Over the past few month air carriers have been decreasing the number of flights both international and domestic citing the rising cost of fuel and poor economic conditions. Based on numbers from several carriers it looks like the cuts won’t be stopping anytime soon. It’s not only small airlines that are reducing flights. Industry giants like American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Continental are reducing flights as well.

American Airlines is placing a hold on their plans to begin service from Chicago to Beijing for at least a year. Considering the lengths the carrier had to go to in order to secure the route they aren’t making the decision lightly. High fuel prices along with a drop in the number of travelers are leaving American Airlines without any other options. Another industry giant, United Airlines, is set to decrease the number of international flights by 7 percent by the end of the year with further cuts coming after the first of the year.

Of course it’s not just China that will see a decrease in flights over the next few months. Popular destinations like Moscow and Mexico City will see a number of flights removed from service as the industry works to keep fuel prices at a minimum. According to the US Transportation Department carriers have had fuel costs increase double in the last twelve months and according to representative from United, “At current fuel prices, the economics of many routes right now just don’t make sense.”

Learn more at: www.united.com, www.delta.com, or www.aa.com