WINDSOR, Conn. -- American Airlines has announced plans to shut down a reservation center in Connecticut by this fall.

The airline said it will close the call center in Windsor, a move that affects hundreds of employees. The airline said Monday that it's too soon to know how many workers might lose their jobs.

The Day Hill Deli said it will be a huge loss in business when the 500 employees at the center, which handles ticket reservations and customer questions, are gone. The deli is the closest restaurant to the center and gets visits from several American Airlines employees each day.

"We've had quite a few businesses shut down up here because of the economy, so it's been pretty tough," said Kim Arcata, of Day Hill Deli.

In a statement, the airline said an increase in online reservations led them to need fewer call centers. It said the company will offer many workers a chance to transfer to call centers in Dallas; Tucson, Ariz.; and Raleigh, N.C., or to work from home.

A spokesman said the airline has been forced to cut costs. The shutdown is expected by September.

But Arcata said that still leaves a big hole on Windsor's Day Hill Road.

"We hope that it doesn't stay empty and that someone else will go in there," she said.

Business officials said they're hopeful that with this call center up and running, someone will come in and save the building and jobs.

"Well, now that the center is going to be vacated, can it be used for another call center?" asked Oz Griebel, of Metro-Hartford Alliance.

He said the Metro-Hartford Alliance is already putting out feelers to see if any other companies might need a state-of-the-art call center, particularly since the airline was careful to compliment the workers and blame slow business for the decision to close.

"It had nothing to do with the workforce," Griebel said. "Here's 500 folks, many of whom probably want to stay in the area, that we can also market.

The shutdown is expected by September.