"American cuts will impact smaller communities, too"

Friday, July 18, 2003

American cuts will impact smaller communities, too
The Associated Press


ST. LOUIS (AP) -- This isn't the only Midwestern city feeling the impact of
cutbacks at American Airlines.

Communities with flights that connect at St. Louis' Lambert Airport were
also dealing with cuts in service on Thursday, a day after the nation's
largest airline announced it would reduce daily departures from St. Louis to
207 from 417 effective Nov. 1. The airline is also closing a reservation
center here and eliminating 27 nonstop flights. About 2,000 people will lose
their jobs.

The cutbacks will mean an end to American's nonstop service between St.
Louis and Kansas City, though Southwest Airlines continues to offer daily
nonstop flights between the state's two metropolitan areas.

The changes also mean reduced service on American's affiliated regional
carriers such as Trans States Airlines and American Connection.

Flights from Springfield to St. Louis will decrease from nine daily to four.
Meanwhile, Springfield passengers who used to travel on regional jets will
now fly on smaller turboprops.

While American said it will add four round trips daily from Springfield to
Chicago O'Hare, travel agents said that's not a real attractive option for
many southwest Missourians.

"Most business travelers want to connect in St. Louis, if they can," said
Kris Conley of Great Southern Travel in Springfield.

But she added, "Is this devastating for Springfield? No, because there are
so many alternatives."

In Columbia, American is reducing the number of St. Louis-bound departures
to two from five. With a capacity of about 30 passengers per flight, there
will be about 90 fewer seats.

Just three weeks ago, American Connection added a night flight between the
two cities. But airport manager Bill Boston said flights between Columbia
and St. Louis were at just 56 percent capacity last month.

Barbara Davis, co-owner of Canterbury Travel and Tiger Travel Associates in
Columbia, said the cutbacks "will be a huge loss for the traveling community
here."

American Connection will cut the number of flights into and out of Joplin to
two daily from the current four.

Joplin Regional Airport manager Steve Stockam said American Connection might
add a third flight if bookings increase. Then again, Bill Mishk, vice
president of marketing for American Connection, said further service cuts
were possible, too.

"The community needs to support the service," he said.

Some Missouri towns were unscathed. American service to and from Cape
Girardeau, Kirksville and Fort Leonard Wood was unaffected.

Missouri isn't the only state feeling the impact. Flights between
Springfield, Ill., and St. Louis will be cut to three from 10. Flights
between Peoria, Ill., and Lambert will be cut to three from nine. All eight
flights between the Quad Cities and St. Louis were cut.

In Wichita, Kan., American will reduce the number of regional jet flights to
St. Louis to four from five. However, three more flights to O'Hare are being
added, American spokeswoman Julia Bishop-Cross said.

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