American Airlines said Friday it was seeking to delay by a year its planned Chicago-Beijing service set to begin in April 2009.

The largest US carrier said it today filed a request with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for a waiver to allow it to begin service between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Beijing on April 4, 2010.

The request "cited the extraordinary adverse market and operating conditions affecting the entire airline industry," American Airlines said in a statement.

"As a result of the unprecedented level in the price of fuel and general economic conditions, other carriers in the US-China market have been granted authorization by DOT to defer start-up, suspend service or operate frequencies on a seasonal basis."

Last year US authorities approved six new flights between the United States and China under an updated civil aviation deal.

(avbuyer.com.cn September 1, 2008)