Delta to drop Springfield-to-Cincinnati service

The carrier currently offers one daily flight from Springfield to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

“The decision was made after careful review of the passenger demand and where they are connecting to and from in regards to the SGF marketplace,” Delta told Springfield airport officials July 18, according to a news release. “With the price of fuel at all-time highs, we find ourselves having to make decisions like the CVG-SGF service.”

The pending merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines also is a likely factor in the decision, the airport said in the release, which noted that Delta also is dropping Cincinnati service to 12 other cities.

“The news is disappointing but not a surprise,” airport spokesman Kent Boyd said in the release. “As we’ve said many times on the airport blog (www.flightblog.squarespace.com) and in public: We’ll be lucky to get through the year without losing service. Given the lackluster state of the airline industry, cuts were nearly inevitable.”

The airport received good news in late June, however, that it was spared from cuts by American Airlines. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline by November plans to cease operations of its regional affiliate, American Eagle, at five airports. SGF – and its daily direct flights to Dallas, Chicago and St. Louis by American Eagle – was not among them.

“We’re not taking it to the bank,” Springfield Airport Director Gary Cyr said of American’s flights before Delta’s announcement. “Who knows what could happen in six months or a year?”

Interestingly, Delta is tentatively adding a fourth daily flight between Springfield and Atlanta, according to the release.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s July 21 free breaking e-newsletter. Click here to register.[[In-content Ad]]