American Airlines drops 3 cities from service, blaming pilot shortage, 'soft demand'

Columbus, Georgia; Del Rio, Texas; and Long Beach, California to lose American Airlines service this spring

American Airlines is closing three more flight routes this spring due to low demand and an ongoing pilot shortage.

The airline told FOX Business about the decision in a statement sent Saturday.

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American Airlines planes in Miami, Florida

American Airlines planes parked at their gates in the Miami International Airport on Dec. 10, 2021 in Miami, Florida.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)

"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," American Airlines wrote.

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Only a total of eight American Airlines-affiliated planes depart daily from Columbus, Del Rio and Long Beach.

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American Eagle Mesa Airlines CRJ-900

American Eagle Bombardier CRJ-900ER aircraft seen at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

American Airlines operates more than 5,000 flights globally every day.

The three cities are currently serviced by regional partners of American Airlines.

"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," the airline told FOX Business.

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An American Airlines jet at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. (Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) (Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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American Airlines has dropped 19 cities from its routes since the beginning of the pandemic. Other airlines have seen similar service cuts due to the ongoing shortage of pilots, as well as waxing and waning demand.