American Will Reinstate O.C.-Sacramento Flights

American Airlines, apparently bowing to pressure from state legislators and Orange County residents who do business in Sacramento, has decided to reinstate nonstop flights between the county and the state capital.

The flights were canceled on July 1 and drew cries of outrage from the county’s legislative delegation because no other airline had flights from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport to Sacramento that would arrive before the normal start of business at 9 a.m.

In a July 6 letter to state Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), American said that as a result of her letters of complaint, along with comments “of other customers who shared your concerns,” the airline will reinstate two daily nonstop flights each way as of Aug. 1.

The letter, signed by Ted Tedesco, American’s vice president of corporate affairs, said the flights would leave Orange County and Sacramento at 7 a.m. and would depart from each airport at 6 p.m.

“I’m pleased that they decided to restore service,” Bergeson said Wednesday. “It shows that people are listening and that writing letters does help.”

American could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

American had said last month that it was canceling the flights because they were the least profitable in its system and because it needed to divert the aircraft used on that route to Miami, where American was increasing its service.

In his letter to Bergeson, Tedesco hinted that continuation of the flights is by no means assured.

“We sincerely anticipate that the overall profitability of this route should improve with our new schedule and that we will not be faced with making an obviously unpopular decision (to cancel the flights) at some future date,” he wrote.