Now that American Airlines has secured a strategic investment in China’s biggest airline, it plans to curb growth in Asia.
It has raised capacity by 30% in the Asian market in recent years, but vice president of alliances and partnerships Joe Mohan said the carrier will now focus on its codeshare alliances.
It has codeshare partnerships with Japan’s JAL, Cathay Pacific and China Southern Airlines.
American announced plans to invest US$200 million in China Southern last week and will start cementing that partnership later this year.
The market is now ‘mature’ Mohan said at the CAPA Americas Aviation conference in Florida.
American is still to launch a planned Los Angeles-Beijing service but this has been held up by delays securing a landing slot at Beijing.
The US transportation department recently granted the airline six months’ dispensation under its ‘use it or lose it’ rule to begin flights.
