Cheap airplane tickets and cheap discount travel packages are becoming things of the past at some airports as airlines move to reduce their losses by eliminating unprofitable routes. This is turn has resulted in passengers finding reduced nonstop flight options and at times higher fares.
86 of 100 largest US airports saw departures and arrivals drop by an average of 6% in 2008. Further reductions have taken place in 2009. The five largest US airliners lost a total of $3.2 billion in the first nine months of 2009.
St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati are three cities that have been hit particularly hard by flight cut backs and have seen fares rise.
American Airlines flew more than 500 flights daily out of St. Louis in 2001 vs. 2010 when it plans to fly only 36 flights daily.
US Airways reduced its Pittsburg departures on peak travel days to 49 from almost 550 prior to 9/11. 58% fewer passengers used this airport in 2008 than a decade earlier.
Next month Delta Airlines will have reduced its daily departures in Cincinnati by60% when compared to 2001. There has been a 36% drop in passengers using this airport between 1998 and 2008.
The only hope for airports like these is that there is a serious resurgence in business travel and/or discount airlines enter their markets.