American Airlines has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the right to operate new service from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) beginning next summer. Once approved, the new route will be the first nonstop flight connecting Beijing and Dallas/Fort Worth.
“By adding this new Beijing service, American will achieve a significant milestone in the development of its Asian network by offering nonstop service from Dallas/Fort Worth to five key markets in Asia – Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo,” said Andrew Nocella, chief marketing officer – American Airlines. “The pending addition of Beijing and recent additions of Shanghai and Hong Kong elevate Dallas/Fort Worth to one of the primary connecting hubs between Asia and destinations within the U.S. as well as Mexico, Central and South America.”
The new service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Beijing will be operated with a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. American is retrofitting its entire fleet of 777-200ERs to include fully lie-flat Business Class seats, all with aisle access; new seats in the Main Cabin; in-seat entertainment; and international Wi-Fi capability. The new fully lie-flat Business Class seats on American’s 777-200ERs are a good product, it’s about time the carrier catches up with international competitors.
The new flight from DFW will also complement American’s existing service from Chicago to Beijing and will be American’s 11th route between the U.S. and Asia. Since 2013, American has added new nonstop flights connecting Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai to DFW, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to expanding and strengthening its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
“Today’s news is great for Dallas/Fort Worth area residents who will have direct access to China’s capital city for the first time,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “This new route will connect our great Metroplex to a very important destination in Asia and will play a key role in further strengthening ties between our region and Asia.”
“The trans-Pacific market is critical for business across the state of Texas and this new service is a direct conduit to open new opportunities for trade and tourism in our region,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “This new route represents a huge opportunity for significant economic impact for our region by connecting DFW directly to Beijing.”
“We are thrilled with today’s news and this new route connecting Dallas/Fort Worth to Beijing is a huge milestone for the region and for DFW Airport,” said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW International Airport. “With this new route, American will offer travelers six daily flights to Asia from DFW Airport, which is American’s prime point of entry for Asian customers into the United States and Latin America.”
“This new route will provide our region with critical nonstop access to one of the most populous cities in the world,” said Mr. Li Qiangmin – Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Houston. “This expansion of service to China is tremendously important, and will not only benefit business relations and economic growth in both countries, but also help bring closer Chinese people and American people, and eventually be conducive to the China-U.S. cooperative relations.”
