Delta announced Friday that it would discontinue service to 24 cities, most of them routes to rural cities for which the airline receives Federal subsidies. The airline also said it would be retiring its fleet of Saab turboprop aircraft and some of its 50 seat jets, operated by the airline’s regional affiliates.
A freshly painted Delta Connection/Mesaba Airlines Saab 340 (N453XJ) at Fort Lauderdale. (Photo by Mark Lawrence) FLL
Citing a $14 million annual loss and load factors as low as 12% (compared to 83% for the airline as a whole), Delta said it has given the US Department of Transportation 90 days to find replacement carriers for the subsidized routes, in some cases working with other airlines to bid on the services. A statement also said Delta would be willing to continue some of them if the Federal subsidy is increased.
“While Delta would prefer to continue serving these communities, the new reality of mounting cost pressures faced by our industry means we can no longer afford to provide this service. As we continue to strengthen our business, Delta is retiring the Saab turboprops and some 50-seat jet aircraft, which will hinder the financial viability of serving these smaller markets,” Delta said.
The Essential Air Service program (EAS) provides subsidies for flights to rural areas that ordinarily would not receive any service due to their low profit potential.
Affected Cities
| City | EAS Subsidized | Load Factor |
| Thief River Falls, MN TVF | Yes | 12.0% load factor |
| Greenville, MS GLH | Yes | 27.6% load factor |
| Devils Lake, ND DVL | Yes | 30.3% load factor |
| Watertown, SD ATY | Yes | 35.0% load factor |
| Muscle Shoals, MS MSL | Yes | 35.7% load factor |
| Fort Dodge, IA FOD | Yes | 39.1% load factor |
| Hibbing, MN HIB | Yes | 39.2% load factor |
| Alpena, MI APN | Yes | 39.5% load factor |
| Tupelo, MS TUP | Yes | 41.0% load factor |
| Jamestown, ND JMS | Yes | 42.1% load factor |
| Mason City, IA MCW | Yes | 45.9% load factor |
| Pierre, SD PIR | No | 47.4% load factor |
| Iron Mountain, MI IMT | Yes | 48.7% load factor |
| Sioux City, IA SUX | No | 51.4% load factor |
| International Falls, MN INL | Yes | 52.5% load factor |
| Brainerd, MD BRD | No | 52.6% load factor |
| Hattiesburg, MS PIB | Yes | 53.7% load factor |
| Escanaba MI ESC | Yes | 55.2% load factor |
| Aberdeen, SD ABR | No | 55.6% load factor |
| Pellston MI PLN | No | 58.5% load factor |
| Bemidji, MN BJI | No | 59.3% load factor |
| Sault Ste Marie MI CIU | Yes | 60.0% load factor |
| Waterloo, IA ALO | No | 61.4% load factor |
| Butte, MT BTM | No | 65.3% load factor |
