American to Cease Flights to These 4 U.S. Cities

In another indication of the far-reaching impact of the ongoing pilot shortage on the airline sector, American Airlines announced this week that it will discontinue service to four U.S. cities due to a shortage of available pilots.

The decision is "in response to the regional pilot shortage affecting the airline industry," stated American in a message to Dinogo.

As a result, American will end service to these four cities, starting September 7:

• Dubuque, Iowa
• Islip, New York
• Ithaca, New York
• Toledo, Ohio

American informed Dinogo that it has 100 regional aircraft grounded, stating, "We want to fly them but can't due to a shortage of regional pilots."

American noted that "this shortage could persist for a while." The airline hopes to achieve "a more dependable regional schedule in the future."

American's American Eagle division includes three regional carriers: Envoy Air Inc., Piedmont Airlines Inc., and PSA Airlines Inc., all subsidiaries of the American Airlines Group, serving smaller hubs nationwide.

American expressed deep appreciation for the dedication and service provided by its team members to customers in Dubuque, Islip, Ithaca, and Toledo, and is working closely with them during this transition. The airline plans to proactively contact customers booked to travel after this date to provide alternative arrangements.

Currently, American operates two daily flights from Dubuque (DBQ) and Toledo (TOL) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD), and up to two daily flights from Islip (ISP) and Ithaca (ITH) to Philadelphia (PHL).

Customers impacted by the service reductions will still have some nearby alternatives available.

For those flying from Dubuque, American will maintain service to Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Illinois (72 miles away), Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids (78 miles away), and Waterloo Regional Airport in Iowa (102 miles away). In New York, travelers will still have flights from Newark International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Greater Rochester International Airport, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Toledo passengers will continue to have access through Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, located 67 miles from Toledo.

American Airlines is the latest carrier to reduce its services, facing several challenges as air travel rebounds at a pace that exceeds the capacity of planes, pilots, flight attendants, and ground staff to manage.

This month, United Airlines suspended seven long-haul flights due to delays in returning its Boeing 777s to service. This follows JetBlue Airways’ announcement of a proactive 10 percent reduction in its summer schedule to provide more operational flexibility and reduce pressure on crew resources, according to JetBlue president Joanna Geraghty.

Alaska Airlines has also reduced its flights by approximately 2 percent through June to limit disruptions, while Southwest Airlines has cut around 8,000 flights from its June schedule after eliminating 14,500 flights from March to May.

Despite these efforts, disruptions continue—thousands of flights were canceled just this past weekend as travelers prepare for a challenging summer of air travel ahead.