Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which boasts the world's fifth busiest airport, is heading for trouble from overseas after having been battered by financially devastated domestic airlines, a report said Monday.
Foreign carriers, until now a bright spot for the airport in an increasingly dismal year, are slashing flights amid high fuel costs and slowing international demand, dealing yet another blow to local economy, according to the Los Angeles Times.
For passengers in Southern California, the cuts would add to travel woes including fewer nonstop flights to overseas destinations, higher fares and crowded planes, the newspaper said.
International airlines that seemed more resilient are now either cutting service altogether or cutting flights this fall, much like the steps U.S. carriers have taken to cope with low demand and high fuel costs.
The anticipated cuts surprised analysts, economists and airport officials because overseas flights seemed robust and they were seen as a way for the airport to offset the sharp drop in domestic service.
Earlier this year, several foreign carriers including Emirates Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and V Australia announced plans to start new service at LAX, but high fuel expenses and weakening economies overseas are prompting others to reduce service.
According to the report, Air India plans to eliminate its six flights a week between LAX and Frankfurt, with connecting flights to New Delhi and Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Thai Airways will no longer offer nonstop flights to Bangkok in late October, and Cathay Pacific Airways said it was suspending one of three daily flights between Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
Source:Xinhua
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