The company’s website says flights between Doha and New York cannot be booked under American Airlines planes after 28 October.
American Airlines has replaced its New York to Doha flights with Philadelphia to Doha.
The change, expected to occur in late 2023, will see American Airlines discontinue a service that has been operational for only a year.
The company’s website says flights between Doha and New York cannot be booked under American Airlines planes after 28 October.
“As part of American’s partnership with Qatar Airways, customers can connect in Doha to destinations across the Middle East, Africa and Asia,” the statement adds. “We’re proactively contacting customers affected by the change to offer alternate travel arrangements.”
American Airlines started its service to Doha in June last year with stiff competition.
A 304 seating Boeing 777 aircraft flew from New York daily. At the same time, Qatar Airways had a twice-a-day operation between the two cities. This is not to mention countless other carriers like Etihad, Finnair and Turkish Airlines, which had recurring flights.
Why was the flight operational?
The World Cup necessitated the launch of this service, with a massive spike in demand for flights everywhere as of late 2022.
American Airlines also started a codeshare partnership with Qatar Airways in 2021. Through this agreement, both airlines had agreed to share flights, marketing and publishing their flight schedules under their respective airline designators and flight numbers.
With the codeshare agreement in place, the flight was a way to expand the reach of both airlines.
Why did the route fail?
Even before the launch, there was an expectation that this route won’t last long.
American Airlines paled in comparison to its local and international competitors for this long-haul route: Qatar Airways and United. In fact, the American carrier performed so poorly in getting its business classes seats booked that analysts suggested free upgrades to empty seats as the primary reason people would choose it over competitors.
Americans also heavily rely on JetBlue for a more robust network, especially for its New York destinations. But, recent rulings against similar codeshare agreements is making the network between American Airlines and JetBlue difficult to maintain.
While its previous arrangement with JetBlue allowed it to direct flights to Boston and New York, a justice department anti-trust lawsuit has forced the cessation of this service. Without its partnership with JetBlue, operating in New York and codesharing with Qatar Airways will be difficult.
Lastly, American Airlines has found it increasingly more expensive to pay for long-haul pilots, especially after new rules that increased pilot salaries.
Speculation exists that the only reason American Airlines may continue to fly to Doha is due to above-average subsidies provided by Qatar Airways to OneWorld Alliance members.
So, while previous statements have indicated plans to continue operation until Summer 2024, it appears untenable. However, the Qatar Airways flights to New York and the codeshare agreement remain operational.
The New Route
The new Philadelphia to Doha route has now been put on sale. From 29 October, 2023, through 30 March, 2024, the route will operate with the following schedule:
AA120 Philadelphia to Doha departing 8:55PM arriving 5:30PM (+1 day)
AA121 Doha to Philadelphia departing 8:45AM arriving 3:45PM
Then as of 31 March, 2024, the flight will operate with the following schedule:
AA120 Philadelphia to Doha departing 8:55PM arriving 4:30PM (+1 day)
AA121 Doha to Philadelphia departing 1:45AM arriving 9:00AM
Interestingly, Qatar Airways already operates the Doha to Philadelphia route, and there are no signs that it will be cut.
