American Airlines announced plans to drop its flights between Chicago (ORD) and Shanghai (PVG) in October and reduce frequencies on its Chicago–Tokyo (NRT) flights in December. The moves are in response to high fuel costs and reduced profitability on the routes.

The company filed a “dormancy waiver” with the U.S. Department of Transportation that would end the service but reserve the right to add it back “once conditions improve.”

The company’s last flight from Chicago to Shanghai leaves Oct. 26, with a return flight the next day. Any affected passengers already booked on future flights will be accommodated on other routes.

The airline will also lower frequency on its daily service between Chicago and Tokyo to just three times per week, starting Dec. 18.

Vasu Raja, vice president of network and schedule planning, American Airlines, said the carrier remains “strongly committed to Asia” and will continue to offer non-stop services to both Shanghai and Tokyo through its hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX).

“Our Chicago–Shanghai service is unprofitable and simply not sustainable in this high fuel cost environment and when we have opportunities to be successful in other markets,” said Raja. “These adjustments to our Asia service are necessary in this high fuel cost environment, but we remain committed to the network we’ve worked hard to build.”