Major U.S. carriers continue to pull out of regional markets in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with American Airlines the latest to cut routes to and from a trio of smaller airports across the country.
The carrier will halt American Eagle flights to and from Long Beach, California beginning February 28 and Del Rio, Texas, and Columbus, Georgia effective April 3, American told FOX Business in a statement over the weekend.
The airline attributed the move to the ongoing pilot shortage and "soft demand" for seats on the routes.
"In response to the regional pilot shortage affecting the airline industry and soft demand, American Airlines has made the difficult decision to end service in Columbus, Georgia (CSG), Del Rio, Texas (DRT) and Long Beach, California (LGB) this spring," the carrier said. "We're extremely grateful for the care and service our team members provided to our customers in these cities, and are working closely with them during this time. We'll proactively reach out to customers scheduled to travel to offer alternate arrangements."
American has dropped service to and from at least 19 cities since the coronavirus crisis began. Currently, a total of eight American Eagle planes depart daily from Columbus, Del Rio and Long Beach combined.
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