American Airlines to stop flying to LAX from SBA
American Airlines will no longer offer service to Los Angeles from the Santa Barbara Airport starting April 1.
The change is due to a nationwide restructuring of the airline’s routes, according to a Feb. 26 announcement. “US Airways will continue to offer American Airline customers access to SBA from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport,” Matt Miller, a spokesman for American Airlines, said in a statement.
Starting in April, the combined American Airlines and US Airways network will operate an average of 281 daily departures to 75 non-stop markets from Phoenix — compared to a daily average of 174 daily departures to 50 non-stop markets from Los Angeles, the airline said. For domestic service only, American Airlines and US Airways will operate an average of 260 daily departures to 63 non-stop markets from Phoenix, compared to a daily average of 167 daily departures to 44 non-stop markets from there currently.
“We have had a strong partnership with American Airlines since 1984. We knew that with the merger of American and US Airways there was a possibility of change, and it is always disappointing to lose flights and capacity,” Airport Acting Director Hazel Johns said in a statement. “Our five flights to Phoenix on American/US Airways will now allow passengers access to 60 percent more daily departures from Phoenix than Los Angeles, which is ultimately a win for the American Airlines passenger.”
