Delta may drop flights to 5 Minn. communities

MINNEAPOLIS -- Delta Air Lines Inc. is looking to drop money-losing flights to 24 small cities, including 5 communities in greater Minnesota.

That could mean that Thief River Falls, Hibbing, International Falls, Brainerd and Bemidji could be at risk of losing commercial air service altogether.

Delta says it has been losing $14 million a year on the flights, which are concentrated in the nation's midsection in cities like Thief River Falls and Waterloo, Iowa. Some flights are only 12 percent full on average. Many are on Saab turboprop planes, which Delta is retiring.

Federal subsidies help pay for flying in 16 of the cities. Other airlines can bid for those subsidies if Delta pulls out. The airline says it will ask for federal subsidies in the other eight cities. It said it can't afford to keep flying to those cities without a subsidy.

The complete list of cities at risk of losing Delta Service includes:

1. Thief River Falls, Minn.
2. Greenville, Miss.
3. Devils Lake, N.D.
4. Watertown, S.D.
5. Muscle Shoals, Miss.
6. Fort Dodge, Iowa
7. Hibbing, Minn.
8. Alpena, Mich.
9. Tupelo, Miss.
10. Jamestown, N.D.
11. Mason City, Iowa
12. Pierre, S.D.
13. Iron Mountain, Mich.
14. Sioux City, Iowa
15. International Falls, Minn.
16. Brainerd, Minn.
17. Hattiesburg, Miss.
18. Escanaba Mich. 
19. Aberdeen, S.D.
20. Pellston Mich.
21. Bemidji, Minn.
22. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
23. Waterloo, Iowa
24. Butte, Mont.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)