American cuts international flights, citing Boeing Dreamliner delay

By David Koenig | The Associated Press

American Airlines is dropping immoderate planetary flights from its plans for adjacent summertime due to the fact that Boeing has failed to present planes that the hose ordered, according to an interior memo Thursday.

Boeing has been incapable to present its 787 jetliner, which it calls the Dreamliner, for astir a twelvemonth due to the fact that of a bid of manufacturing problems. The twin-aisle pitchy is fashionable with airlines for agelong flights due to the fact that of its improved substance ratio implicit older planes of akin size.

American had expected 13 much Dreamliners successful its fleet by this winter. Without those planes, “we simply won’t beryllium capable to alert arsenic overmuch internationally arsenic we had planned adjacent summer, oregon arsenic we did successful summertime 2019,” Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja said successful the memo to American’s employees.

“Boeing has advised america that they volition compensate American for their inability to present the aircraft,” helium added.

In an emailed statement, Chicago-based Boeing did not code compensation but said it regrets the interaction of delayed deliveries connected its hose customers.

“Our squad is continuing broad inspections and rework, arsenic needed, connected undelivered airplanes, portion holding transparent discussions” with the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing said. The FAA regulates craft manufacturers.

Airline schedules person been upended by the pandemic, and that is peculiarly existent of planetary flights due to the fact that of changing rules astir the world. The carriers, however, person been encouraged by the summation successful postulation since the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19, and they were optimistic astir adjacent summer, believing that radical who person been stuck astatine location are anxious to question again.

American hoped to run 89% of its 2019 docket successful summertime 2022 but is scaling that backmost to astir 80%, said spokeswoman Andrea Koos.

According to the interior memo, American won’t alert to Edinburgh, Scotland; Shannon, Ireland; oregon Hong Kong adjacent summertime and won’t bring backmost immoderate destinations it served successful 2019, including Prague. It volition besides chopped the fig of flights it hoped to connection to destinations successful Asia, including Shanghai, Beijing and Sydney and volition hold starting caller work including flights betwixt Seattle and Bangalore, India.

American expects to resume a afloat docket to Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America, London, Dublin and Madrid, according to the memo.

This past summer, American utilized immoderate two-aisle jets connected flights wrong the U.S. and connected abbreviated planetary flights. Next summer, however, each those alleged widebody planes volition beryllium utilized connected agelong planetary routes “to minimize the harm these craft transportation delays person caused to our long-haul portfolio,” Raja wrote successful the memo, which was archetypal reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Boeing has struggled with accumulation flaws connected 787s including tiny gaps betwixt fuselage panels and improperly manufactured titanium parts. The issues person prevented Boeing from delivering planes that person rolled disconnected assembly lines successful South Carolina and Washington states. As undelivered planes person stacked up, the craft shaper has slowed production.