China seen as a potential market by American Airlines Group

American Airlines Group is now increasingly seeing Asia-Pacific region as a potential market and wants to expand its flight operations. The company’s decision though has come somewhat late as other international airlines have already entered the fray. Media reports said that American Airlines recently approached the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking approval to launch thrice daily flights between Beijing Capital International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.

Andrew Nocella, American Airlines Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, said, “The flights on new Beijing-Los Angeles route are expected to be launched from December 16, 2016 after approval from the DOT. The company considers Beijing as one of the great cities in the world, and nonstop flights from Los Angeles here would appropriately complement the existing service to China thus providing new connections to one of Asia’s most important leisure and business destinations.”

Nocella further remarked that the new Beijing route would establish Los Angeles as American Airlines’ West Coast gateway to Asia, and would also be the airline’s only access to Beijing from the western part of the United States. It may be known that this isn’t for the first time that American Airlines is making extensive efforts to strengthen its presence in Asia-Pacific region. The airline is already offering flights services to various destinations in this region, including Shanghai, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Apart from Asia-Pacific region, American Airlines has even bigger plans for its future growth. The airline is looking forward to see the construction of two new gates at Los Angeles International Airport being completed by June 2016. The completion of these new gates would help the airline in launching 20 additional daily flights to other destinations. The airline will thus be offering more than 220 daily flights from Los Angeles, with more than 70 destinations being served after the new gates become operational.