MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Delta Air Lines is shrinking its flying to small cities in the nation’s midsection, saying it can’t make money on flights that are sometimes completely empty.
Delta said Friday its move would affect 24 cities, many of which are not served by any other airline. There’s a risk they could lose air service altogether, although some of the routes are likely to be taken over by regional airlines. And Delta said it will ask for a federal subsidy to keep some of the flights.
The affected flights connect Delta’s hubs to small cities in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Most of the affected flights are on Delta’s 34-seat Saab turboprops, which it is phasing out by the end of this year. H
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said Thursday “we’re running out of time,” to act on raising the debt limit.