Airline Seeks to Switch John Wayne Flights

American Eagle has asked for permission to redirect three daily commuter flights at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport and possibly add other services, the company said Friday.

Three commuter flights between Orange County and Tucson would begin in August and would replace American Eagle’s current three flights a day between John Wayne and San Jose. The San Jose flights are being eliminated as part of a decision to reduce by half American Airlines’ service at its San Jose hub, said Ed Martelle, spokesman for American Eagle. Both American Eagle and American Airlines are subsidiaries of AMR Corp. in Fort Worth.

On Aug. 1, American Airlines is reducing its San Jose flights from 67 a day to 30. Because American Eagle operates short-distance commuter flights and feeds passengers to American, the reduction of the larger airline’s daily flights took a toll on American Eagle, which will have to relocate 65 employees in San Jose, Martelle said.

Martelle said the addition of 34-seat commuter flights to Tucson is contingent on approval by John Wayne Airport. He said American Eagle is also considering other routes, though he would not disclose what they are.

If three flights are added at John Wayne, about a dozen employees might relocate to Orange County, Martelle said.

American Airlines now has 23 flights a day in Orange County, and it will add a flight to Chicago in July. Eight current American Airlines flights between San Jose and Orange County will remain on the schedule, said Tim Smith, an American Airlines spokesman.