Boeing Co. s delays in delivering 787 Dreamliners are rippling into American Airlines Group Inc.'s flying schedule.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said Friday it would suspend its Philadelphia-Madrid route for a few weeks in May and early June, citing delivery delays for the jets. American said it was cutting the flights to make sure it could help customers arrange different travel plans.
A spokesman for American Airlines said we were committed to our customers and team members, and we will mitigate the impact of 787 delivery delays while continuing to offer a robust international network this summer.
A spokeswoman for Boeing said the plane maker remains focused on stability in its production system as it works with its suppliers.
She said that they work with their customers, including American Airlines, on delivery timing and deeply regret the impact on their operations.
The airline's flying schedule has been affected by American s move for the second consecutive year that Boeing Dreamliner delays. In 2022, American trimmed its summer flight schedule more extensively in the midst of a protected halt to Dreamliner deliveries while Boeing dealt with various manufacturing and regulatory problems.
Deliveries resumed in August of last year. They were briefly stopped earlier this year due to a documentation issue that the Federal Aviation Administration said was a documentation issue, before the regulators allowed them to resume earlier this month.
American is expected to receive three more 787 Dreamliners this year. One of the planes has a contractual delivery date that extends back to April 2021 and a revised delivery date of March 2022, according to the airline.
If there aren't delays in Boeing's Dreamliner deliveries, the travel disruption could be contained, according to the American spokesman.
Airlines have said they can't get new planes quickly enough to keep up with travel demand, as well as supply chain snarls and other setbacks that have affected deliveries of multiple aircraft types. Executives said that the delays, along with an industrywide shortage of pilots, have constrained airlines growth and helped keep fares high.
American spokesman said there would be a surge in demand for flights across the Atlantic this summer. Executives said flights are filling up, even with sky-high fares. Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. earlier this month said they expect record profit margins in the trans-Atlantic market this summer.