American adds nonstop O'Hare-Moscow flights; Business cabin will feature new lie-flat seating
American Airlines is Moscow-bound.
On Tuesday, the world's largest carrier pulled in Mayor Daley and a host of civic leaders to help announce the start of nonstop service June 2, 2008, between O'Hare Airport and Domodedovo International Airport, about 13 miles from downtown Moscow, the Russian capital and a rapidly evolving metropolis with a population of 10 million.
American will serve Moscow six times a week from Chicago using a two-class Boeing 767 widebody aircraft configured to seat 30 people in business class and 195 in economy. The business cabin will be outfitted with the new lie-flat seating AA began installing in its 767 aircraft late last year. A spokeswoman said introductory fares on the Chicago-Moscow new route would be put into the carrier's reservation system shortly.
American's new service won't mark the first time an airline has flown between Chicago and Moscow. Aeroflot, the Russian national carrier, previously flew the route, but discontinued its service after Sept. 11.
The addition of the Moscow route is the latest in a number of new international routes announced by American as it seeks to expand overseas service where the competition from low-fare carriers is less intense. Within the last couple of years, American has added Shanghai, China; Delhi, India, and Rome. New service from Chicago to Buenos Aires begins Dec. 13, and in March 2009, the carrier will add Beijing.
American was anxious to get into Moscow because the economy there is starting to boom as travel between the United States and Russia has grown substantially in the last several years.
