Delta Closing Down Comair

By Author: Steve Robinson
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As part of its ongoing effort to offer cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages, Delta Air Lines has decided to shutter its 35 year old regional airline Comair by the end of September.

Comair daily flights have declined to 290. Its fleet, flights and employees have been dramatically reduced over the past seven years. Smaller regional planes are expensive to fly, according to Delta, because they are not fuel efficient and are more expensive to maintain as planes age.

Today Comair is responsible for only about 1 percent of Delta’s flights. Its closure is not expected to have any meaningful impact on Delta’s overall network. Delta claims that Comair’s demise will not result in fewer flights out of Comair’s base at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Comair also has hubs in Detroit, LaGuardia and JFK airports.

Airline experts had been expecting Comair’s shutdown because it is generally believed that regional airlines are no longer viable.

Delta has been in unsuccessful talks with prospective Comair buyers. Delta was able to sell its other regional airlines, Compass ...
... and Mesaba, in 2010. These airlines continue operating flights for Delta.

Comair started flying in 1977, operating three propeller driven planes. It began doing business as Delta Connection in 1984 and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta in 2000.
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