Mike Landguth, president of Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport

Delta Air Lines is ceasing nonstop service between Chattanooga and Cincinnati, but it is bolstering Delta Connection flights from the Scenic City to Atlanta.

Meanwhile, nonstop service between Chattanooga and Memphis has been trimmed to just one roundtrip a day, worrying some about what would happen if Atlanta air traffic is hindered due to thunderstorms or another reason.

"We'd like to get two to three flights a day" to Memphis, said Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport President Mike Landguth.

While some passengers viewed the Cincinnati airport as a relief option to Atlanta, Delta said the nonstops to the Ohio hub were duplicative, said Mr. Landguth. Delta Connection nonstops to Cincinnati end today.

File photo by Gillian Bolsover
Passengers disembark a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.

Mr. Landguth said Delta's Cincinnati hub has seen sharp drops in seat capacity.

"It doesn't seem like a hub longterm," Mr. Landguth said.

He said Delta is increasing nonstop flights to Atlanta to up to 10 a day. Flights between Chattanooga and Atlanta had been as low a five a day, Mr. Landguth said.

Lovell Field spokeswoman Christina Siebold said Delta is reallocating its air service so that airports in its network will have access to two hubs following its merger with Northwest Airlines.

For Chattanooga, those hubs are Atlanta and Memphis, she said.

Mr. Landguth said the airport continues to pitch Chattanooga's business growth, such as Volkswagen's new auto assembly plant, to airlines in hopes of bolstering service.

"We've got a very unique story," he said.

However, the airport president said, increasing fares longterm are expected to lead the carriers to hold down service levels, with some airline executives not seeing growth for several years.

"Everybody is taking a conservative approach," said Airport Authority member Morty Lloyd.

Lynda Griffin, another panel member, suggested that if fares go up, more people in the area are going to drive to Atlanta to fly.