American Airlines is one of the most trusted names in aviation, having been around for almost 100 years. The airline dates back to 1926, when the famed pilot Charles Lindbergh carried mail from St. Louis, Missouri, to Chicago, Illinois, marking the first American Airlines flight. Today, the airline operates the largest network in the U.S., and many of us prefer to fly with American as opposed to other carriers. Our options may be more limited in the near future, however, thanks to significant cuts at one major hub. Read on to find out where the airline is cutting hundreds of flights starting next month.
READ THIS NEXT: American Is Cutting Flights to These 8 Major Cities, Starting Nov. 3.
American Airlines already made flight cuts earlier this summer.
Rawpixel.com / ShutterstockFlight cuts have been rampant across the industry, and American Airlines is not immune. Over the course of the summer, American has announced several changes to its schedule. The airline announced in June that it would no longer be flying to Islip, New York (ISP); Ithaca, New York (ITH); and Toledo, Ohio (TOL) as of Sept. 7, a decision that was made due to a regional pilot shortage.
Then last month, American announced service to new cities for the upcoming ski season, but also confirmed flight cuts from an additional eight cities, according to The Points Guy. The carrier will be dropping planned flights from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL) to Vail/Eagle, Colorado (EGE); New York (JFK) to Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC); Chicago (ORD) to Montrose, Colorado (MTJ); and Los Angeles (LAX) to Montrose.
Now, American Airlines has announced that one travel hub will be seeing hundreds of flights removed from its schedule.
One airport will see seven fewer daily flights in September.
Skorzewiak / ShutterstockIf you frequently fly American Airlines out of Philadelphia, you might be out of luck come September. The airline is cutting flights from this hub in the fall, despite demand being at a pre-pandemic highs, USA Today reported.
At Philadelphia International Airport, the airline confirmed it will cut nearly 3 percent of its scheduled flights in September and 5 percent of scheduled flights in October, according to USA Today. This amounts to roughly seven fewer daily flights in September and 13 fewer daily flights in October, the outlet reported.
On an earnings call in July, Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, stated that the flight cuts were "proactive steps" intended to "build additional buffer into our schedule for the rest of the year."
"We're sizing the airline for the resources we've available and the operating conditions we face, and we'll make other changes as needed," Isom said.
Flight cuts will affect some fliers who already booked their tickets.
iStockA spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed to Best Life via email that flight schedules are published approximately 331 days in advance. After that point, they can be changed and adjusted depending on demand.
If you have flights booked out of Philly next month, you might be wondering how these schedule shifts affect you. In the case of your upcoming flight being impacted, American Airlines will be reaching out to you directly to make arrangements to get you to your destination, the spokesperson said. And if you choose not to fly with an adjusted itinerary, you can apply for a full refund.
American Airlines isn't alone in facing difficulties with demand.
iStockTravel restrictions, quarantine, and stay-at-home orders forced many of us to cancel vacations during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, demand for travel is booming as a result. Over 2.1 million passengers were screened at U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints across the country on Aug. 3, accounting for 86 percent of the numbers seen on the same day in 2019, according to CNN Travel.
This increase in travel has been daunting for all carriers, which need to account for staffing shortages, delays with air traffic control, and unpredictable weather, CNN Travel reported. Those flying out of Newark Liberty International Airport were recently dismayed to learn that United Airlines cut 12 percent of its daily flights at the hub. Delta also axed flights this summer, cutting 100 flights a day in light of staffing shortages.
