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American Airlines hasn’t let bankruptcy, loose seats or even a month’s worth of delayed flights deter it from its ultimate business plan, part of which is ongoing international expansion.

American’s Flight Attendant Oops

Flights to Europe, Lima and Seoul

Toward that end, the airline has announced new flight service starting this spring:

• Chicago – Dusseldorf, beginning April 11
• Dallas – Lima, beginning April 2
• Dallas – Seoul, beginning May 9
• New York – Dublin, beginning June 12

Domestic Flights Added from Dallas, Chicago

American is also adding new domestic flights including service between Dallas and Beaumont/Port Arthur; Dallas and Fargo; and flights from both Dallas and Chicago to Columbia, Mo. Although the airline has been tweaking its schedule since beginning bankruptcy proceedings late last year – and dropping several routes –  it has continued to both domestic and international flight and there may be more to come.

American’s First and Business Class Just Got Classier

Targeting Business Travelers

American’s strategy might be summed up in the phrase “follow the money,” as the airline (and other legacy carriers) continue to add service “targeted at high value and corporate customers,” as American put it. For the most part, these are business travelers who typically pay a premium for upper class cabins and/or last-minute reservations. And apparently what a lot of business travelers want are more international destinations. As American noted in a new press release, its “international unit revenue increased 8% for the first nine months of 2012 driven by increased load factors.”

An Anonymous American Pilot Speaks Up

Talks with Pilots Underway

Meanwhile, American and its pilots continue talks that began earlier this month in the wake of thousands of delays the airline blamed on its cockpit personnel. Many pilots have expressed support for an American Airlines merger with US Airways but such a possibility remains speculative at this point.