South Florida passengers will soon have new destinations to fly non-stop to from Miami International Airport.
“We are announcing new service from Miami to Tel Aviv beginning this summer. And also the first flight from Miami to Surinam," said Vasu Raja, American Airlines' Chief Revenue Officer, who joined Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to announce the new flight destinations Monday afternoon.
The American Airlines leader also announced new non-stop flights to Little Rock, Portland, Maine, and expanded flight service to Latin America and the Caribbean, which would start in April.
“This is about jobs. 275,000 local jobs. Miami International Airport remains our most important pillar of our economy," Levine Cava said.
Last week, American Airlines announced that about 13,000 of their employees were at risk of being furloughed once a U.S. aid package expired in the spring.
“The reality is that across the American Airlines system, there still are great challenges, and though we’re confident that indeed there will be a recovery, we’re uncertain what the timing of that recovery is," Raja said.
The executive implied the South Florida market is an attractive place to expand because of what they consider to be a robust local economy, in spite of the pandemic. Miami-Dade’s mayor was visibly happy to announce what she sees as a lucrative partnership for everyone involved.
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“As more businesses relocate to Miami, we know that this is an important attractant for them," Levine Cava said. "We are here to celebrate the important, positive news for our economy as we emerge from the pandemic."
