United will continue to fly in and out of Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport through at least early July, after the Federal Aviation Administration turned down the airline’s request to temporarily halt service.
The Chicago-based carrier filed the request with the U.S. Department of Transportation early in April on the grounds that it served a nearby airport that offered the same service.
Kalamazoo was among the 22 markets in which United had sought to suspend operations, but the FAA only approved requests for seven.
“The department believes it struck an appropriate balance between the needs of communities to retain at least minimal connections to the national air transportation system during the public health emergency, as required by the CARES Act, and the economic needs of the airline industry,” according to the FAA decision, reported by Aviation Pros.
United offers daily service from Kalamazoo to Chicago O’Hare. Airport Director Craig Williams said United, along with American Airlines and Delta Airlines, used to average a combined 10 or 11 flights out of Kalamazoo a day prior to the outbreak. Now they're down to one flight per day.
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