Delta Air Lines’ announcement Saturday that it’s grounding its Comair Inc. feeder airline this fall won’t affect air travel in and out of Erie.
Delta will continue to provide service between Erie and its Detroit hub via Pinnacle Airlines Inc., operating as the Delta Connector. Pinnacle has been serving Erie travelers since 2007.
“Delta’s decision just won’t affect us,” Erie Regional Airport Authority Chairman Frank Stefano said Monday.
High fuel prices and an aging aircraft fleet contributed to Delta’s decision to ground Comair after Sept. 29, according to a Delta news release. Comair’s small, 50-seat jets cannot carry enough passengers to make the flights profitable, industry officials told the Wall Street Journal.
Delta also announced plans Saturday to reduce the number of its remaining 50-seat regional jets from 350 to 125 over the next few years.
Erie International Airport, with its new runway extension, will be able to accommodate larger planes that are more profitable for airlines, Stefano said.
“We’re going to see more airlines getting rid of smaller, less fuel-efficient planes. And as that happens, Erie will actually be well positioned to accept the mid-sized jets,” Stefano said.
Delta is the busiest of the three airlines serving Erie. The airline operates seven flights between Erie and Detroit daily and last year carried 50,285 passengers from Erie, outdistancing Continental and US Airways.