American Airlines Cancels Dubrovnik Service Indefinitely
July 2, 2020 - American Airlines has announced that it has canceled its Dubrovnik service indefinitely due to the impact of COVID-19.
Croatian Aviation reports that after the American Airlines route between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik was completely canceled for this summer season due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced in its latest statement that it no longer intends to resume the service.
Recall that the Philadelphia - Dubrovnik line was introduced in the summer of 2019, and operated from the beginning of June to the end of September three times a week, while in September the line had one more flight.
Before the outbreak of the pandemic, American Airlines announced that in the summer of 2020, aircraft on this line would operate daily, which was a clear sign that the line was very successful in the previous year.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the line was completely canceled for this summer season, and flights were announced from June 2021 on Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which represented an increase in capacity and a standard of service on the line itself.
However, American Airlines announced in its latest statement that, due to the crisis caused by the pandemic, it is permanently canceling specific routes, including this one between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik.
The following American Airlines seasonal routes are discontinued:
from Charlotte to Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Munich,
from Chicago to Budapest, Krakow, Prague and Venice,
from Philadelphia to Berlin, Budapest, Casablanca and Dubrovnik.
With this, Croatia was again left without a direct connection with the United States. As many of you are already aware, American Airlines connected Croatia and the United States for the first time in 28 years last year.
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PHOTOS: Historic American Airlines Flight Lands at Dubrovnik Airport!
June 8, 2019 - American Airlines launched its new seasonal service between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik on June 8, 2019, connecting the United States and Croatia for the first time in 28 years. American Airlines flight 148 landed in Dubrovnik 45 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Mate Erceg
Ex Yu Aviation reports that flight AA148 left Philadelphia on Friday, June 7 at 6:06 pm local time (initially scheduled for 6:10 pm) with 209 passengers on board the Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The return flight, which leaves Dubrovnik on June 8 at 11:40 am, should carry 120 passengers.
Tonči Glavina
Tonči Glavina
As expected, this new seasonal service was a cause for celebration, and a ceremony was held earlier in the week at the National Constitution Center Museum in Philadelphia to kick off the new connection.
There was even a party for 200 people and a klapa performance!
TCN's Steve Rukavina was on the inaugural flight, alongside the Croatian Ambassador to the United States, Pjer Šimunović, and the State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Tourism, Frano Matušić.
"We are honored that American Airlines has chosen Dubrovnik to launch this historic service connecting our two great countries. We believe this will deepen the bilateral alliance and the bonds of friendship between two World Heritage cities and between the United States and Croatia," said Matušić on Ex Yu Aviation.
Before the flight took off, American Airlines pulled out all the stops at the airport.
Tonči Glavina
Rukavina said that the Philly mayor closed the event by saying: “My only regret today is that I am not on the flight to Dubrovnik!”
Steve Rukavina with Natko Vlahovic and AA VP Jim Moses
Flights to Dubrovnik will run on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and from Dubrovnik on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Mondays. Recall, bookings were so good on this route that American Airlines announced they had to boost operations back in April. Namely, in September, the service will operate four times a week until the end of the month.
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