American delays new Flagship Business Suites as it shuffles wide-body flights

American Airlines’ latest in-flight innovations won’t hit the market as soon as the flyers predict.

It’s part of major changes the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline is making to its widebody network, reducing service on 12 routes due to Boeing delivery delays. The news was first announced to flight attendants in an internal memo obtained by TPG and later confirmed by a spokesperson for the airline.

Perhaps even bigger news is that as part of this network update, American is delaying its rollout New Business Flagship package and premium economy products is expected to launch on a special new “787-9P” Dreamliner configuration.

Initially, the plan was to introduce these new seats, first launched in 2022, on the airline’s flights. Longest new route from Dallas-Fort Worth to Brisbane, Australia. The 8,303-mile route was announced in February and is expected to be operated by a new 787-9P.

However, due to ongoing delivery delays, American will operate this flight using an existing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with the airline’s existing 30 upside-down herringbone business class cabins, also such as 21 premium economy recliners, 36 main cabins with more legroom than Extra seats and 198 standard economy seats. In addition to equipment changes, this daily seasonal flight will depart as planned on October 26.

American does not have an updated timeline for when it will introduce its new integrated products. Initially, the plan was to inaugurate these seats on the 787-9P aircraft and also retrofit existing Boeing 777-300ERs with new products. (As part of the retrofit, American will retire the Flagship First and replace it with a new four-seat model Business class and above Flagship Suite Preferred section.)

Due to delivery delays, it is possible that the retrofit of the first 777 will be completed before the first new Dreamliner is inaugurated. American declined to share updated implementation progress with TPG, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for details as they become available.

As for the routes American is shuffling, the changes are quite extensive, including service to Europe, South America and even Hawaii.

You’ll find all the details in the table below, but it’s worth noting that American’s Dallas-Fort Worth-to-Kona route will not (re)launch as planned. It was last operated in 2021, and American initially planned to fly it again starting in October.

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Other major changes include reducing late-summer service from New York to Rome to just one daily flight and ending several other summer seasonal routes before they were originally scheduled to end.

In the winter, American will increase service on four routes as it scales up pilot training and accelerates its retrofit schedule.

“Due to ongoing Boeing 787 delivery delays, American is adjusting service on certain routes for the second half of 2024 and first quarter of 2025. We are making these adjustments now to ensure we can serve affected customers again.” We will proactively contact affected customers to offer alternative travel options. We remain committed to our customers and team members and minimizing the impact of these delays while continuing to deliver a global network,” American shared in a statement about this. . news.

Although the carrier is making some major adjustments, American will continue to offer service on 55 long-haul international routes this winter and will not withdraw from any destinations as part of this adjustment .

While the airline is adjusting its schedule due to delivery delays, the carrier reaffirmed that it expects to increase full-year capacity by single digits in accordance with recently issued guidance.

“While Boeing delivery delays have impacted mainline production capacity, they are largely offset by improvements in aircraft utilization in our region. Delivery Delays Airplane failures are affecting the entire industry, but they don’t have the same impact on American Airlines as other airlines because we don’t.” dependent on new aircraft deliveries like most of our peers,” chief financial officer Devon May said during the airline’s first-quarter earnings call.

American plans to increase regional flights over the Sun Belt and at its Chicago hub.

The airline will send out all these changes over the weekend and they will be visible to customers by Sunday, April 28.