American Airlines launches Prague to Philly route

American Airlines will launch new scheduled services between Václav Havel Airport Prague and its Philadelphia International Airport hub. The new service will use Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

The route will provide more than 2,800 seats per week between the two cities throughout the summer season.

“The launch of a new service from Prague is a testament to the American’s ongoing commitment to international growth and strengthening our presence in Europe,” Jim Butler, the airline’s senior vice president for international and cargo, said in a press release.

“Philadelphia is our largest hub in the northeast United States and will provide Czechs with a wealth of onward connections throughout North America and the Caribbean,” he added.

From Philadelphia, customers can connect on to nearly 160 destinations across the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Prague to Philadelphia flights depart at 11:30 am and arrive at 3:10 pm local time, while the Philadelphia to Prague flights depart at 6:30 pm and arrive at 9:05 am the next day.

Business Class will have 28 lie-flat, aisle accessible seats arranged in a one-two-one configuration, plus personal Samsung Galaxy tablets loaded with recent movies, TV programs, games, music and book excerpts. Business Class menus are made in cooperation with British Michelin-Star Chef Mark Sargeant and world-renowned chef Maneet Chauhan.

On May 4, American will also launch seasonal services from Budapest to Philadelphia and from Venice to Chicago.

American is undergoing more than $3 billion in planned improvements in its service. These investments include fully lie-flat seats; international Wi-Fi; more in-flight entertainment options and power outlets; a new, modern design for lounges worldwide including in Philadelphia; and an upgraded selection of complementary healthy food and cocktails.

American and its transatlantic joint business partners currently serve 23 destinations in Europe nonstop with more than 130 daily departures.

The airline is a founding member of Oneworld alliance, the third-largest airline alliance in the world. It coordinates fares, services, and scheduling with alliance partners British Airways, Iberia, and Finnair in the transatlantic market and with Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines in the transpacific market.

American Airlines was started in 1930 as American Airways with the union of more than 80 small airlines. It adopted the American Airlines name in 1934. In 2001 it purchased rival Trans World Airlines.

US Airways purchased American Airlines in 2013 but kept the American Airlines name. The combination of the two airlines resulted in the creation of the largest airline in the world.

American Airlines and its regional service American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries.

American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index.