Three Asia-bound American Airlines (NYSE: AAL) flights that normally fly over Russia have been rerouted, as the airline assesses growing geopolitical tensions.
In an internal memorandum sent to pilots on Saturday, the carriers warned that some flights into Asia could be rerouted, as relations between Moscow and Washington appear to worsen because of the U.S.-led military intervention in Syria.
"The team at American regularly monitors global geopolitical issues and makes changes to aircraft routings when warranted," said the note to pilots.
The airline on Sunday resumed its normal, nonstop service for those routes, American said.
The possible schedule changes the airline told pilots about could cause residual delays, it said. American Airlines, which operates more than 6,000 flights a day, said three flights separate flights had been affected: Dallas to Hong Kong, Dallas to Beijing, and Chicago to Beijing, according to the document.
Three were sent instead through Los Angeles. Because of range limits on planes, pilots often cannot simply take a longer route without additional fuel.
Crews may also "time out," meaning the daily hours they are allowed to work may run out if the routing is changed.
The airline said that it is engaging "with the U.S. government in order to resolve any issues," according to the note.
Shares in American Airlines opened Monday’s trading got lift of 33 cents to $46.20, within a 52-week trading range of $42.01 to $59.08
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