American Eagle to suspend service from Dallas Love Field Airport from June 11, 2009

American Eagle Airlines, the regional carrier based in Fort Worth, Texas, the United States, has decied to stop flying out of Love Field Airport in Dallas for four years while the terminal there undergoes reconstruction.

The airline used to operate flights out of Love Field Airport to Texas and Missouri cities, but cancelled those routes in 2008 and started flying 6 daily, non-stop flights to Chicago.

In a statement, American Eagle said the suspensions of flights from Love Field Airport would take effect on June 11, 2009, and that the affected employees would be helped to find other jobs in the company.

American Eagle can operate flights from Love Field Airport through 2028 as a part of a 17-year lease agreement, the airline said, adding that the suspension of flights was also a result of “the difficult economic times.” According to the authorities of Love Field Airport, the reconstruction is a part of relaxed flying rules. Earlier, flights from Love Field were only allowed to go to states bordering Texas. The easing of rule is expected to boost flight levels at Love Field.

The Love Field reconstruction project, costing $519 million, involves demolishing the existing gate space and replacing it with a sleek, modern terminal, the airport officials told reporters, adding that the development schedule required the public areas to be completed by 2014.

American Eagle said it planned to resume service when a new terminal opens at Love Field. Meanwhile, American Eagle announced that its suspending operations at Love Field in June 2009 would not affect the carrier’s operations at the East Texas Regional Airport.

According to Virginia Hall, airport manager of East Texas Regional Airport, American Eagle flights from the Lakeport airport would fly into Dallas-Fort Worth DFW International Airport and so “nothing will change for local flyers except a better schedule in April 2009.”

American Airlines and American Eagle are owned by AMR Corporation.