Sale of ASA Should Not Affect Macon Airport Flights

Aug. 17, 2005
Macon aviation director George Brown said he's still not sure what Skywest's plans, but customers shouldn't notice a change and the deal should not affect routes.

The sale of Atlantic Southeast Airlines, an airline that makes flights to and from Macon and Atlanta, is not expected to affect flights, a spokesman for the airline said.

Delta Air Lines Inc., which is struggling to avoid a bankruptcy filing amid persistently high fuel costs, said Monday it is selling feeder carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. to SkyWest Inc. for $425 million in cash.

"ASA will continue to fly Delta routes and this will be a seamless transition for our customers," said ASA spokesman Todd Bailey.

ASA will continue to serve Delta customers under a new 15-year agreement, with ASA's fleet of more than 150 aircraft continuing to fly Delta routes, Delta said in a statement. The sale, subject to regulatory review, is expected to close in September.

ASA flies three flights into Middle Georgia Regional Airport from Atlanta and three flights into Atlanta from Middle Georgia Regional Airport a day.

Macon aviation director George Brown said he's still not sure what Skywest's plans are.

"We know there's a new management team at ASA and we don't know what they're going to do and what their goals are," he said.

Brown said he'd like ASA's service between Macon and Atlanta to return to 10 flights a day, five each way.

Bailey said customers shouldn't notice a change and the deal should not affect routes.

"There is a team at Delta that constantly looks at its schedule to make sure it meets demand," he said. "Yesterday's announcement is not expected to result in any significant changes in ASA flight schedule or locations served."

Copyright 2005 Associated Press