American Airlines has recently ceased operations to three locations: Santa Maria, California; Tijuana, Mexico; and Doha, Qatar. This change narrows travel options for some passengers across the United States, Mexico, and the Middle East.
The discontinuation of service means that Santa Maria is left without flights from a significant U.S. legacy carrier, and Tijuana loses its only direct route operated by an American airline, as highlighted by aviation source Simple Flying.
By cutting routes from Phoenix, American Airlines has completely withdrawn from both Santa Maria and Tijuana. As for Santa Maria, Allegiant Air is now the sole commercial airline operating out of the airport, with flights solely to Las Vegas.
On the other hand, Qatar Airways has taken over the Philadelphia-to-Doha route, bringing back nonstop service between those two cities after American’s exit.
American Airlines attributed the decision to discontinue service to Santa Maria to performance issues. Previously, the airline provided service to this location through its American Eagle brand in partnership with SkyWest Airlines, as stated by a company representative earlier this year.
“Unfortunately, flights to SMX did not meet performance expectations, and SkyWest informed American that it would discontinue service as of May 7,” the spokesperson explained.
In June, the airline also permanently discontinued its Philadelphia-to-Doha route, which had already been temporarily suspended due to regional tensions, as noted by local news.
“The route failed to meet performance expectations,” the spokesperson for American Airlines mentioned in a formal statement.
Similarly, American Airlines ended its service to Tijuana in August, citing a failure to meet performance expectations for that route.
According to a spokesperson for the airline, American Airlines frequently reviews its flights to optimize aircraft deployment, and the situation with Tijuana was no exception.
Steven Arroyo, an aviation safety expert and retired United Airlines captain in Florida, emphasized that route cancellations are a regular occurrence in the airline industry. He pointed out that if an airline is persistently losing money on a route, it’s likely to withdraw. He suggests that travelers should keep an eye on their flights and prices when planning future trips.
“I recommend monitoring the situation with your chosen routes and doing some research before booking,” Arroyo advised. He also recommended that those planning trips to the Middle East stay vigilant about their flights and consider having backup plans in place.
