
British Airways Trims Some U.S. Flights
British Airways is further reducing its U.S. network later this year. The carrier continues to grapple with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000…
The airline will phase out all 50-seat aircraft from its O’Hare hub.
An American Eagle CRJ-700 (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
On the heels of its breakup with CRJ-200 operator Air Wisconsin, American is also detailing plans to end all 50-seat service from Chicago this summer. This shake-up includes a pivot away from Piedmont’s Embraer E145 aircraft.
In June, the airline will wind down 50-seat service from its O’Hare hub. According to Cirium Diio schedule data, the last batch of E145 flights will operate on June 4.
Piedmont exclusively operates the E145 aircraft and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American. The airline began serving regional routes from Chicago in 2020.
A spokesperson from American confirmed the shift away from single-class jets to AirlineGeeks on Monday. All flights operated by the carrier or its regional partners from Chicago will operate on dual-class regional aircraft featuring premium cabins beginning in June, they said.
Last week, American and Air Wisconsin announced plans to end their regional capacity agreement in April. Air Wisconsin primarily serves Midwest cities from Chicago, along with a few routes from Philadelphia.
An American Eagle CRJ-200 (Photo: Air Wisconsin)
To backfill this CRJ-200 flying, Envoy, Piedmont, and SkyWest will increase their footprint from Chicago. In addition, the carrier’s other subsidiary, PSA, will start flying CRJ-700s from O’Hare later this year.
Piedmont’s ramp-up in Chicago flying will be short-lived, though, as more two-class aircraft enter the market between April and June.
The spokesperson added that no routes will be canceled following Air Wisconsin’s exit, with plans to “increase flights” from Chicago on other regional carriers.
Following the change, only American’s Charlotte, North Carolina, and Philadelphia hubs will offer flights with 50-seat E145 aircraft. By February, Piedmont plans to have 70 E145s in service as aircraft return from long-term storage programs.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.
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