American Airlines drops RI routes

American Airlines (AA) is to cancel all flights from TF Green Airport in Rhode Island. From April 2, services between the Warwick airport and Dallas and Chicago will end.

American Eagle, AA's regional airline, will take over some services in the Ocean State, offering flights on smaller planes between TF Green and Chicago.

Rhode Island residents heading to Chicago will be well served, as AA also plans to increase the number of flights between Providence and Chicago.

AA passengers with tickets for travel after April 2 will either be transferred to American Eagle flights or given vouchers for other carriers. If a suitable flight is not available they will be refunded, The Providence Journal reports.

Tim Wagner, American Airlines’ spokesman, said that the move followed a decision by American to drop its underperforming routes.

More than five million travelers flew from TF Green in the first 11 months of last year, of whom just 296,000 were on AA planes, the airport's data shows.

Experts are warning that other regional airports are vulnerable to such route cancellations as many airlines will axe underperforming routes in order to cut costs.

The loss will be a particular blow to TF Green, which has also seen the departure of Independence Air. The defunct low-cost carrier stopped flying altogether on January 5.

© Adfero Ltd