FORT WORTH, Texas
American Airlines Group Inc. has announced the planned network adjustments resulting from the required divestiture of slots and related assets at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) and New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
The divestitures, which enabled American Airlines and US Airways to complete their merger, were mandated by the previously announced settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the States of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
As a result of the 52 slot pair divestitures at DCA required by the DOJ, American will no longer operate year-round, daily nonstop service to 17 destinations from DCA. Customers in these communities will still have access to DCA, which remains a key hub for American, through connecting flights from one or more of the airline's other eight hubs.
Communities no longer receiving year-round, daily service include:
Augusta, Ga.; Little Rock, Ark.; Pensacola, Fla.; Detroit, Mich.; Minneapolis, Minn. San Diego; Fayetteville, N.C.; Montreal; Savannah, Ga.; Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Islip, N.Y.; Nassau, Bahamas; Wilmington, N.C.; Jacksonville, N.C.; Omaha, Neb.
Effective dates for the changes at DCA will be announced after the sale of slots and related assets is finalized in the coming weeks. American is currently working through the DOJ-approved divestiture process which includes transition agreements with acquiring airlines to minimize the disruption to customers.
Customers in Washington, D.C., and on the West Coast will benefit from other schedule changes, as American will soon add a second daily nonstop frequency between DCA and Los Angeles by shifting US Airways' current San Diego flight to Los Angeles.
In addition, American will adjust its service to Fort Myers, Fla., moving from year-round service to a seasonal schedule.
As a result of the DOJ-required 17 slot pair divestitures at LaGuardia, American will no longer operate nonstop service to Atlanta, Cleveland and Minneapolis. However, changes to the schedule made possible by the combined network of American and US Airways will provide opportunities for new service to 10 communities, including: Charlottesville, Va.; Little Rock, Ark.; Roanoke, Va.; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Ky.; Wilmington, N.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Norfolk, Va.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Richmond, Va.
