Reduction in Seats Offered Will Not Affect Local Airports

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Updated: 7:05 PM Oct 6, 2008

Reduction in Seats Offered Will Not Affect Local Airports

The world's airlines will be offering 59.7 million fewer seats in the fourth quarter of 2008 than they did a year ago, but according to local airport officials, they won't be affected.

Posted: 5:25 PM Oct 6, 2008
Reporter: Matt Behrens
Email Address: mbehrens@wsaw.com

Airline Cuts Will Not Affect Local Airports

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The unsteady economy and rising fuel costs over the past few years have had quite the effect on the airline industry, and according to a recent report, 59.7 million fewer seats will be offered in the fourth quarter of 2008 than one year ago.

But despite the cuts, local airport managers say we shouldn't see a change.

They say the big difference between local airports and those receiving the cuts is the type of traveler who is coming through.

We spoke with officials at both the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport and the Central Wisconsin Airport, and they say that because of the unsure economy, fewer people are vacationing than in years prior, and those are the flights that are being cut.

Tony Yaron, Manager of the Central Wisconsin Airport says, "It seems to be in markets like Orlando, Las Vegas, and other cities like that where you have huge tourist attractions... That seems to be cutting back."

But Yaron says almost two-thirds of their customers are traveling for business-related purposes, and because of that, they're seeing travel numbers on par with last year.

Since a majority of the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport's customers are also business travelers, neither airport will be cutting flights in the near future.

Officials also say that a number of the seats being cut are a result of airlines using smaller aircraft, so the smaller planes used in regional airports aren't affected.

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