American Airlines is about to start moving passengers to much lower altitudes.
Driving the news: The airline announced Thursday that it will offer bus connections to several smaller regional destinations from its hub in Philadelphia.
- Landline transportation service will provide 50-70 mile trips to and from airports in Allentown/Bethlehem, PA; Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania; and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The big picture: Airlines are facing pilot shortages and soaring jet fuel prices, compounding logistical and economic challenges that have seen the industry cut many flights from pre-pandemic schedules.
- Only about 80% of flights offered in 2019 were still working in 2021, reported The Washington Post.
- These trends have wreaked havoc on smaller regional airports, as airlines focus resources on their most profitable routes (those with the most passengers in seats).
How it works: American Airlines passengers landing at Philadelphia Airport with a connecting bus will disembark, enter the terminal and find their bus gate.
- In the other direction, passengers traveling to Philadelphia will first pass through security at their local airport and then board a bus bound for the Philadelphia terminal.
- Think of it as a “bus-to-plane connection”, Airline Weekly reported.
To note : Other airlines have already implemented the system.
- United Airlines uses buses to connect passengers to regional sites from its Denver hub since last year.
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