"Delta eliminates about 160 flights to Cincinnati airport"

Thursday, December 1, 2005

Delta eliminates about 160 flights to Cincinnati airport
BY LISA CORNWELL
The Associated Press


HEBRON, Ky. - Delta Air Lines on Thursday eliminated about 160 flights, or
nearly 26 percent of its schedule, at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
International Airport.

The changes at Delta's second-largest hub were announced in September,
shortly before the airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Many passengers
at the airport Thursday said that it was too soon to predict how much the
reductions would affect their travel plans, but some were worried.

"I usually don't fly that often, but now my mother is ill," said Michelle
Gibson, 44, of suburban Cincinnati, who was on her way to Philadelphia.
"I'll probably be going back and forth more, and I am worried that the cuts
may make it more difficult."

Direct flights to nine destinations and some early and late flights were
eliminated.

Jordan Wilhelm, 21, and her mother Bev Wilhelm, 51, of Mason, Ohio, also
were concerned.

"If it gets too hard to get flights here, I will probably go to Columbus and
then drive the rest of the way," said Jordan Wilhelm, an Air Force Academy
cadet flying back to Colorado after a family visit.

Her mother was worried that the cuts would mean more travel time for her
daughter and less family time.

"I'm also worried that there may be even more cuts," said Bev Wilhelm.

Delta said that its Cincinnati operations went smoothly Thursday.

"As we have said, customers will not see an impact to the service as a
result of the schedule changes," said Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin.

She said the changes were designed to match service with passenger demand
and make the Cincinnati hub more efficient.

Delta and its subsidiaries, including the Erlanger, Ky.,-based Comair,
accounted for about 92 percent of the nearly 22 million passengers who went
through the airport last year.

ON THE NET

http://www.delta.com

http://www.cvgairport.com

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