American Airlines has announced flights to eight new destinations out of LAX, Los Angeles International Airport, in an effort to attract more business travelers.
The Los Angeles Times reports American will start the SoCal-based service to seven new domestic locations: Eugene, Ore; Redmond, Wash.; Pittsburgh; Indianapolis; Columbus, Ohio; Hartford, Conn.; and Bentonville, Ark.
A new flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil will begin in November, pending approval by the government.
That would up the total number of locations served by the carrier from LAX 51 domestic and international destinations.
The airline began flying to Raleigh/Durham, N.C. last week.
"We are certainly interested in adding those dots to the map that are most desirable to the high-value customer," said Chuck Schubert, vice president of network planning for American Airlines.
Business travelers are a prized demographic in the airline industry, reports the Los Angeles Times, because they book only about 15 percent of the seats but account for 30 percent of all airline revenue because the frequently buy last-minute, higher-priced seats.
In February, Fort Worth-based American announced plans to merge with Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways, forming the nation's largest airline.
At LAX, American is currently in second place, carrying 16.3 percent of the passengers flying into and out of the facility.
After its merger with US Airways, however, American should claim the top spot currently held by United Airlines, which serves about 17.6 percent of the airport's passenger traffic and assumed the spot as biggest carrier after its merger with Continental Airlines.
"We are less worried about being the biggest in L.A. but in being in the right markets," Schubert said.
American's parent company, AMR Corp., filed for bankruptcy in 2011 but still has long-term plans to buy 460 narrow-body jets, including 20 new Boeing 777-300ER planes with lie-flat seats in first- and business-class sections, mood lighting and a walk-up bar stocked with snacks and drinks.
"We have to continue to act on our business plan," Schubert said.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
