American Airlines to Launch New Madrid Service

American Airlines will launch a new daily flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Madrid beginning May 1, 2009. American will fly the route with 225-seat Boeing 767-300 aircraft in two-class configuration. Madrid will be the 34th international destination served by American and American Eagle from its Dallas/Fort Worth hub.  AA said with its oneworld Alliance partners, the new service will also provide seamless travel to 87 destinations served nonstop beyond Madrid into Europe, Africa and Asia.   

“Connecting Dallas/Fort Worth to Madrid is more than simply providing new destinations and greater opportunities for our customers. It’s just as much about connecting cultures and opening up economic opportunities that did not previously exist,” said Gerard Arpey, American’s chairman and CEO.

 “We are making this investment with the belief that our Joint Business Agreement and antitrust immunity application with British Airways and Iberia will ultimately be approved. Once approved, we earnestly hope and believe that it will be the first of many other opportunities to enhance and expand connections between the United States and Europe, allowing our customers greater access to the world and benefiting the greater Dallas/Fort Worth community.” Arpey said.

American recently announced a joint business agreement with British Airways and Iberia in which the airlines have applied—along with fellow oneworld members Finnair and Royal Jordanian—to the appropriate regulatory authorities for antitrust immunity to cooperate on flights across the North Atlantic.

Antitrust immunity will allow the participating airlines to work together on international routes by coordinating their service, schedules, connections and fares to deliver more convenient and improved travel options for customers. This would mean enhanced and improved service on oneworld’s network of 8,951 daily departures to 663 destinations in 134 countries, AA said.