AA’s 787s…arriving slower The last MD-80s…leaving sooner
U.S. legacy airlines are all making money again, but they’re skittish about trends in the next period, and anxious to avoid the overcapacity that haunted them in the post-2001 era. That’s most likely the reason American Airlines has just moved 5 of its 787 deliveries from 2016 to 2017 and 2018.
The move, along with accelerated retirement of its remaining MD80s and 1st-generation 767s, will reduce its wide-body capacity by about 2.5%, while leaving overall capacity almost where it is. United recently shifted some of its orders from 787s to 777s, which enable it to increase capacity without increasing planes or flights, and Delta has recently trimmed its international schedule to avoid empty seats.
More on American’s move from the Dallas News
