American Airlines continues pandemic service cuts by dropping flights to 3 more cities

American Airlines is ending service to Columbus, Georgia; Del Rio, Texas; and Long Beach, California, bringing the total number of cities the airline has dropped since the start of the pandemic up to 19.

American said the cuts were due to an ongoing regional pilot shortage and "soft demand," Business Insider reported Friday.

Del Rio, which has a population of less than 35,000, will lose all aviation service with American's withdrawal from the market on April 3. American Airlines, which had been operating in Del Rio since 2018, did not give the city a warning ahead of the announcement, city officials said.

"American Airlines ceasing services to Del Rio International Airport is certainly frustrating and disappointing, especially since we've been at or near capacity on most American flights in and out of Del Rio," City Manager John Sheedy said Friday in a press release. 

Columbus and Long Beach will still receive flights from other airlines. 

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, cities that American has cut service to include Fairbanks, Alaska; Oakland, California; New Haven, Connecticut; Sioux City, Iowa; Duluth, Minnesota; Joplin, Missouri; Ithaca, New York; and Cheyenne, Wyoming, according to Insider.