US: JetBlue, Delta seek US OK to suspend flights to 25 US airports

Delta, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines on Tuesday asked the US DoT for approval to suspend flights to more than two dozen US airports. US travel demand has fallen by more than 95% because of the coronavirus pandemic and airports are trying to cut costs to stay in business. JetBlue wants to halt flights to 16 US airports, including Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Dallas and Detroit through Sept. 30. Delta wants to suspend flights to nine airports: Lansing, Flint and Kalamazoo in Michigan, and Worcester, Massachusetts, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Pocatello, Idaho, Brunswick, Georgia, and Melbourne, Florida. Delta argues passengers could still use other nearby airports like Grand Rapids or Detroit in Michigan. Delta says between April 1-April 22, just 1 to 14 passengers daily flew on the airline's planes each way from those 9 airports. Spirit Airlines Inc asked the department for approval to suspend flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle, Portland and Phoenix, arguing requiring the flights "during a period of almost zero demand is against the public interest as it wastes scarce financial resources while adding virtually nothing." The airlines must maintain minimum service levels in exchange for getting cash grants from the US Treasury to assist in payroll costs unless the department issues a waiver.<br/>