American to fly Dallas/Fort Worth to Beijing

American Airlines plans to operate the first non-stop flight between Dallas/Fort Worth and Beijing Capital International airport next summer. The carrier will roster a B777-200ER on the route, which is subject to regulatory approval from both China and the US Department of Transportation. The aircraft will contain fully-flat seating with aisle access in business class. Andrew Nocella, AA's chief marketing officer, said: "By adding this new Beijing service, American will achieve a significant milestone in the development of its Asian network by offering non-stop service from Dallas/Fort Worth to five key markets in Asia – Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo. "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 US as well as Mexico, Central and South America." The new route will complement AA's existing service from Chicago to Beijing, and will be its eleventh service between the US and Asia. It will be operated as part of AA's joint business agreement with fellow Oneworld alliance member Japan Airlines. In June, the US carrier launched daily services between Dallas/Fort Worth and Hong Kong and Shanghai (see news, June 16). aa.com Graham Smith