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American defeats Delta in Beijing-Los Angeles route application
November 11th 2016
American Airlines (AA) has received Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) approval to launch daily Beijing-Los Angeles flights from December. Read More »
In March, both AA and Delta Air Lines had applied to be the first U.S. carrier to fly between the two cities. China said AA was the better option because Delta already operates a Beijing-Seattle service and United Airlines flies Beijing-San Francisco.
The U.S. Department of Transport said the new AA service "would promote inter-gateway competition, as passengers at a significant number of interior U.S. points, and notably those in the western and mountain states, would have the option of reaching Beijing either on American over Los Angeles or on Delta via Seattle”.
AA plans to roster a B777-200ER on the route. The carrier flies from Beijing to Dallas and Chicago and also Shanghai-Pudong to Los Angeles.
Air China is the only airline operating non-stop Beijing-Los Angeles services. Fellow Star Alliance member, United Airlines, code shares with Air China on the route.
Separately, Delta has confirmed it would introduce a premium economy class, Delta Premium, when its A350s start being delivered into its fleet next year. Delta Premium will offer a 38-inch pitch, 19 inches in width, and it will have SkyPriority services, including expedited luggage delivery, premium check-in, as well as its signature Westin Heavenly blanket and pillows. The new service class will be progressively retrofitted on its B777 fleet from 2018.
Delta also will launch the Delta One Suite with the arrival of the A350. Delta said the new business cabin will be the first in the world with a sliding door at each suite. Rumour has it that Delta adversary, Qatar Airways, will delay the planned December launch of its “super business class” because Delta beat it to the punch with the sliding-door suite.
