Cleveland, state assess loss of United hub

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

State and local officials moved Sunday to assess the loss of 60 percent of United Airlines departures when the carrier drops its money-losing Cleveland hub.

The state of Ohio said it would try to reverse the decision, which will cost 470 jobs.

The loss had been feared at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport since United merged in 2010 with Continental, which had a hub in Cleveland.

The city-owned airport said Sunday it would not comment on the cutbacks announced in a letter from the airline’s CEO to United employees.

Sunday the city is assessing the situation and will address the issue today.

“We received the information regarding United’s announcement on air service reductions. We are reviewing the information and assessing the impact,” spokeswoman Maureen Harper said in an email Sunday.

Ed FitzGerald, executive for Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, said Sunday the county would help displaced workers and try to preserve air service.

“We will continue to focus on the future and work with the private sector and other government entities to increase air service to our area,” he said in a statement.

Gov. John Kasich said Saturday night that the state would work to have United reconsider the decision.

“Hopefully this situation can be reversed over time and we’re going to continue to work with United to try to eventually do that,” he said.

Joe Roman, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership representing the business community, said the group would try to replace the lost service.

Airline consultant Michael Boyd told The Plain Dealer that carriers are not expanding in the United States and need fewer airports for connections to other destinations.

“The merger didn’t take away the connecting hub, the economics of the airline industry did,” he said. Among the bottom line pressures is the cost of jet fuel, Boyd said, that has made 50-seat commuters jets largely unprofitable.

The company’s CEO Jeff Smisek said United’s daily departures from the city will fall from 199 currently to 72 by June.

The cutbacks will be in one-third increments in April, May and June, according to Smisek.