American Airlines And China's Hainan Airlines Announce Joint Cooperation

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines and Beijing-based Hainan Airlines have signed an agreement to codeshare on each other's flights and to offer their frequent flyer members new opportunities to earn and redeem miles/points, while providing new growth opportunities for American in China and for Hainan Airlines in the United States.

Hainan, a Skytrax 5-Star airline, operates more than 2,800 weekly flights to cities throughout China as well as international destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. From its Beijing hub, Hainan offers more than 400 weekly flights, including service to more than 40 Chinese cities.

The agreement, subject to government approval, will open many new markets that will complement American's existing service to China. Currently, American operates nonstop service in three markets: Chicago O'Hare-Beijing, Chicago O'Hare-Shanghai and Los Angeles- Shanghai. From its cornerstone hubs at Chicago O'Hare and Los Angeles, American and American Eagle offer more than 450 and more than 150 daily departures, respectively.

The key elements of the American-Hainan agreement are:

• Codesharing (AA*) on direct flights operated by Hainan beyond Beijing that will allow customers on American's Chicago- Beijing flights to make connections to cities within China.
• Codesharing (AA*) on direct flights operated by Hainan between Beijing and Seattle.
• Codesharing (HU*) on direct flights operated by American beyond Seattle that will allow customers on Hainan's Beijing- Seattle flights access to American's domestic network.
• Codesharing (HU*) on direct flights operated by American between Shanghai and Chicago/ Los Angeles and between Beijing and Chicago.
• Improvement in flight schedules and connection times to benefit customers of both airlines.
• Increased opportunities for customers of each airline to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles/points on services operated by the other.