American May Move Reservations Center

American Airlines said Tuesday that it may move its Los Angeles reservations center to another Western city as part of an expansion plan.

The center, which employs 850 workers, fields telephone calls from 11 Western states. It has been in Los Angeles since 1976.

American spokesman Jim Brown said the airline is looking for a suitable location for an expanded reservations center and that several cities are under consideration. He said Los Angeles has not been ruled out.

The present Los Angeles center, on San Vicente Boulevard, is one of five reservations centers operated nationally by American. The centers take reservations from customers and answer flight inquiries.

Brown said the company plans to expand the Los Angeles center because its West Coast business has increased since the 1987 acquisition of AirCal. The establishment of a hub in San Jose has also boosted American’s business in the region, Brown said.

Brown said American would base its decision to relocate on several factors, including the availability of workers and telephone lines and the cost of living. Los Angeles is regarded as one of the most expensive Western cities in which to live.

Brown would not identify the cities that are under consideration as the site of the enlarged reservations center. He said American would probably choose the location sometime next year.

Los Angeles reservations center employees were informed of American’s expansion plan on Monday. One veteran reservations agent said employees were told that American is looking at Tucson, Portland, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Las Vegas. The agent said employees were told the center would eventually employ 1,100.