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American Airlines might have lost out on its bid to fly to Beijing, but the airline on Tuesday announced two deals to swap passengers with airlines in Hungary and the Ukraine.

American said it applied to the Transportation Department for permission to begin a code share service with Malev Hungarian Airlines, under which the carriers would sell each other’s seats. The code sharing would begin March 25.

American would place its AA designator code on Malev daily flights between Budapest and New York JFK, as well as on flights to Budapest to and from London Gatwick, Frankfurt, Paris de Gaulle, Brussels, Rome and Zurich. Also included are flights beyond Budapest to destinations in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Malev would place its MA designator code on American’s trans-Atlantic flights between Malev’s European gateways and the United States, as well as on AA flights between New York and Toronto and other points in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and South America.

American and Malev also said they plan a reciprocal agreement allowing their frequent flyers to redeem their miles or points on each airline.

American Airlines has rebuffed a demand by its pilots’ union to immediately negotiate terms of the carrier’s proposed service between Dallas and China.

Union leaders want concessions on pay for canceled flights and other items in exchange for supporting the airline’s bid for the China route.

On Tuesday, the company made a counterproposal to the Allied Pilots Association, asking that most of the union’s requests be discussed instead during regular negotiations on the pilots contract, which are in their early stages.

source: chron.com

British Airways said it had purchased American Airlines’ stake in Spanish carrier Iberia for 19 million euros ($24.29 million).

BA, Europe’s third-largest airline, said in a statement it now owned about 10 percent of Iberia, up from 9 percent previously.

source: Reuters

Shares of American Airlines parent AMR Corp. surpassed the price they reached the day before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as the world’s largest carrier benefits from more than five years of retooling.

“AMR has built itself a huge cash position and done a good job cutting its costs,” Jim Corridore, a New York-based airline analyst with Standard & Poor’s, said today in an interview. “The outlook has really brightened for the airlines that have done the hard work.”

American is simplifying operations after posting more than $8.2 billion in losses from 2001 through last year. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company cut its workforce by 27 percent, reduced its aircraft fleet by 16 percent and built its cash position to $5.5 billion as of Sept. 30.

source: Orlando Sentinel

The newest nonstop flight is to operate from Nov. 17 to April 10, three times weekly in each direction.

On days the nonstop flight does not operate, American said it will continue to fly its current schedule to Montevideo via Buenos Aires, Argentina.

source: The Business Journal

American Airlines cut fares as low as $39 one-way to and from the Dallas area in response to a fare sale announced Wednesday by Southwest Airlines Co.

American’s lowest prices Thursday apply to flights between Dallas and nearby cities such as Austin. The lowest one-way fares, based on advance purchase of round-trip tickets, rises to $79 or $89 to more distant cities such as Philadelphia and Las Vegas.

source: WFAA.com