International Falls Seeks U.S. DOT Help

The city of International Falls and the Falls Airport Commission want the U.S. Department of Transportation to delay its decision regarding Delta Airlines' request to operate air service in the community through a federal subsidy program.

They're worried Delta's plans to reduce service under the Essential Air Service program will hurt the airport and the local economy.

Commission Secretary Susan Baratono says they would like to see a better schedule from Delta.

"We can't ask them to reject it based on the schedule because they can't," says Baratono. "We're asking them to reject it based on the fact that it will do material harm to our community and that it will do harm to our airport and that once we are in this program for two years it will be very hard to get back."

The city and commission want three to six months to study Delta's schedule which offers all four of its inbound and outbound flights during the mid-afternoon hours.