American Airlines slashes flights but has no plans to halt US service

American Airlines said Thursday it is cutting additional flights this summer as travel demand has drastically shrunk amid the coronavirus pandemic. Vasu Raja, American Airlines' senior VP of Network Strategy, said that the airline is cutting between 70 and 75% of flights in April and about 80% of flights in May. For this month and May it is cutting nearly 90% of its international flights. Raja said domestic demand will remain weak into May, citing of the lack of bookings. Still, the largest US airline has no plans to halt US flights entirely, noting medical workers and others who must travel, sometimes for urgent medical reasons. "We are making no plans for the cessation of flying," Raja said. "The important thing is to provide a minimum level of essential service to customers ... but we do it in such a way where we don't burn an excessive amount of cash." American also disclosed on Thursday that it will cancel more than 60% of its total international flights this summer, including an 80% reduction in Pacific capacity, a 65% reduction in Atlantic and 48% reduction in Latin America. American is also delaying the launch of new international routes until 2021, delaying the launch of new winter seasonal service and suspending 25 summer seasonal flights.<br/>