American bringing back San Diego flight

American Airlines Inc. said it will reinstate nonstop service between Boston and San Diego April 7. The carrier stopped the once-daily flight in September after record-high fuel prices made long-haul routes less appealing than shorter ones.

American cut domestic seat capacity by 12 percent this year, and it has scheduled a six percent reduction for next year. But in addition to bringing back the popular San Diego flight, the airline also plans on April 7 to start offering a third daily flight between Logan International Airport and St. Louis, a fourth daily flight between Boston and Los Angeles, and a ninth daily flight between Boston and Dallas-Fort Worth.

In addition, starting May 1, American plans to offer a third daily flight between Boston and London and resume its daily seasonal flight between Boston and Paris.

But officials cautioned that given the economy, it's difficult to say how long the expanded scheduled will remain financially viable.

"This is the first time people don't know what kind of demand we're going to have two to three months from now," James K. Carter, vice president for American's Eastern sales division, told the company's Logan managers during a meeting detailing the service changes.
(By Nicole C. Wong, Globe staff)