American laying off some LV workers, Reno hit harder

Tuesday, April 11, 2000 | 10:43 a.m.

An undetermined number of American Airlines' 723 Las Vegas employees will be laid off when the Fort Worth, Texas-based firm clips nine flights to and from McCarran International Airport.

Al Becker, a spokesman for American, said employees would be notified by the end of this week if their jobs are going to be terminated. He said airline officials haven't determined how many firings would result, but he said American's Las Vegas reservation center wouldn't be affected.

About 400 people work at the reservation center, which was acquired from Reno Air in November 1998 when American took over the carrier.

The airline announced Monday afternoon what Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., has been telling people since Friday -- that American will scale back its Nevada operations in favor of beefing up other West Coast routes.

Las Vegas will have a net loss of nine flights, from 33 to 24, as American will cancel service between McCarran and Reno; Oklahoma City; Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Orange County, Calif. The airline will add two daily flights to and from Los Angeles International Airport and will maintain flights to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and San Jose, Calif.

American will reposition its aircraft and some employees to San Jose and Los Angeles.

The pullout, which will be completed by July 2, will have a greater effect on Reno, where American's schedule will be reduced from 28 daily flights to 11. The Las Vegas-Reno route will be dominated by Southwest Airlines when American, the No. 6 carrier at McCarran, trims flights. Phoenix-based America West Airlines also has one daily flight between Las Vegas and Reno.