Due to Boeing’s continuing delays in delivering new widebodies 787 Dreamliner jets, American Airlines is further reducing its international flying schedule. A few weeks ago, American Airlines had already announced cutting four long-haul routes from its 2022 schedule in Asia and the South Pacific, plus further changes. Let’s investigate further.

Cutting routes

This weekend, American Airlines will publish a revised summer schedule, reducing its flights versus its initial plans due to Boeing’s “continued inability to deliver our 787-8 aircraft,” the airline said.

American Airlines is planning to temporarily suspend three routes: Seattle-London, Los Angeles-Sydney, and Dallas-Santiago. Additionally, it is planning to delay the launch of its Dallas Fort Worth-Tel Aviv route and reduce its flights between Miami and São Paulo down to a single daily service, said American Airlines in a security filing.

Last year, American Airlines cut four long-haul routes from its 2022 schedule in Asia and the South Pacific. These routes were from Dallas to Beijing and Hong Kong and from Seattle to Bangalore and Shanghai.

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Additionally, American Airlines reduced the number of flights per week on its Dallas-Shanghai to a couple of services, starting in April. American Airlines also made other movements across the board in long-haul routes to Europe and South America.

The 787-8 is an essential part of American’s fleet

American Airlines currently has 24 Boeing 787-8 and 22 B787-9 aircraft, according to data provided by ch-aviation. The carrier had expected Boeing to deliver all 13 of the delayed B787-8 aircraft in 2022. Nonetheless, due to ongoing delays in the resumption of deliveries of these aircraft, American Airlines is now expecting to receive only ten B787-8 this year. The remaining aircraft are currently scheduled for delivery in 2023, said the airline.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said it intends to remove Boeing’s right to self-certify the planes.

In its filing, American Airlines said,

“Our 787-8 aircraft are an essential part of our fleet. And despite the ongoing delay, we still have tremendous confidence in the aircraft and will continue to work with Boeing on their delivery. In addition, as previously stated, Boeing has advised us that they will compensate us for their inability to deliver the aircraft.”

American Airlines’ summer schedule

This summer, American Airlines will continue to offer almost 6,000 peak-day departures, the company said.

Nonetheless, the Dreamliner delays have impacted American’s plans to restore its international traffic this coming summer, as the COVID-19 pandemic recedes worldwide. In March, American Airlines' scheduled flights to Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa remain 35% below its pre-pandemic levels, according to data provided by Cirium.

The airline added,

“Further reducing our international flying this summer is a difficult decision, but ultimately, it’s the right one for our team members and customers. American will continue to offer almost 6,000 peak-day departures this summer, more than any other airline. While we are disappointed in the continued delay of our 787-8 deliveries, we remain focused on running a reliable operation on our path to profitability by delivering for our customers the best global network.”

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