American Airlines said on Wednesday it will end its nonstop service from
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Beijing (PEK) on Oct.
20.
東京からハルビン航空券
American was blunt about the reason for discontinuing a route the
world’s largest airline had flown since 2010. The carrier simply said
the route wasn’t profitable.
In fact, AA conceded the only year the carrier made significant
money on ORD-PEK was the first year it flew the route. AA, however, will
continue to fly nonstop to Beijing from Dallas and Los Angeles.
American’s exit from the ORD-PEK route leaves United Airlines and
Hainan Airlines as the only two carriers flying nonstop from Chicago to
the Chinese capital, where the 2022 Winter Olympics are slated to be
held.
AA’s move to end Beijing service also raises the question of how
much international traffic a market like Chicago can support, even as
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel moves forward with plans to build out a
massive new international terminal as part of a $8.5 billion, multi-year
redevelopment of O’Hare.
In announcing the move to end the ORD-PEK route, American said it is
petitioning the United States Department of Transportation for a
dormancy waiver that, if granted, would give American the chance to
possibly resume the route at a later date.
Beijing will debut a new international airport next year. AA is
keeping an eye on that development, which might give the world’s largest
carrier a reason to resume the service.
American’s move to end ORD-PEK service comes on the eve of the
launch of the carrier’s new nonstop service starting this week between
ORD and Venice, Italy and Vancouver, Canada, new destinations the
carrier hopes will prove more profitable than ORD-PEK.
Last year, AA introduced nonstop service from Chicago to Barcelona,
another popular tourist destination. That route has worked well for AA
so far.
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