Feds: United Airlines can temporarily suspend service to Lansing airport

Sarah Lehr
Lansing State Journal

LANSING – Federal officials are allowing United Airlines to suspend flights in and out of Lansing's airport through Sept. 30.

United Airlines cited plummeting demand because of the COVID-19 outbreak when it sought an exemption to its service agreement.

It's not clear how soon United will choose to halt its trips from Lansing to Chicago, said Spencer Flynn, a spokesman for the Capital Region International Airport, although he added he expects the United flights to return Oct. 1.

Related: Delta Airlines aims to suspend service to Lansing. Federal officials want the request denied

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued an order May 22 that tentatively granted United's request to suspend flights through Lansing and other locations without losing its federal aid through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The period for filing an objection to that order expired at the end of the day Thursday. 

In the meantime, flights are still available from Lansing's airport to Detroit and Chicago via Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.

More: $10 million to help offset losses at Capital Region International Airport

American has temporarily dropped its flights from Lansing to Washington D.C. and Delta has stopped scheduling trips from Lansing to Minneapolis amid the pandemic. 

Because of virus-related travel restrictions, Apple Vacations, the airport's only international carrier, ended its season early by halting flights this spring from Lansing to Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republican.

The parking lot in front of Capital Region International Airport, pictured Monday, March 23, 2020, in Lansing, Mich.

Read more: Capital Area Airport Authority approves $42K raise for interim president and CEO

United is the second-busiest carrier at the Capital Region International Airport after Delta, and the airport will take a financial hit because of the suspension, Flynn said. 

The airport received $10.3 million through the CARES Act and that aid could help offset the loss. The airport's operating budget is about $16 million.

Related: Coronavirus patient stopped from boarding plane in Lansing

United representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Flynn said he expects the airline would make an official announcement early next week. 

Delta had previously sought to suspend flights to Lansing without forfeiting the money the airline received from the federal coronavirus relief package. Federal officials have not granted that request from Delta.

Contact reporter Sarah Lehr at slehr@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahGLehr.