Delta Air Lines sent an electronic letter to its best customers in Wichita this week about its "difficult situation" in the community and its decision to cut seven flights here.
In Wichita, "we face the reality that another airline is being subsidized inappropriately by the city to compete directly with us," the letter said. "This competitive inequity in the Wichita market places Delta in the position to consider reallocating our resources to locations where our competitors do not receive preferential treatment."
Beginning July 1, Delta is pulling its two daily flights to Salt Lake City, its three daily flights to Cincinnati and two of its six flights to Atlanta.
The letter went out to customers enrolled in SkyMiles, Delta's frequent flier program.
Sunflower Travel's vice president for operations, Devin Hansen, called Delta's letter and its decision to cut service "sour grapes."
Delta is "alienating a lot of potential and future customers over a disagreement with the city," Hansen said.
Delta and the city have clashed over the city's subsidies to AirTran Airways. The city began subsidizing AirTran to lower fares in and out of Wichita in 2002. To date, the city has given the carrier $7 million.
Like all airlines, Delta is "always looking at our entire route network and making changes," Delta spokeswoman Benet Wilson said.
The city recently rejected Delta's offer to add daily nonstop service to Orlando, Fla., in exchange for the same $2.5 million in subsidies the city is giving AirTran in the next year.
Wichita is "firm" in its position that providing subsidies to AirTran, which competes with Delta on routes to Atlanta, is within its rights "and serves the community's best interest," Wichita City Manager George Kolb said in a statement.
The biggest loss will be in the lack of direct service to Cincinnati, Hansen said.
"Cincinnati was very popular," Hansen said. From there, it was easy to get to Florida and the Caribbean.
In his view, the Salt Lake City route was not that popular with flyers. Although not as convenient, fares were lower for travelers to fly American Airlines and connect in Dallas to Salt Lake City, Hansen said.
Delta told customers in the letter that anyone with reservations on the flights being cut will be contacted by a Delta reservations agent or their travel agent. Customers also may call (800) 221-1212.
