American ‘Going for Great,’ Marks Merger Anniversary with $2B Investment

One year after formally agreeing to merge with US Airways, American Airlines announced plans to spend billions of dollars to improve the passenger experience at the newly formed carrier.

On December 9, 2013, US Airways and American Airlines finalized a deal to merge into one airline flying under the American Airlines moniker. American Airlines CEO Doug Parker chose the eve of the one-year anniversary of the agreement creating the world’s largest airline to announce a massive investment in the merged carrier.

“Now that we have the network to compete globally, we’re going to deliver a product that’s better than our competitors,” Parker said in a statement detailing the airline’s plans to spend $2 billion to upgrade the flying experience from check-in to flight.

A large chunk of that money will be spent on new aircraft. After taking delivery of almost 100 new planes this year, American now boasts the youngest fleet of any U.S. carrier with an average aircraft age of 12.3 years. Plans to buy 112 new planes next year and 80 planes in 2016 will make that industry-leading average even younger.

The airline will also step up plans to refurbish its existing aircraft, adding lie-flat seats, privacy to the first-class experience, and walk-up bars to many of its Boeing and Airbus planes used for long-haul flights. The company will also add power outlets, satellite Wi-Fi and new in-flight entertainment systems to thousands of seats.

The airline’s planned upgrades will also be visible on the ground. The carrier will add hundreds of new state-of-the art ticketing kiosks at both check-in and gate areas. The company will also reconfigure gate areas to reduce congestion and offer more charging options for personal electronic devices.

American’s elite flyers will see an updated look for Admiral Club lounges and an expansion of Cadillac gate-to-gate transfers for connecting flights.

Parker noted that the investment is only one part of the airline’s commitment to passengers, stating:

Refreshed cabins and clubs, modernized ticket counters, improved technology and new aircraft are further examples of how American is ‘going for great’ – providing our outstanding team members the tools they need to deliver a great experience for our customers.

[Photo: American Airlines]