American Airlines will suspend flights to 15 US cities amid aid debate

American Airlines Group Inc said Thursday it plans to suspend flights to 15 US airports in October as travel demand remains low as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Congress has been weighing for weeks whether to grant US airlines another $25b in payroll assistance that would keep tens of thousands of airline workers on the job for another six months and extend minimum service requirements. American said it will cancel just over 700 flights in October to and from those 15 airports but warned it could make additional cuts or could reconsider if Congress provides more assistance. “This is the first step as American continues to evaluate its network and plans for additional schedule changes in the coming weeks,” the airline said. The debate over airline assistance has stalled as Congress has struggled to reach agreement on a broader coronavirus assistance package. Some lawmakers think Congress and the White House may not reach a deal until September.<br/>