Delta Air Lines seeks subsidy to fly to Tupelo in Mississippi

Delta Air Lines is looking for a federal subsidy for its service to Tupelo Regional Airport in Tupelo in Mississippi, the United States, because of a decline in customer demand as well as an increase in the price of fuel.
In a statement, Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States, said its services to Tupelo Regional Airport will not be interrupted.

At present, Delta Air Lines operates, from Tupelo Regional Airport, an early-morning flight to Memphis in Tennessee and a late-morning flight to Atlanta in Georgia.
Terry Anderson, director of Tupelo Regional Airport, was quoted by the media as saying that Delta Air Lines would be filing a “notice of termination” to start the process of seeking federal subsidy.

Anderson described the notice of termination as “a strategic move” aimed at starting negotiations.
After receiving the notice of termination, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) will issue a “hold-stop” order which stops a carrier from discontinuing service.

The “hold-stop” order by the Department of Transportation will be followed by lasting about three months between officials of Congress, the local government and the airline and the airport concerned.

In a press release, John Spanjers, president of Mesaba Air Lines, the regional carrier of the Delta Air Lines, said that both Delta Air Lines and Mesaba Air Lines would take measures to obtain a subsidy for “continued service” in Tupelo and in many other cities across the United States.

Delta Air Lines is seeking federal funding through the Essential Air Service Programme.
The Essential Air Service Programme subsidises services at smaller airports, from which carriers otherwise cannot afford to fly.

Delta Air Lines has already filed “notice of termination” for airports in the Michigan-area cities of Alpena, Muskegon, Hancock and Sault Ste Marie; Paducah in Kentucky; and International Falls in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines said it would continue to serve Eau Claire Airport in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the United States.

Delta will continue to operate the current schedule of 3 flights a day from Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Wisconsin to the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport as also occasional services to Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport in Wisconsin.