by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:40 AM ET, Sat March 28, 2020
American Airlines announced Friday the record-low customer demand caused by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak had forced the carrier to continuing cutting capacity in April and May.
Due to social distancing and travel restrictions, officials from American revealed it would suspend 60 percent of its capacity in April and up to 80 percent of its capacity in May, both compared to the same periods in 2019.
In addition, the airline's international flights have now been cut by 80-90 percent for April and May, with April's new service schedule available for booking Sunday and May's being loaded by April 5.
Federal Aviation Administration officials recently granted carriers additional flexibility in slot-use policies at U.S. airports, allowing American to "better align capacity with demand in light of adjustments to the flight schedule."
The most significant change for the airline is its service to Hawaii, with flights into Kona, Lihue and Maui all being suspended. American will continue to operate one daily flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
As a result of the altered flight schedule, the carrier is extending its offer to waive change fees for customers who purchase tickets through April 15.
In a report from ABCNews.com, American CEO Doug Parker says the company is eligible for about $12 billion of the $50 billion in grants and loans set aside for airlines in the $2 trillion stimulus bill.
The bill also includes assistance for travel advisors and agents impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
