Peoria Station

  PEORIA – As of today, those using the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport can no longer flight nonstop to Atlanta, Georgia. Interestingly, the local newspaper managed to notice this time.

The decline in business travelers due to the bad economy is cited as the primary reason for the loss of Atlanta flights. While load factors have been relatively high (75% according to the article linked above), yields are inadequate. To get those numbers, fares must be kept low. Apparently too low.

There’s more to the story, however. The same carrier that offered Peoria – Atlanta flights is battling low-fare AirTran Airways at Bloomington. Atlantic Southeast Airlines dba Delta Connection offers five daily nonstops while competitor AirTran offers three. Yields are unlikely to be better at Bloomington, but Delta thinks it has to serve Bloomington-Normal to compete.

Hopefully, a better economy in 2010 and an increase in local business travel will prompt Delta to resume Peoria – Atlanta flights. Meanwhile, regional affiliates of Northwest Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, serves Peoria from Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul. The airlines are in the process of merging operations, so Delta at least maintains a local presence.

- David P. Jordan