American Airlines is once again cutting its flight schedule, slashing 16% or 31,000 flights during November, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company.
The airline said the move is “in line with our approach to network and schedule planning throughout the year.”
Schedule data provided by Cirium shows the largest cuts are between Chicago O’Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth, as well as between Boston and Philadelphia.
“Preliminary schedules are published 331 days in advance and then adjustments are made closer in based on the schedule we intend to operate,” American said to CNN in a statement. “We are now loading schedule adjustments approximately 100 days in advance, which is in line with how we adjusted our schedule in 2019 prior to the pandemic.”
Last week, CNN reported that American is cutting 2% of its flights in September and October.
American Airlines called the changes “proactive adjustments” in order to “size our airline for the resources we have available and to build additional buffer into the remainder of our summer schedule.”
Airlines make changes based on factors such as demand forecasts or staffing, said Mike Arnot, an industry commentator and spokesman for Cirium.
“For passengers, the impact might be negligible; instead of 15 flights a day between Dallas and Chicago, there might be nine flights but with more bums in the seats,” Arnot said.
American isn’t the only US airline to trim its schedule.
United Airlines recently cut its schedule at Newark, New Jersey, and Delta cut its summer schedule early in the season.
Airlines have been struggling with flight cancellations and delays this summer as they face staffing shortages, severe weather and air traffic control delays. Last week, an unexpected line of storms at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport caused 100 American Airlines flight diversions and hundreds of cancellations.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently called the air travel system “very brittle” and proposed new consumer protections for passengers.
Top image: American Airlines planes are seen at Philadelphia International Airport on June 20, 2022. (Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images)
