American Airlines announced on Friday it is planning on cutting year-on-year capacity by 70-80 per cent for domestic, and 80-90 per cent for international flights in May to address “record low customer demand”.
The carrier said the most significant changes to the schedule is the reduction in service to Hawaii, beginning next month.
In response to the new 14-day quarantine rules for travellers flying to Hawaii, American has decided to suspend operations to Kona, Lihue and Maui. The airline will continue to operate one daily flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
“The domestic capacity reductions take into consideration the FAA’s recent decision to grant additional flexibility in slot-use policies at US airports during this unprecedented situation.
“These waivers will allow the airline to better align capacity with demand in light of adjustments to the flight schedule,” the statement from American said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted airlines slot relief earlier this month until the end of May.
Other weekend announcements include:
- United Airlines is making huge changes to in-flight service starting on 29 March. This move follows other airlines and is designed to help curb the spread of the virus.
- Delta Air Lines is offering flights to qualified medical volunteers to Georgia, Louisiana and Michigan. The carrier will offer free roundtrip travel to medical professionals who intend to volunteer in some of the hardest-hit areas starting from early April.
- A 26 March report indicates that German industrialist Heinz Hermann Thiele has increased his ownership of the Lufthansa Group to become the airline company’s biggest single shareholder.
- Air Namibia has suspended all flights until at least 20 April, following President Hage Geingob’s announcement of a temporary travel ban for all flights into and out of the country on Tuesday.
- Turkish Airlines has cancelled its flights to New York. The airline’s chief executive, Bilal Eksi, confirmed in a tweet that the suspension was in motion. This leaves Turkish with only five international routes to just four countries.
- Garuda Indonesia is leasing six slot pairs at the congested London Heathrow Airport to flag carrying Indian airline Air India.
- Southwest Airlines has slashed its capacity to Hawaii as a result of travel restrictions, and a huge downturn in demand. The move comes a little over a year since the route was launched with much fanfare.
- Virgin Atlantic is now only operating from London Heathrow.
- The National Health Service (NHS) is aiming to put to work Virgin Atlantic and EasyJet staff at its Nightingale hospitals as part of the fight against coronavirus.
