American Airlines is all set to expand its wings across Europe, with three new destinations on the horizon for summer 2024. The airline is planning to connect Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) with Nice, France starting (May 6, 2024), Naples, Italy from (June 5, 2024), and Copenhagen from (June 6, 2024). These new cities are a fresh addition for the Oneworld alliance member, and they will be served daily using Boeing 787-8s to Naples and 787-9s to Nice and Copenhagen.
Brian Znotins, American’s senior vice president of network and schedule planning, expressed that the airline wanted to add these transatlantic destinations in summer 2023 but had to wait due to uncertainties with Boeing deliveries. Now, the capacity will be available next summer.
Strategic Planning and Hub Selection
The decision to launch these European markets from Philadelphia instead of JFK is a strategic one. Znotins explained that the airports serve as distinct hubs. For instance, American can offer about 40 domestic connections through PHL for the flight to Copenhagen, while the number would be much lower through JFK due to gate and slot restrictions.
“When we fly from JFK, it’s really about the local market,” Znotins says. “Can we sell to New Yorkers? And then when we fly from Philadelphia, it’s really about the entire U.S. Can we sell to the entire U.S.?”
The airline has also adapted its widebody strategy to achieve better year-round utilization. This involves using aircraft that typically operate long-haul South Pacific or South America routes during the winter months to be paired with seasonal transatlantic destinations during the summer.
Other Changes and Additions
In addition to the three new European routes, American will also launch a new daily route between Dallas-Fort Worth and Barcelona, Spain. They will bring back flights between Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Venice (VCE), Italy, a route last operated in October 2019.
American also announced plans to switch its Doha service from JFK to PHL, transferring the route from (October 29). They will resume daily service between PHL and San Antonio from (June 5, 2024), until (September 3, 2024), for the first time since 2020.
Furthermore, changes to the winter 2023-24 schedule include increased flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cozumel, Mexico, and St. Maarten.
American Airlines’ expansion into new Europe destinations and strategic planning for year-round utilization of its fleet shows a promising direction for the airline. With a focus on connecting various parts of the U.S. to new international destinations, American is paving the way for more travel opportunities and convenience for its passengers.
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