Photograph: Lorenzo Giacobbo
AMERICAN AIRLINES will not be running its service from Shannon Airport to Philadelphia this summer.
Boeing’s delays delivering new 787 Dreamliners have led to American Airlines having to reduce its amount of international flights next summer, the Shannon Airport to Philadelphia service is among those impacted. The presence of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was set to mark the first time an airline used the aircraft on a route to North America from Shannon.
A draft internal memo has revealed that American Airlines will not be flying to Shannon, Hong Kong or Edinburgh or Shannon in 2022 and will reduce flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Sydney. Boeing has delayed the delivery of its popular wide-body 787 Dreamliners to carriers for over a year as it grapples with manufacturing problems.
Shannon’s service to Philadelphia operated between May and October each year prior to March 2020. The resumption of the route was announced in September with tickets on sale since then.
On Thursday evening, a spokesperson for Shannon Group confirmed to The Clare Echo that its service was among those impacted by the American Airlines reduction. “The aviation sector has taken a battering during the Covid-19 pandemic and recovery was always going to take time. Due to a shortage of aircraft as a result of delayed delivery of Boeing 787 aircraft, American Airlines have been forced to reduce a number of routes they operate worldwide. Among these is their Philadelphia to Shannon service”.
No commitment on the resumption of the service for the 2023 summer season has been issued but efforts are ongoing, the spokesperson said. “Shannon Airport is working with them on restoring this service for 2023. In the meantime, Shannon will see the welcome resumption of transatlantic services next year to New York and Boston with Aer Lingus, and to Newark with United”.
