SAWYER — Earlier this week Delta Airlines announced that on Jan. 10 it would be ending several flight routes throughout the Midwest, including the route from Sawyer International Airport to Minneapolis.

The Lake Superior Community Partnership, Northern Michigan University, InvestUP, Travel Marquette and Sawyer International Airport are teaming together to convince Delta to bring the flight route back.

“The flights are limited as it is coming in to Sawyer. It definitely will affect people coming into the area not only for vacation but also for visiting friends and family and also potentially business people, too,” Executive Director of Travel Marquette Susan Estler said. On average, there is one round trip to Minneapolis daily from Sawyer.

“Marquette County, the airport, and several of the businesses and leisure travelers that rely on this flight are deeply concerned with Delta’s position on discontinuing this flight. We are aggressively looking to reverse that decision and see if we’re able to get Delta to reinstate the Minneapolis flight,” Director of Operations and Airport Manager Duane DuRay said.

SkyWest Airlines is the contracted carrier for the Delta flights, but this decision was made solely by Delta.

“The Marquette community and the greater Upper Peninsula rely on these connections to the rest of the world and we are not taking this particular flight schedule change sitting down,” DuRay said.

Currently, the LSCP, NMU, InvestUP, Travel Marquette and Sawyer Airport are discussing options on how to approach and rectify this issue.

Taylor Johnson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is tjohnson@miningjournal.net.