AMERICAN AIRLINES TO BEGIN NONSTOP SERVICE FROM SAN JOSE TO PARIS AND TAIPEI ON APRIL 1

Trade Missions Planned With City To Promote San Jose

In a move that will transform San Jose into a major international air transport gateway, American Airlines announced today that it will begin flying nonstop daily between San Jose International Airport and both Taipei, Taiwan, and Paris, France, on April 1, 2001.

American launched its first international route at San Jose in 1991 with daily service to and from Tokyo. The Paris route, serving Charles de Gaulle International Airport, will give San Jose its first direct access to Europe.

The airline will fly the San Jose-Paris route with 204-seat Boeing 767-300s and will use 235-seat Boeing 777s to serve the San Jose-Taipei market. Both aircraft will be outfitted with first class sleeper seats, 60-inches of legroom in business class, and expanded legroom throughout coach.

Donald J. Carty, American's chairman and chief executive officer, also announced that as part of inaugural activities in April, trade missions will be mounted with the City of San Jose, the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote the San Jose area in Taiwan and France.

San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales has pledged his support to ensure the trade missions are successful.

The addition of Taipei and Paris, two of the world's most robust international destinations, continues American's steady growth at San Jose and significantly elevates San Jose's standing as an international gateway, with service to both Asia and Europe.

Just a few weeks ago, American announced that it will introduce daily nonstop flights between San Jose and Maui and San Jose and Miami on Dec. 15. Earlier this year, the airline opened new nonstop service from San Jose to Honolulu, Denver and Phoenix, and added flights to New York Kennedy, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles.

When the Maui and Miami routes begin, American will be serving San Jose with a total of 71 flights a day to 18 destinations, more than triple its service at San Jose three years ago. With Taipei and Paris, and other schedule adjustments, those numbers will increase to 74 flights a day to 20 destinations.

"Our ability to launch major new international routes like Taipei and Paris is a tribute to San Jose's robust economy, the high-tech leadership of the Silicon Valley, and the area's strategic geographical location," Carty said.

Mike Gunn, American's executive vice president of marketing and planning, said a technology bridge exists between San Jose and Taiwan. He noted that:

· There are nearly 50 Taiwanese venture capital firms in the Silicon Valley;

· About 60 high-tech companies from Taiwan's Hsinchu Science Park have Silicon Valley offices, and

· The directory of Taiwan/Republic of China companies in North America lists 300 high-tech firms in the Silicon Valley.

"All of this makes Taipei a natural fit for San Jose," Gunn said, "while Paris brings with it the allure, excitement and vitality of one of the world's most desirable business and vacation destinations. Combined with Tokyo, Hawaii and the many other key points we serve here, they make San Jose a true air travel crossroads."

At Taipei, Gunn said, American's passengers will also benefit from its codesharing partnership with EVA Airways, a Taiwanese carrier, which operates convenient service from Taipei to such other Asian points as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau and Singapore.

The three-class 767s and 777s American will use on the Paris and Taipei routes, respectively, also offer new-generation coach seats with leather six-way adjustable headrests. First class and business class offer DVD video players for in-flight movies, Bose noise-cancelling headsets and Origins in-flight "Spa" amenity kits.

American is creating more legroom in its coach cabins by removing two rows of seats on all jet aircraft and using the added space to expand legroom throughout the coach section. Virtually all of American's nearly 600 domestic airplanes have been converted to the More Room coach interior, and its 100 international jets will be completed by the second quarter of 2001.

Here are American's schedules for the new Taipei, Paris, Maui and Miami services (all times are local):

FROM SAN JOSE TO PARIS (effective April 1, 2001)

Flight 112 Leaves 6:30 p.m. Arrives 2:25 p.m. (next day)

FROM PARIS TO SAN JOSE (effective April 1, 2001)

Flight 113 Leaves 1:30 p.m. Arrives 4:20 p.m. (same day)

FROM SAN JOSE TO TAIPEI (effective April 1, 2001)

Flight 151 Leaves 1:30 p.m. Arrives 5:50 p.m. (next day)

FROM TAIPEI TO SAN JOSE (effective April 1, 2001)

Flight 150 Leaves 12:35 p.m. Arrives 9:00 a.m. (same day)

FROM SAN JOSE TO MAUI (effective Dec. 15, 2000)

Flight 85 Leaves 7:00 p.m. Arrives 10:47 p.m.

FROM MAUI TO SAN JOSE (effective Dec. 15, 2000)

Flight 82 Leaves 12:23 a.m. Arrives 7:10 a.m.

FROM SAN JOSE TO MIAMI (effective Dec. 15, 2000)

Flight 296 Leaves 7:18 a.m. Arrives 3:45 p.m.

FROM MIAMI TO SAN JOSE (effective Dec. 15, 2000)

Flight 295 Leaves 1:40 p.m. Arrives 5:01 p.m.