American Airlines ENDS service to three destinations due to ‘regional pilot

American Airlines is ending service to three cities due to a ‘regional pilot shortage’ as thousands of frustrated customers are battling flight cancellations and delays.

An American Airlines spokesperson told DailyMail.com on Monday the company ‘made the difficult decision’ to drop service to airports in Toledo, Ohio; Ithaca, New York and Islip, New York beginning September 7. 

The airline cited a pilot shortage currently affecting the entire airline industry.

American is allegedly contacting customers scheduled to fly after the route termination date in an effort to ‘offer alternate arrangements.’

The airline also said it is ‘extremely grateful for the care and service our team members provided’ at the impacted airports and claims to be ‘working closely with them during this time.’

American Airlines is ending service to airports in Toledo, Ohio; Ithaca, New York and Islip, New York beginning September 7

It is unclear if impacted staff will be utilized at other airports in which American operates as travel demand has caused chaos at nearly every U.S. airport.  

The news comes as more than 3,600 flights were delayed within, or coming into or exiting the United States, and over 380 were canceled, according to Flight Aware.

American, which is one of the largest air carriers in the U.S., canceled three percent of its routes on Monday. Eighteen percent of routes were met with delays.

Ongoing flight disruptions have left passengers outraged, with many complaining their children were left sleeping on filthy airport floors while airlines struggle to rebook flights. 

Some travelers claim they were sent home from the airport or forced to rent a car after their ticketed airline failed to provide a new route.

The ‘Armageddon travel weekend’ that saw more than 20,000 flights canceled or delayed is expected to continue throughout the week. More than 100 flights have already been axed on Tuesday.  

New York City-area airports Newark International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport faced the most delays and cancelations in the U.S., followed by Chicago’s O’Hare airport, which serves as a hub for American and United Airlines, and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, which is Delta Airlines’ hub.

‘This has been another travel Armageddon weekend,’ InteleTravel President James Ferrara told USA Today on Monday. ‘But it’s not isolated or really a surprise.

‘We’re in a boom time for travel,’ he explained. ‘We’re blowing away all records all previous years, so you’ve got this surge in demand, and you’ve got limitations on staffing.’

Air carriers allege the demand for travel has soared to pre-pandemic levels, yet staffing remains strained after mass COVID-19 fueled layoffs.  

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) data revealed the number of people flying on Friday and Saturday nearly equaled the same number of those who flew on the same days in 2019.

A traveler at Chicago’s O’Hare airport shows how many American Airlines flights were delayed  early Monday afternoon. American, which is one of the largest air carriers in the U.S., canceled 3% of its routes on Monday and 18% of routes were met with delays

A frustrated American Airlines passenger shared how her flight from Dallas to Atlanta was delayed on Monday evening. She claims ‘every flight’ she has booked over the last two months has either ‘been delayed or canceled’

A passenger who traveled to Washington D.C. called out the American’s poor handling of luggage after hundreds of bags were left piled up at the airport on Monday

The weekend’s travel chaos did not let up on Monday as major airlines continued to cancel and delay many of their scheduled flights.

Father and coach Cory Jones, of Kentucky, said his travel group was sent home from their local airport after a more than seven hour delay on Monday.

The frustrated traveler, who was booked on an American flight, called the airline out on Twitter, posting a photo of a young girl napping on an airport floor while they waited to be rebooked on another flight.

‘Our apologies for the delay to your flight and we’re working to get you on your way ASAP,’ American replied.

Jones, sharing a photo of his glum-looking group in an airport shuttled, hit back: ‘No you’re not, you sent us home.’

One passenger, PGA manager Mattie-Lou Chandler, even reported that her flight was canceled a total of three times from Jacksonville International Airport in Florida on Monday alone.

Matt Hudson, a former Congressman from Florida, also posted a photo of large lines at a Delta check-in, writing: ‘Hey @Delta, didn’t you know we were coming? #Pathetic We were supposed to leave yesterday!!!’

Father and coach Cory Jones, of Kentucky, said his travel group was sent home from their local airport after a more than seven hour delay on Monday. The frustrated traveler, who was booked on an American flight, called the airline out on Twitter, posting a photo of a young girl…