General Industry

Gol Says Deal With American Airlines Formalised; American Airlines Plans More Schedule Cuts

By Dave Simpson
Gol Says Deal With American Airlines Formalised; American Airlines Plans More Schedule Cuts

Brazilian airline Gol GOLL4.SA has said that a deal earlier announced with American Airlines AAL.O has been formalised, according to a securities filing.

In September, Gol announced an exclusive three-year codeshare agreement with American Airlines, which is going to invest $200 million in the Brazilian airline.

American Airlines Plans More Schedule Cuts As It Waits For 787 Jet Deliveries

The above news was followed by news that American Airlines Group Inc AAL.O has said that it plans to further trim its summer schedule due to Boeing Co's BA.N delay in delivering 787 Dreamliner jets.

In a regulatory filing, the Texas-based carrier said that it now expects to receive only 10 Dreamliner planes this year, not the 13 expected earlier. The remaining jets are now scheduled for delivery next year, it said.

As a result, American said it would temporarily suspend routes between Seattle and London, Los Angeles and Sydney, and Dallas and Santiago. The company will also delay the launch of service between Dallas and Tel Aviv, and reduce the frequency of flights between Miami and São Paulo to one a day.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Wall Street Journal first reported the plan to trim the summer schedule.

In December, the carrier had announced plans to scrap, reduce or delay the introduction of flights to several international destinations, including Hong Kong, saying that the delays in deliveries of the 787s had crimped its ability to ramp up capacity.

Reuters reported last month that deliveries of the 787 are expected to remain frozen for months as US regulators review repairs and inspections over structural flaws in the jets.

American was expecting to receive the first delivery in April. However, Boeing has said that the timing would be set by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

The Chicago-based plane maker last month unveiled a $3.5 billion pre-tax non-cash charge related to 787 delivery delays and customer concessions.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the filing on Friday 18 February, American said that the 787 Dreamliner jets remain an "essential" part of its fleet and that Boeing would compensate it for the delivery delays.

Added To Cost Pressures

Last month, the carrier said that the ongoing delays in 787 deliveries have added to its cost pressure.

News by Reuters, edited by Hospitality Ireland. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.