Delta, Not Hartsfield-Jackson, Leads Opposition Against Passenger Service at Paulding Co.

Delta’s opposition isn’t even directly about Delta, says spokesman Trebor Banstetter.  Instead, it’s about Delta’s home turf.

“One of the reasons that [Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport] has evolved into such an economic force is because it is the sole airport in the region where passenger airlines operate,” says Banstetter.

That sets Atlanta apart from other major cities like Dallas/Ft. Worth, New York and Chicago.  Each has a secondary airport dividing the market. 

But if Delta is the hard-hitting player on the field, Hartsfield Jackson itself is more like the lackadaisical fan on the sideline.

“Our preference is the planes fly in and out of here,” says airport general manager Louis Miller.  ”But we’re not going to do anything publicly [to fight against] the Paulding County airport.”

Miller says the city commissioned a study a few years ago that showed building a second major commercial airport for Atlanta doesn’t make economic sense.

As Miller sees it, Paulding County is anything but major. Its proposing a handful of flights each week, most likely from just one airline. 

“Paulding County is a little different with what they’re talking about, and we didn’t do any studies on that.”

While Paulding County’s plans are small now, Banstetter says Delta must take a long, forward look.  The concern is that what’s now small competitive nuisance at best to Hartsfield-Jackson could one day divide Atlanta’s cash cow of an airport.

And that’s why Delta opposes not just Paulding County’s plans, but any effort to cipher traffic from Hartsfield-Jackson.