Northwest Airlines has informed the City of Dubuque they plan to file papers to pull service out of the Dubuque Airport. Airport manager Andrew Perry says the decision is a sign of the times for smaller airports.
He says it’s a purely financial decision, as the airlines are hemorrhaging so badly right now that they’re cutting anywhere they see some red, and unfortunately Dubuque was one of those areas. Perry says the future looks bright for Dubuque, but the airline is trying to stop the bleeding now. Perry says the airport will have to come up with another plan.
He says they can’t rely on neighboring airports to bring people in for the new “America’s River Project” and for businesses in the city. Perry says it will take some time to get a plan in place. Northwest will continue service for three months after the request to withdraw service from Dubuque is approved.