airways and Hawaiian Airlines, AAdvantage members can also redeem their miles on AA.com for award travel on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. For more details please visit www.AA.com.
Customers who are not AAdvantage members can enroll for free at www.AA.com/enroll.
American Airlines Teams With Fellow oneworld Members British Airways and Iberia for Fare Sale to Europe March 30th, 2012
Book Now Through April 10 for Travel from April 3 Through May 21 and Aug. 24 Through Oct. 27
All Travel Must be Complete by Oct. 31
FORT WORTH, Texas, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – American Airlines and two of its fellow oneworld® alliance members, British Airways and Iberia, are offering special discounted fares between the United States and Europe for as low as $289 each way, based on round-trip Economy Class travel purchased on AA.com. Taxes and fees are included. Travel must originate in the U.S.
Book now, as tickets for these special fares are limited and must be purchased by April 10. There is an advance purchase requirement seven days prior to travel.
The special promotional fares are valid for travel between the U.S. and Europe Monday through Thursday; other days are subject to higher fares. Fares are valid for travel between the U.S. and United Kingdom Monday through Wednesday; other days are subject to higher fares. A Saturday night stay is required, and the maximum stay allowed is 180 days.
Here are some sample fares for Economy Class travel on the off-peak days identified above. The fares shown are each way based on round-trip purchase and include surcharges and government taxes and fees. A portion of, or all travel for some itineraries, may be operated by American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, American Eagle or AmericanConnection® carrier Chautauqua Airlines:
EACH WAY BASED ON ROUND-TRIP PURCHASE; TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED:
New York – Zurich $410
Chicago – Manchester $456
New York – Paris $459
Chicago – Dublin $289
Boston – Manchester $401
New York – Brussels $381
Miami – London $442
Chicago – Barcelona $398
Travelers can check schedules and fares and book on www.AA.com. AA.com has the absolute lowest fares – guaranteed – available for American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® carrier flights.
Taxes, Fees and Conditions
Fares include as applicable (a) a federal excise tax of $3.80 per U.S. domestic flight segment, defined as one takeoff and landing, of a passenger’s itinerary; (b) up to $18 per round trip in local airport charges; and (c) September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 per enplanement originating at a U.S. airport. For international/Puerto Rico/USVI destinations, government taxes and fees of up to $240, varying by destination, are also included.
Fares are subject to change without notice. International fares are subject to government approval.
Ticketing/Travel – Tickets must be purchased seven days prior to departure but not later than 11:59 p.m. April 10 (Central Time). Fares are valid for travel from April 3 through May 21 and from Aug. 24 through Oct. 27. All travel must be completed by Oct. 31. Saturday-night minimum stay is required, and a 180-day maximum stay is allowed. Tickets must be issued 24 hours after reservations are made.
Seats are limited. Fares may not be available on all flights. Schedules are subject to change without notice.
Fares are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Changes to your ticket may be made if you meet the restrictions of the new fare and pay up to a $275 fee plus any fare difference. Changes must be made before your ticketed flight’s scheduled departure time. If you cancel your flight prior to the scheduled departure time, the ticket will be valid for one year from the date of issue for an unused ticket or one year from travel origination for a partially used ticket. If you do not cancel your flight prior to the scheduled departure time, the ticket has no value.
A portion of or all travel for some itineraries may be operated by American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, American Eagle or AmericanConnection. American Eagle is operated by American Eagle Airlines, Inc., or Executive Airlines, Inc., which are wholly-owned by AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines. AmericanConnection service is operated by Chautauqua Airlines, Inc., an independent contractor.
To purchase tickets on AA.com you must use a credit card with a billing address in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, the United Kingdom, or select Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Checked baggage fees may apply. See https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/aacom_services_charges.jsp
for more information.
SOURCE American Airlines
Posted in Airline Fares, American Airlines | No Comments »
AMR Common Stock and Related Listed Securities to be Delisted From New York Stock Exchange January 1st, 2012
FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, Inc. and AMR Eagle Holding Corporation, reported that it has received written notification from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) advising AMR that its common stock, traded under the symbol AMR, its 9% Debentures due 2016 traded under the symbol AMR 16 and its 7.875% PINES (Public Income Notes) due 2039 traded under the symbol AAR will be suspended from trading on the NYSE, and that the NYSE will apply to the Securities and Exchange Commission to commence delisting procedures for these securities. The suspension will begin prior to the opening of the market on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012. NYSE advised AMR that it is taking these steps because the average closing price of AMR’s common stock fell below the NYSE’s continued listing minimum share price standard of $1 over a consecutive 30-trading-day period.
Due to the company’s Chapter 11 filing, AMR is not able to affirm an intent to cure the aforementioned share price deficiency and, accordingly, does not oppose the suspension and delisting of its securities.
The company expects that price quotations for its common stock and publicly traded debt securities will be available under new symbols on the OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB) and Pink Sheets Electronic Quotation Service as early as Jan. 5, 2012. The company will publicly announce the new symbols and their effective date as soon as practicable. Information about these services is available at www.otcbb.com and www.pinksheets.com .
AMR cannot predict what the ultimate value of any of its securities may be, and it remains too early to determine whether holders of any such securities will receive any distribution in the Chapter 11 reorganization. In particular, in most Chapter 11 cases, holders of equity securities receive little or no recovery of value from their investment.
As a result, AMR urges investors to exercise appropriate caution with respect to any existing or future investments in AMR’s securities.
Source: American Airlines
American Airlines and China’s Hainan Airlines to Codeshare December 8th, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — American Airlines and Beijing-based Hainan Airlines have signed an agreement to codeshare on each other’s flights and to offer their frequent flyer members new opportunities to earn and redeem miles/points, while providing new growth opportunities for American in China and for Hainan Airlines in the United States.
Hainan, a Skytrax 5-Star airline, operates more than 2,800 weekly flights to cities throughout China as well as international destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. From its Beijing hub, Hainan offers more than 400 weekly flights, including service to more than 40 Chinese cities.
The agreement, subject to government approval, will open many new markets that will complement American’s existing service to China. Currently, American operates nonstop service in three markets: Chicago O’Hare-Beijing, Chicago O’Hare-Shanghai and Los Angeles-Shanghai. From its cornerstone hubs at Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles, American and American Eagle offer more than 450 and more than 150 daily departures, respectively.
The key elements of the American-Hainan agreement are:
- Codesharing (AA*) on direct flights operated by Hainan beyond Beijing that will allow customers on American’s Chicago-Beijing flights to make connections to cities within China.
- Codesharing (AA*) on direct flights operated by Hainan between Beijing and Seattle.
- Codesharing (HU*) on direct flights operated by American beyond Seattle that will allow customers on Hainan’s Beijing-Seattle flights access to American’s domestic network.
- Codesharing (HU*) on direct flights operated by American between Shanghai and Chicago/Los Angeles and between Beijing and Chicago.
- Improvement in flight schedules and connection times to benefit customers of both airlines.
- Increased opportunities for customers of each airline to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles/points on services operated by the other.
“By strengthening and broadening our presence in China through our relationship with Hainan Airlines, American will be better positioned to deliver enhanced benefits to our joint customers,” said Virasb Vahidi, American’s Chief Commercial Officer.
“This agreement has the potential to make traveling between China and the United States – and beyond – considerably more attractive for our customers with improved connections and increased frequent flyer benefits,” said Hou Wei, Hainan’s Chief Marketing Officer.
The agreement between American and Hainan increases American’s presence throughout Asia. With fellow oneworld® members Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and the Qantas Group, American offers codeshare service to cities throughout the Pacific Rim from Cathay’s Hong Kong hub, Japan Airlines’ Tokyo Narita hub and Qantas’ Sydney hub.
Posted in Airlines News, American Airlines, Hainan Airlines | No Comments »
Despite Restructuing, American Announces New Fleet Interior Details November 30th, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – American Airlines today announced details of the interior selections for its fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, including fully lie flat First and Business Class seats, seating plans that will give the airline the opportunity to offer a premium product in the main cabin, and Wi-Fi capability to keep customers connected while traveling internationally.
During its time of restructuring, today’s announcement demonstrates a continuation of the airline’s efforts to enhance its fleet and become more fuel efficient. American is scheduled to take delivery of 10 state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ERs in 2012 through 2013, with London dedicated as a first market for this aircraft, and more markets to be announced. American is the first U.S. airline to order the 777-300ER and will be the first U.S. airline to take delivery of the 777-300ER.
“American Airlines continues to remain focused on providing a differentiated customer experience through various efforts, including the execution of our fleet renewal plan,” said Virasb Vahidi, American’s Chief Commercial Officer. “The addition of 777-300ER aircraft will further modernize our fleet through the integration of unique customer comforts, which are designed to create more inviting interiors and enhance the travel experience.”
Arranged in a three-class cabin configuration, the new 777-300ER will provide the airline with more passenger and cargo capacity than any other aircraft in its fleet today. Customers will be welcomed into the aircraft by unique mood lighting. American will be the first carrier to use a dramatic archway and ceiling treatment on the 777-300 to create a feeling of spaciousness. A walk-up bar stocked with snacks and refreshments in the premium cabin will be a first for any U.S. airline and adds another unique element of luxury to the 777-300. Entertainment options including up to 120 movies, more than 150 TV programs and more than 350 audio selections will be offered throughout the aircraft. Also, every seat will feature individual 110 volt AC power outlets and USB jacks for charging personal electronic devices.
The First Class cabin will offer new Flagship Suite seats. Considered one of the most comfortable and popular First Class seats in the industry, the 777-300 will feature an updated and enhanced version of the customer-favorite Flagship Suite seat that transforms into a fully lie flat six-foot, eight-inch bed with drop-down armrests that allow for easier access and more sleeping space. Each suite provides aisle access and allows customers to individually adjust any component of the seat for ultimate comfort. All suites will feature privacy dividers, two universal AC power outlets, one USB outlet, two large tray tables, a swivel seat and a host of other comforts, including Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headsets, designed to enhance the travel experience. A 17-inch touchscreen monitor will offer an array of entertainment and a touchscreen video handset will serve as a remote that allows customers to easily select programming without touching the monitor and watch additional video programs, such as the moving map, while viewing the 17-inch monitor. The First Class cabin will use updated interior trim and finishes to achieve a comfortable, modern feel throughout the cabin.
The Business Class cabin will also be outfitted with fully lie flat seats – all with aisle access. The fully lie flat seat has three motors that offer extensive flexibility and comfort. Customers can individually adjust any component of the seat, including the seat back, head rest, and leg rest. The seats feature a large tray table in addition to a work surface. Each seat offers a water bottle holder and headset stowage – as Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headsets will be offered inflight. Seat controls boast a more intuitive design for optimum customer comfort and simplicity. Entertainment will be available on a 15.4-inch touchscreen monitor positioned in each Business Class suite and a premium handset will serve as a remote that will allow customers to easily select programming without touching the monitor.
Seats throughout Economy Class will have a higher recline pivot, providing increased knee room. The seat bottom will articulate, producing an innovative cradling motion to better distribute weight while increasing the recline angle of the seatback, resulting in improved overall customer comfort while protecting the personal space for customers in the following row. Each Economy Class seat holds a 9-inch touchscreen Panasonic Eco Monitor, specially designed for the main cabin for inflight entertainment. The Panasonic Eco Monitor is lighter weight and more energy efficient than most standard monitors.
American will also offer an Economy Class premium seat product, which will include additional legroom for seats in the forward portion of the cabin, allowing greater personal space and convenient access when boarding and deplaning.
The 777-300ERs will complement American’s fleet by offering additional network flexibility in the future, and providing increased efficiency due to better seat mile economics and performance characteristics.
SOURCE American Airlines
American Airlines to Continue Normal Business Operations During Bankruptcy Reorganzation November 30th, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, Inc. and AMR Eagle Holding Corporation, announced that Judge Sean H. Lane of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York yesterday granted approval of a series of first day motions filed by the Company to help facilitate American’s and American Eagle’s continued normal business operations throughout the reorganization process.
The Company also reported that, as expected, American and American Eagle continued normal operations yesterday, with flights, reservations, baggage handling, customer service and other functions operating as usual.
“American continues to make progress on our path to a successful future,” said Tom Horton, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMR and American Airlines. “The Court’s immediate approval of key motions ensures that customers around the world can continue to rely on American and American Eagle for safe, reliable and convenient air travel. As American’s employees have continued to demonstrate, we are committed to our customers and we are confident in our future.”
American received authorization to, among other things:
Provide employee wages, health care coverage, vacation, and other benefits, without interruption;
- Honor tickets and reservations, and provide refunds and exchanges as usual;
- Fully maintain AAdvantage® frequent flyer and other customer service programs, and ensure all AAdvantage miles and elite status earned by members remain secure and intact;
- Continue payments under existing fuel supply contracts;
- Assume interline, clearinghouse, Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC) and similar agreements; and
- Continue to use existing cash management systems and maintain existing bank accounts.
As announced earlier yesterday, AMR and certain of its U.S.-based subsidiaries filed to reorganize under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Excerpt from SOURCE: AMR Corporation
American Airlines Introduces Curbside Check-In for Customers Traveling to International Destinations October 20th, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — American Airlines is expanding its Curbside Check-In service to give customers traveling internationally the opportunity to check their bags with the skycap — making their trip through the airport as smooth as possible. Curbside Check-in is available to all customers traveling to an international location, including countries that require a visa, making American the only airline to provide a convenient service of this kind.
Since September, American has been expanding the enhanced service to 28 airports that currently offer domestic Curbside Check-in, including American’s cornerstone markets — Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, Miami and at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Thirty-one additional U.S. markets will offer the new services by the beginning of November.
“Offering Curbside Check-in for travel to international destinations is another way American is expanding its products and services to better meet the needs and desires of customers traveling abroad,” said Tom Del Valle, American’s Senior Vice President – Airport Services. “The new service offers a seamless transition from booking to boarding, and we look forward to the positive changes this will bring to our customers’ overall travel experience.”
Curbside Check-in gives customers the convenient opportunity to book, purchase and check-in from home, drop their bags curbside with a skycap and move directly through the security check-point to their gate in a smooth process. The service also provides flexibility for customers traveling with a large number of bags or who simply prefer to bypass the ticket counter.
Curbside Check-in to international locations will coincide with regular ticket counter hours and will be available to customers who use online flight check-in, electronic tickets, and those with or without pre-reserved seats.
For more information about the expanded Curbside Check-in service, please visit aa.com/curbside.
American Airlines: Boeing Delivers American Airlines First 737-800 With Boeing Sky Interior May 25th, 2011
SEATTLE, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) delivered to American Airlines today its first Next-Generation 737-800 featuring the all-new Boeing Sky Interior (BSI). The new aircraft marks a major milestone in American’s commitment to improving and modernizing the customer experience through the execution of its fleet renewal plan.
The Boeing Sky Interior is designed to increase customer comfort onboard and is an important part of American’s ongoing initiative to modernize the look and feel of its 737 fleet interiors. The 737-800 BSI aircraft are a strategic part of American’s commitment to invest in products and services that make the travel experience more contemporary and innovative for customers.
From 2007 through 2011, American Airlines expects to invest more than $5.5 billion in new aircraft and onboard and facility enhancement projects to improve the customer experience.
“American Airlines has made a significant investment to enrich the flying experience for our customers through the purchase of new aircraft and the refurbishment of our existing fleet,” said Virasb Vahidi, American’s Chief Commercial Officer. “At American, we are focused on providing a differentiated customer experience, with a distinct focus on best delivering what premium customers value most – world-class products and services. The delivery of the first 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior is our most recent step to deliver on this commitment.”
The new 737-800 BSI interior offers several unique features, including larger overhead bins – modeled after the 787 Dreamliner’s pivoting bins – that pivot down and out. The innovative design allows the bins to hold 48 more bags than standard overhead bins and four more than current non-BSI aircraft with larger bins. Sculpted sidewalls provide customers with a contemporary feeling of spaciousness and updated window reveals make the windows appear larger. Brighter and longer-lasting LED lighting can be programmed to create different effects during the flight such as a soft blue sky overhead. Intuitive placement of switches and call buttons and improved sound quality are innovative features that will enhance the customer experience. Additionally, the new 737s offer 16 First Class seats and 144 in Economy Class for a total of 160 seats on each aircraft.
“This new airplane will be a great addition to American’s existing 737 fleet,” said Marlin Dailey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “American Airlines is leveraging all the performance benefits of the Next-Generation 737 to enhance its competitive position, while providing a new, more comfortable and inviting interior.”
As part of its fleet renewal plan, American began taking delivery of new Boeing 737-800s without BSI in April 2009. The airline received 31 737-800s in 2009, 45 in 2010 and plans to receive 15 in 2011, 28 in 2012 and 11 beginning in 2013.
To provide consistency within the travel experience and further elevate customer comfort onboard, American is updating its initial fleet of Boeing 737s, the last of which was delivered in 2001, to match the new 737 deliveries without the BSI feature. The interior renovations include the installation of new customized First and Economy Class seats, new cabin interiors, updated inflight entertainment systems and bigger overhead bins to provide more storage throughout the aircraft. American is also updating the interior of its 757 fleet, which will include a new look-and-feel throughout the cabin. Both projects are being handled in-house by American employees at the airline’s Maintenance and Engineering base located in Tulsa, Okla.
In addition to the enhancements to its 737 planes, American has several fleet renewal efforts already under way. These initiatives highlight the multiple steps American Airlines has taken the past several years to continue investing in its future while it sharpens its focus on modernizing and improving the customer experience through various efforts – including, notably, the execution of its fleet renewal plan. They include:
- MD-80 Retirement: The 737 deliveries are designed to replace the MD-80 fleet with more passenger-friendly, fuel-efficient aircraft – lessening the impact on the environment. American intends to retire at least 25 MD-80s in 2011, as part of the company’s plan to continue renewing its fleet, while addressing the current fuel environment. In fact, a 737-800 burns 35 percent less fuel than an MD-80 on a seat-mile basis.
- 757 Domestic Retrofit: In August 2010, American began enhancing its domestic fleet of 106 Boeing 757-200s with the installation of customized First and Economy Class seats, bigger overhead storage bins and updated inflight entertainment throughout the aircraft. Two additional First Class seats are being added to each 757 aircraft, for a total of 24 seats in the First Class cabin.
- 787-9 Dreamliner: Entering into a purchase agreement with Boeing to acquire an initial 42 of the 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, with the right to purchase up to 58 additional 787s.
- 777-300ERs: American has five 777-300ERs that are scheduled for delivery in 2012 and 2013, including two additional aircraft for which options were recently exercised. These 777-300ERs will complement American’s fleet, offering additional network flexibility in the future, and providing increased efficiency due to better seat mile economics and performance ch
American Airlines adding more flights in markets April 6th, 2011
Associated Press 4/5/11
FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines is adding more flights in existing markets and rolling out new international and domestic service to give customers more scheduling options.
The airline said Tuesday that it will now have daily nonstop service between Los Angeles and Shanghai. It will have another daily nonstop route between New York and Budapest, Hungary. Flights between Chicago and Helsinki, Finland will start on May 1.
American affiliate American Eagle will provide new nonstop service to Albuquerque, N.M.; Boise, Idaho; El Paso, Texas; Houston Bush Intercontinental; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Salt Lake City; Sacramento, Calif. and Tucson, Ariz. All of the flights will depart from Los Angeles.
American will increase its daily service from Miami to Madrid from one flight it two flights. It will also raise the number of flights between New York JFK and Barcelona to 11 weekly flights from seven.
In addition, American will restart daily seasonal service between Boston and Paris; Chicago and Dublin, Ireland and New York and Manchester, England.