Pan Am Suspends L.A.-New York Run

Pan American World Airways, which began flying between LAX and New York a year ago at the eye-popping fare of $252 round trip, has “temporarily suspended service” between the two cities, a spokesman said. The last flight was Monday.

Since July 1, Pan Am had run three daily flights on the route, up from the once-a-day service it inaugurated in September 1996, as a start-up airline with a famous name. Spokesman Jeff Kriendler, in the airline’s Miami headquarters, said customers were told of the suspension a week earlier and were being re-booked on other airlines.

The major airlines last week dropped their matching, seven-day advance-purchase fares of $248 (Saturday overnight stay required) and $252 (no Saturday night), travel agents reported. The lowest midweek round-trip advance-purchase fare jumped to $394 (via Tower) on a typical October date. However, fares fluctuate daily, and agents disagreed as to whether the jumps were due to Pan Am’s pullout or to across-the-board rises.

Kriendler said Pan Am filled seats on the New York-L.A run, but lost money because it never could raise its $252 introductory fare due to price-matching by the majors. Now, he said, Pan Am will focus on its Eastern routes based in New York, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Meanwhile, another start-up airline, 2-year-old Western Pacific, said last week that it is flying as usual, despite filing for Chapter 11 protection against creditors, and does not plan service cuts. It flies to Los Angeles and other cities from Denver and Colorado Springs.