Delta resuming direct flights from C.R. to Atlanta

Delta Air Lines will resume direct flights between the Eastern Iowa Airport and Atlanta in mid-August.

Delta pulled its direct flights to Atlanta from Cedar Rapids in August 2009 after the airline merged with Northwest Airlines and made various changes throughout its system.

Delta had begun service between Cedar Rapids and Atlanta with a daily flight in June 2006 and added a second flight in June 2007.

Delta representatives notified Airport Director Tim Bradshaw earlier this year of the airline's decision to offer seasonal non-stop service to Memphis starting June 19. Bradshaw said that seasonal service will operate until Aug. 15, then be switched to a daily Atlanta flight Aug. 16.

“We regularly hear from customers their desire to get back the non-stop service access to Atlanta,” Bradshaw said. “The connections offered out of Atlanta, both domestic and international, are excellent.”

Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and number of landings and take-offs since 1999, serving 88 million passengers per year.

Delta will offer the direct Atlanta flights on a 50-passenger Canadair regional jet.

The daily flight will leave Cedar Rapids at 6:15 a.m. and arrive in Atlanta at 9 a.m. Eastern time. The return trip will depart Atlanta at 7:20 p.m. Eastern and arrive in Cedar Rapids at 8:10 p.m. local time.

The Memphis flights, which also will use a 50-passenger Canadair jet, will leave Cedar Rapids at 6:10 a.m. and arrive in Memphis at 7:51 a.m. The return flight will leave Memphis at 7:30 p.m. and arrive in Cedar Rapids at 9:11 p.m.

“Both these Delta flights will be a real boost for the airport and gives regional travelers another option when planning a trip,” he said. “We would like to see the Memphis service be so popular that it would be offered year-round.”