American Airlines has announced that it will be ending service in four cities this year in response to the devastating pilot shortage.
Beginning on September 7th, service will end in Dubuque, Iowa; Islip and Ithaca, New York; and Toledo, Ohio. These cities are currently served by American Airlines regional affiliates and have at least two daily flights to bigger hubs. American will continue operating in airports less than 100 miles from the four cities for travelers’ convenience.
“We have 100 regional aircraft on the ground that we want to fly but can’t due to lack of regional pilots,” said American Airlines spokesperson Brian Metham.
Unfortunately, American Airlines is not the only one facing these issues. Other airlines such as Delta and Southwest have been unable to fill positions that were left open by retirees or those who took leaves of absence during the pandemic and never returned. The shortage has caused massive cancellations as summer travel plans surge. It has also caused employed pilots to pick up the slack. On Tuesday, over 1,300 Southwest pilots protested the long hours and unfair wages.
Currently, the airline industry is short about 12,000 pilots, causing flight reductions nationwide.
