Continuing airline shakeout affects Burlington flights

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(Host) A shakeout in the airline industry continues to affect flights out of Vermont’s largest airport.

US Airways flights between Burlington International and LaGuardia Airport in New York are likely to stop next year.

Burlington Airport Director Brian Searles says service to New York is important for the region.

(Searles) "New York is our biggest market and we don’t want to lose service to LaGuardia and I don’t believe we will. It’s really all about where people can make connections, so if there’s hub activity and somebody can use it as a New York destination airport and make connections, then it’ll be a good move for some airline. We’ve just got to find the right one."

(Host) The change is coming because USAirways and Delta have exchanged some of the slots for operating out of LaGuardia.

That will result in US Airways picking up more business through Reagan National Airport in Washington, another important destination from Burlington.

Searles says Burlington could get more flights to Washington. And he’s hopeful that a different airline or regional commuter service will fly between Burlington and LaGuardia.

In a few weeks, service between Burlington and Baltimore-Washington International Airport will end for the season.

AirTran decided to offer the service only during the busier summer months.

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