American Airlines may have yet to realise the array of revenue benefits of its 2013 merger with US Airways, suggests Moody's Investors Service in a new report. "American's inferior operating margins imply that the company has yet to capture the operating benefits of the 2013 merger with US Airways," the rating agency said in a credit opinion on the 21st May. Moody's expects the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier's operating margin to lag peers Delta Air Lines and United Airlines by at least 350 basis points in 2019, it says. It cites American's significantly smaller international network – it only represented roughly 27% of revenues in 2018, compared to around half at its competitors – among reasons for this discrepancy. American's pre-tax operating margin was 2.3% for the first quarter, its financial statements show. Delta reported a pre-tax operating margin of 9% and United 3.8%.

American Airlines is committing to further growth at its Dallas/Fort Worth base, signing an agreement with the airport for new terminal worth approximately $3.5 billion. The airline and airport will develop the up to 24-gate terminal F in the southwest corner of Dallas/Fort Worth's terminal complex under an agreement announced today. Design work will commence immediately with various layouts under evaluation - the facility has historically built semi-circular shaped terminals. - planning on opening in 2025. "DFW is American's largest hub and a central gateway to our extensive international and domestic network," says Doug Parker, chairman and chief executive of American, in a statement. "The plans we're announcing today will allow for the continued growth of DFW and ensure the airport remains a premier gateway for American for many more years to come."

Airbus has delivered its 12,000th aircraft with the handover of the latest A220-100 to Delta Air Lines.
The manufacturer had reached 11,995 deliveries at the end of April – aided by its acquisition of A220 programme, formerly the Bombardier CSeries, last year. Airbus says the milestone figure was officially reached on 20 May with the delivery of a 12th A220 to Delta, which has 40 A220-100s and 50 A220-300s on order. Airbus, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, delivered its first aircraft, an A300B2, to Air France in 1974.