{"id":2458307,"date":"2020-05-11T12:11:21","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T18:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=325578"},"modified":"2020-05-11T12:11:21","modified_gmt":"2020-05-11T18:11:21","slug":"airlines-flying-empty-planes-to-small-colorado-airports-like-aspen-plead-for-ok-to-cut-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/airlines-flying-empty-planes-to-small-colorado-airports-like-aspen-plead-for-ok-to-cut-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Airlines flying empty planes to small Colorado airports like Aspen plead for OK to cut service"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A commercial aircraft departs Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.<\/strong>
Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

As empty planes touch down in quiet Colorado communities to meet federal rules for taking COVID-19 relief money, airlines are pleading with the Department of Transportation to let them suspend service. And when their requests are refused, airlines are getting creative with flights into Colorado\u2019s regional airports as travel collapses under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic. <\/p>\n

irlines that have taken federal support under the CARES Act must maintain \u201creasonable and practicable\u201d service. The major airlines are struggling under those definitions. Delta, American and United recently filed exemption requests to suspend flights into dozens of regional airports, including Eagle, Aspen, Gunnison and Montrose in Colorado. <\/p>\n

The CARES Act requires airlines to retain a minimum level of service to airports they served the week of Feb. 29, 2020 or the week of Aug. 4, 2019. That can be a challenge for airlines that provide different levels of service to resort destinations in the winter than in the summer. <\/p>\n

Last week the DOT denied service exemptions<\/a> requested by American seeking to curtail service into Eagle, Aspen and Montrose, while allowing the airline to cut flights to Hawaii. The transportation agency also last week denied United\u2019s request<\/a> to cut service to several smaller destinations, including Gunnison after the airline inexplicably listed Aspen\u2019s airport<\/a> \u2014 a nearly 170-mile drive from Gunnison \u2014 as a viable replacement for service. <\/p>\n

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