Delta will temporarily suspend service at 2 New England airports starting this week
"By consolidating operations while customer traffic is low, we can allow more of our people to stay home in accordance with local health guidelines."
Delta Air Lines is suspending operations at two New England airports on Wednesday for “frontline employees to minimize COVID-19 exposure risk while customer traffic is low,” the airline announced on Friday.
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The Atlanta-based airline will suspend service at 10 airports in total, including T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, R.I., and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, N.H. The company chose airports in markets that have more than one Delta-served airport, according to a press release. Service will be suspended “at least until September,” according the airline. Employees will be provided pay protection through Sept. 30.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Delta has seen an 85 percent reduction in its second quarter schedule — a decline of 80 percent in U.S. domestic capacity and 90 percent internationally, airline officials wrote.
“The safety of our employees and customers remains our primary focus as we navigate these challenges together,” said Sandy Gordon, senior vice president of domestic airport operations for Delta, in a press release. “By consolidating operations while customer traffic is low, we can allow more of our people to stay home in accordance with local health guidelines.”
The other airports where Delta will suspend service are as follow: Akron-Canton Airport in North Canton, Ohio; Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago; Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank, Calif.; Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, Calif.; Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport in Newport News, Va.; Oakland International Airport in Oakland, Calif.; Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, N.Y.; and Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y. Delta will also temporarily suspend service at Saskatoon International Airport in Canada beginning Wednesday.
“Delta will re-accommodate customers whose travel is impacted as a result of service suspensions in these stations,” the airline wrote.
Delta has filed a request with the U.S. Department of Transportation to consolidate operations in nine more cities served by multiple airports, according to the airline, and the request is still under review.
JetBlue announced last month that it would consolidate services in five U.S. metro areas between April 15 and June 10, suspending services at T.F. Green Airport. Earlier this month, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines were given permission to suspend service at several airports nationwide due to low travel demand.
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