American Airlines seeks OK for more Brazil flights
American Airlines applies for US permission to operate more flights to Brazil
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- American Airlines said Thursday that it's seeking U.S. government approval to operate more flights to Brazil.
The airline said it filed an application with the Department of Transportation to add a new daily round-trip flight between Sao Paolo and both Los Angeles and Chicago.
American wants to start the Los Angeles flights late this year and the Chicago flights in late 2014.
The airline said Brazil is an important and growing market.
American, the third-largest U.S. carrier behind United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, flies from Miami to Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Manaus, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo. It also flies to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
American parent company AMR Corp. announced two weeks ago that it plans to merge with US Airways Group. If antitrust regulators approve the deal, the combined company would have strong routes to Latin America and compete closely with United and Delta on service to Europe but lag in service to Asia.
