FORT WORTH , Texas – AMR Corp. today announced the first round of reductions
to its flight schedule as part of its previously announced plans to reduce
capacity in an effort to significantly reduce costs and create a more
sustainable supply-and-demand balance in the market. The actions come in the
face of skyrocketing fuel prices and a softening economy.
The initial changes to the flight schedule include, but are not limited to:
- Discontinuing its Chicago – Buenos Aires service effective Sept. 3.
- Discontinuing its Chicago – Honolulu service Jan. 5, 2009. Between September
3, 2008, and Jan. 5, 2009, American will operate Chicago – Honolulu service only
on peak demand days.
- Discontinuing its Boston – San Diego service effective Sept. 3.
- Restructuring American and American Eagle operations at San Juan, Puerto
Rico beginning in September. This round of reductions will affect American and
American Eagle flights originating from San Juan to the United States and
various islands in the Caribbean.
Customers impacted by the schedule changes will be contacted starting next
week and re-accommodated on alternative flights.
In the coming weeks, AMR will continue to make additional schedule reductions
in other markets and will assess the location- and route-specific impacts of
those changes. This will be done to achieve plans to reduce AMR’s fourth quarter
mainline domestic capacity by 11 percent to 12 percent compared to 2007 levels
and its fourth quarter regional affiliate capacity by 10 percent to 11 percent
compared to 2007. Fourth quarter consolidated system capacity is expected to
decline 7 percent to 8 percent year over year, including the capacity reductions
that were announced earlier this year.
To effect these changes, AMR plans to retire 40-45 mainline aircraft (mostly
MD-80s and some Airbus A300s) and 35-40 regional jets. In an effort to
significantly reduce costs, American Eagle also will retire its Saab fleet by
the end of the year.
