American Airlines Strengthens Its Network With Service To Cities In Asia, Europe And Latin America

American Airlines announced today that it will launch service to markets in Asia, Europe and Latin America, delivering on the airline's business plan and network strategy designed to offer customers?more choices to new destinations. Next year, American will begin the following international services: Dallas/Fort Worth?- Seoul, South Korea; Dallas/Fort Worth?- Lima, Peru; Chicago O'Hare?- Dusseldorf, Germany; and New York JFK?- Dublin, Ireland.? This new service enhances American's network footprint and will provide more access and choices for customers in key international markets.? It will also add domestic service to match customer demand through its Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago hubs.? Customers can begin booking travel for all these routes beginning Nov. 4.

Last week, American announced that international unit revenue increased 8.0 percent for the first nine months of 2012, driven by increased load factors across all entities and improved yield performance. Unit revenue performance in the Pacific entity for the same period was strong, up 13.3 percent, driven by increased demand for the premium cabins, greater revenues from Asia point-of-sale and joint selling efforts with joint business partner, Japan Airlines. The Latin American entity posted a 7.2 percent unit revenue increase for the first nine months of 2012, including yield improvements in Mexico and Central and South America. The growing strength of American's enhanced network, together with coordinated selling efforts with joint business partners British Airways and Iberia over the Atlantic, helped drive a 6.5 increase in trans-Atlantic unit revenue improvement for the first nine months of 2012 versus the prior year.

"We continue to strengthen American's service from our hub markets to enhance our international offerings and better meet customer demand," said Virasb Vahidi?- American's Chief Commercial Officer. "Nearly one-third of Fortune 500 companies are located in our five hub cities, and these new routes will provide more convenient access for our business travelers to key international destinations."

The strengthening of American's global network is just another example of the company's progress toward its business plan, which includes focusing its hubs in the most important domestic and international cities, enhancing relationships with the best international alliance partners and creating a pipeline of industry-leading products and services, including a significant renewal and transformation of an aircraft fleet that American expects to be the youngest and most fuel-efficient among its U.S. airline peers by 2017.

New Service to Asia
From its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth, American will launch its first-ever service to Seoul on May 9, 2013.? As one of the top 10 premium markets in the world, the new service to Seoul reinforces American's commitment to customers and the Asia-Pacific region.? The new service will be operated as a part of American's joint business agreement with Japan Airlines and will provide convenient access for customers traveling from South Korea to connect to more than 200 flights from Dallas/Fort Worth to cities in the United States and Latin America.

More Service to Europe
Beginning April 11, 2013, American will add service between Chicago O'Hare and Dusseldorf, Germany. American will code share with oneworld? alliance partner, airberlin?- further reinforcing an already strong relationship and allowing customers to fly not only to Dusseldorf, but also to cities such as Moscow, Tel Aviv, and Nice through airberlin's extensive network. This route will also operate as part of the joint business agreement with British Airways and Iberia.

In addition, American also will add new service between New York?- JFK and Dublin, Ireland, beginning June 12, 2013. ?These new flights also will be operated in conjunction with American's Atlantic joint business partners, British Airways and Iberia. From JFK, American flies non-stop to nearly 50 cities throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America with nearly 90 daily departures.

Increased Service to Latin America
Beginning April 2, 2013, American will add service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Lima, Peru.? American provides more service than any other airline between North America and Latin America with more than 900 weekly flights to 49 destinations.? With the addition of Dallas/Fort Worth?- Lima, customers can access 30 destinations to Central America, Mexico, and South America from the Dallas/Fort Worth hub.?

In addition, this added service continues to enhance American's relationship with oneworld partner, LAN, including reciprocal frequent flyer benefits for American Airlines?AAdvantage? and LANPASS members, and reinforces American's commitment to the Peruvian market by providing seamless connections to multiple destinations including the Dallas/Fort Worth?- Tokyo non-stop.

New Domestic Cities from Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago:
On Feb. 14, 2013, American will also add new domestic service, through its regional affiliates American Eagle and ExpressJet, from Dallas/Fort Worth to the following cities: Beaumont/Port Arthur, Texas, Columbia, Mo., and Fargo, N.D, as well as new Chicago O'Hare – Columbia, Mo. service.

DFW is the largest of American's five domestic hubs offering more than 740 departures to nearly 170 cities in Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

Sourced: etravelblackboardasia