American Airlines to start flights between LA, Shanghai

A day after tentatively approving the antitrust immunity application of American Airlines and Japan Airlines for flights between North America and Japan, the U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday granted American the authority to fly between Los Angeles and China.DOT approved American's authority to begin flights between Los Angeles International Airport and Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on April 5, American executives said.

American's service will be with 247-seat Boeing 777 aircraft, which have 16 first-class, 37 business-class and 194 economy seats.This has been a terrific week for the employees, customers and shareholders of American Airlines,the Fort Worth-based carrier said in a written statement.We have launched our new joint business with our immunized trans-Atlantic and Oneworld partners, British Airways and Iberia. We have announced new service from New York Kennedy to Budapest, as well as a second Barcelona flight, plus new service from Chicago O'Hare to Helsinki and a second flight between Miami and Madrid.In addition, DOT has tentatively granted trans-Pacific antitrust immunity for American and its Oneworld partner Japan Airlines.American employs 7,000 people and operates 16 flights a day at Tulsa International Airport.