Coronavirus pushes Delta to temporarily scrap service to 10 US airports

Airline will continue flying to other airports in markets

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Delta Air Lines announced it will temporarily cut service to 10 U.S. airports as the coronavirus has slowed travel worldwide.

The service suspensions will start May 13 and last until at least September, Delta said Friday. The airline will continue to offer service to another airport in each of the affected markets.

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DAL DELTA AIR LINES INC. 47.85 +0.55 +1.15%

AIRLINES MADE BIG CORONAVIRUS CHANGES THIS WEEK

“These changes will allow more of our frontline employees to minimize their COVID-19 exposure risk while ensuring convenient access to Delta’s network for those who must travel,” Delta said in the announcement.

The affected airports include Chicago Midway (MDW), Oakland (OAK), Hollywood Burbank (BUR), Long Beach (LGB), T.F. Green (PVD), Westchester County (HPN), Stewart (SWF), Akron-Canton (CAK), Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT) and Newport News/Williamsburg (PHF). Delta will also suspend service to Saskatoon International Airport in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300 lands in Amsterdam in August 2018. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images, File)

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By consolidating operations into fewer airports, Delta Senior Vice President Sandy Gordon said the airline will be able to allow more workers to stay home amid pandemic-related social- distancing procedures. Affected employees will receive “pay protection options” through September.

“The safety of our employees and customers remains our primary focus as we navigate these challenges together,” Gordon said.

A lone person works at the Delta airlines check-in desk at McCarran International airport in Las Vegas on April 27. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

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Delta has also sought permission from the Department of Transportation to suspend flights to nine other airports in cities where it flies into multiple airports.

Earlier this week, the DOT gave permission to JetBlue and Spirit to suspend flights to a combined 16 cities through September due to the coronavirus-related travel slowdown.

The Transportation Security Administration screened 190,863 passengers Thursday. A year earlier, the TSA screened more than 2.5 million passengers.

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