American Airlines to temporarily suspend route due to Boeing dreamliner delays
Airline will suspend Philadelphia-Madrid route for several weeks in May and early June
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Boeing Co.’s delays in delivering 787 Dreamliners are again rippling into American Airlines Group Inc.’s flying schedule.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said Friday it would suspend its Philadelphia-Madrid route for a few weeks in May and early June, citing delivery delays for the jets. American said it was cutting the flights now to ensure it could help customers arrange different travel plans.
"We remain committed to our customers and team members and mitigating the impact of the 787 delivery delays while continuing to offer a robust international network this summer," an American Airlines spokesman said.
An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on January 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. ((Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
A Boeing spokeswoman said the plane maker remains focused on stability in its production system as it works with its suppliers.
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"We continue to work with our customers, including American Airlines, on delivery timing and deeply regret the impact to their operations," she said.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA | THE BOEING CO. | 143.41 | -2.67 | -1.83% |
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.20 | -0.26 | -1.80% |
American’s move marked at least the second consecutive year that Boeing Dreamliner delays have affected the airline’s flying schedule. In 2022, American trimmed its summer flying schedule more extensively in the midst of a protected halt in Dreamliner deliveries while Boeing dealt with various manufacturing and regulatory problems.
A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on July 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)
Deliveries resumed in August of last year. Earlier this year they were briefly halted again due to what the Federal Aviation Administration said was a documentation issue, before the regulator allowed them to resume earlier this month.
American is slated to receive three more 787 Dreamliners this year. One of the planes has a contractual delivery date stretching back to April 2021, and a revised delivery date of March 2022, according to the airline.
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The American spokesman said the travel disruption could be contained if there aren’t further delays in Boeing’s Dreamliner deliveries.
Airlines have said they can’t get new planes quickly enough to keep up with travel demand, with supply chain snarls and other setbacks that have affected deliveries of multiple aircraft types. Executives have said that those delays, along with an industrywide shortage of pilots, have constrained airlines’ growth and helped keep fares high.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by American Airlines takes off from Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino, Italy October 11th, 2021. (Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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American’s move comes ahead of what airlines expect will be a surge in demand for flights across the Atlantic this summer. Executives have said flights are filling up, even with sky-high fares. Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. earlier this month said they expect record profit margins in the trans-Atlantic market this summer.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 63.34 | -0.28 | -0.45% |
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 94.40 | -0.23 | -0.24% |
Alison Sider contributed to this article.