In down-east Maine you often hear the phrase “ya can’t get the-ah from he-ah.” Translation: “you can’t get there from here.” How fitting for airlines.
Some airline failures, like that of venerable Aloha, have been headline news.
Others have been quieter. ExpressJet Airlines announced on July 8 it would be stopping all “branded commercial operations” in September 2008.
Launched as an offshoot of its Continental Connection service, ExpressJet flew under its own brand name, offering direct service between smaller communities. Once again, another airline cited high fuel costs as the reason for its demise. ExpressJet will still operate under the Continental Connection brand, and will maintain its charter operation, but the independently-branded airline will cease to exist and 39 aircraft will be returned to their lessor.
Little by little, those predictions of flight reductions to smaller cities have also been coming true as well.
Consider the following list of smaller cities that, right under our noses and with little national fanfare, are losing or have already lost some or all service since the latest fuel crisis began:
Athens, GA.; Atlantic City, N.J.; Bellingham, Wash.; Bloomington, Ill.; Brookings, S.D.; Columbia, MO.; DuBois, Penn.; Ely, Nev.; Eugene, Ore.; Fargo, N.D.; Farmington, N.M.; Franklin, Penn.; Grand Island, Neb.; Hagerstown, MD; Islip, N.Y.; Joplin, MO.; Kingman, Ariz.; Kirksville, MO.; Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Lansing, Mich.; Lewisburg, W.V.; Little Rock, Ark.; McCook, Neb.; Merced, Calif.; Meridian, Miss.; Panama City, Fla.; Prescott, Ariz.; Sarasota, Fla.; Toledo, Ohio; Visalia, Calif.; Williamsport, Penn.; Wilmington, Del.
In fact, as I was searching the Internet compiling this list, I had to give up at some point, because at every turn, I uncovered yet another city, and got tired of realphabetizing. It seems to be an endless exercise.
And that doesn’t count the big airlines pulling out of big cities – American at Oakland. Continental at Chicago-Midway.
It is more difficult to “get the-ah from he-ah.”
