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American Airlines has reportedly operated more than 20 roundtrip flights between the United States and Europe this month with no passengers or cargo on board. The information was shared by an aviation insider known as JonNYC, who frequently posts updates about commercial aviation developments.
The purpose of these empty transatlantic flights has not been officially confirmed by American Airlines. Industry observers note that airlines sometimes operate such "ferry" or "positioning" flights to move aircraft for operational needs, maintenance, or regulatory requirements. These flights can also occur when an airline is preparing to launch new routes or adjust its schedule but does not yet have paying customers booked for those journeys.
The use of Airbus A321neo aircraft for these operations highlights a trend among major carriers to deploy narrowbody jets on longer international routes. This allows airlines to test new markets and schedules with lower operating costs compared to larger widebody aircraft.
