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.”