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American Airlines Flying Away from the Caribbean

American Eagle CEO Peter Bowles came up with the understatement of the week, as the struggling American Airlines announced a significant cutback in Caribbean service:

The crisis in the airline business is real, and the steps American is taking to reduce its schedule are necessary.

AA and American Eagle will eliminate service between San Juan and Washington Dulles, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Newark, Orlando and LAX. Within the Caribbean, flights from San Juan to Antigua, Aruba, St. Maarten, Santo Domingo and Samana, Dominican Republic are also going away; daily flights from San Juan to other Caribbean destinations will be decreased.

The news is not much of a shock as AA had already laid off hundreds of San Juan-based workers, and the airline has been raising prices and adding fees.

In the meantime, Caribbean tourism types are freaking out. Without planes coming in, how are all those sun-seeking tourists gonna get to the islands?

Related Stories:
· US Carriers Cut Caribbean Flights; Region Fighting Back [Caribbean360]
· American Airlines coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Todd Neville]