United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
US airlines get DOT approval to ditch flights at 75 airports
US airlines have got the final approval to halt flights at another 75 airports to ease their cash burn.
The Covid-19 pandemic has ravaged travel demand and the insistence on operating near-empty flights at the airports has hit airline finances hard.
The US transportation department said all the airports will still be served by at least one carrier.
It means both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines can both halt flights at 11 airports.
For Delta it means it can end service at airports such as Aspen, Bangor, Maine, Santa Barbara, CA, and Flint, Michigan.
For United it includes Key West, Florida, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach.
Allegiant Air may halt service at six airports, while JetBlue Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines are permitted to stop flying to five airports each.
As part of the industry-wide $25 billion government payroll aid program, airlines were forced to maintain minimum service levels but over time successfully lobbied the DOT to be more lenient.
The DOT had allowed service suspensions for some airlines at some airports on a case-by-case basis, and the new ruling likely makes it fairer for all fifteen US airlines affected.
Although airlines are reporting a slight uptick in demand, passenger loadings still remain at just a fraction of normal levels while the industry as a whole is burning through a combined $10 billion a month.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Sustainable Tourism: Don Welsh on Community Values and Global Collaboration
Jane Cunningham: Enhancing European Engagement in Tourism
Kristin Dunne: Navigating Destination Strategy
Revolutionizing Mobile Connectivity: Boris Bijlstra on HUBBY eSIM
Capturing Glasgow’s Vibrancy: An Interview with Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life
Lebua Hotel & Resorts: Rajan Khurana on Hospitality and Bangkok’s Charms
Sustainable Tourism and Growth: Insights from Chiravadee Khunsub from Tourism Authority of Thailand
Revolutionizing Travel: SmartSIM USA’s Dale Takio Unveils the Power of E Sims
TravelMole Interview with Hishan Singhawansa, Deputy CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka
Unveiling the Essence of Magari Tours: A Dive into Authentic Italian Experiences
EU airports bring back 100ml liquid rule
British Airways passengers endure 11-hour 'flight to nowhere'
CLIA: Anti-cruise demos could cause itinerary changes in Europe
Co-pilot faints, easyJet flight issues ‘red alert’
Gatwick braces for strike