Announces Plans To Expand International Routes

In a letter sent to employees last week, American Airlines CEO Tom Horton said that the airline will need to hire as many as 2,500 new pilots over the next five years, replacing those who have retired and filling slots opened by attrition. But the company also said it would be expanding its international routes, adding to the demand for pilots.

According to multiple media sources including CNN, Horton said in the letter "The new American will be doing even more international flying, providing greater opportunities for career advancement and increased income for our people."

The announcement was made in conjunction with the unveiling of some of those new international routes, which will be open for booking November 4th. They include:

• Dallas/Fort Worth - Seoul, South Korea
• Dallas/Fort Worth - Lima, Peru
• Chicago O'Hare - Dusseldorf, Germany
• New York JFK - Dublin, Ireland 

In a news release, the airline said the new service enhances American's network footprint and will provide more access and choices for customers in key international markets.  It will also add domestic service to match customer demand through its Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago hubs.

Tom Hoban, a spokesman for the APA, expressed some skepticism about the announcement. "Unless they ink it in a contract, it doesn't have a lot of credibility with the pilots," he said. The Allied Pilots Association is the collective bargaining body for American's pilots.

FMI: www.aa.com/i18n/information/restructuring.jsp?anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=restructuring