The Daily Inter Lake

Delta Air Lines will begin twice-weekly nonstop jet service between Atlanta and Kalispell in June.

It will be seasonal service only, beginning June 9 and continuing until Aug. 18, through the height of the summer tourism season.

Each direct flight will offer 150 seats on the Boeing 737-800 jets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The jets hold 14 first-class seats and 136 economy-class seats.

"This certainly adds capacity and offers a new opportunity for connections through Delta's hub in Atlanta," said Cindi Martin, Glacier Park International Airport director.

"Our summer service will be changing dramatically."

Delta's announcement comes on the heels of United Airlines' news that it will offer twice-a-day flights to Denver year-round starting June 7, and a daily round-trip flight to Chicago beginning June 9.

Currently, Martin said, 942 seats are available daily on incoming and outgoing flights offered through Northwest Airlines, its regional air link Horizon Air, and SkyWest Airlines, the regional link for United and Delta.

Delta, through SkyWest, now offers six 50-seat flights to Salt Lake City on peak travel days of Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday. It offers one fewer flight other days of the week.

After the June start-ups, Martin said, there will be 1,198 seats in and out of Kalispell each Wednesday and Saturday. All other days, 1,048 seats will be offered.

Martin said passenger numbers at Glacier Park International had been increasing steadily during recent years, but last year dropped by 7 percent from 2005 levels. But, because "our planes were always full," Martin said, she said the decrease most likely was due to the lack of availability rather than potential customers.

"The airport is continuously talking with incumbent carriers, ones that have an investment in the community, about business opportunities for them and increasing service and developing the airport," Martin said.

"And we're always talking to carriers to convince them that this airport makes sense in the business plans."

Linda Anderson, executive director of Glacier Country, said the tourism association "will now be able to actively pursue meetings, conventions and tourism programs more aggressively throughout the Delta route system."

A quick online price check turned up Delta fares starting at $549 for the new Kalispell-to-Atlanta round trip.

The expansion of Kalispell service coincides with Delta's similar seasonal schedule additions at Fort Smith, Ark., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Newburgh, N.Y., and State College, Pa.

Delta also is bringing back last summer's service to Bozeman, Boise, Idaho, Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Vancouver, British Columbia, for the travel season.

"When we think there is greater travel, we will offer" the schedule increases, said Gina Laughlin, a Delta spokeswoman in Atlanta.

"For airplanes on that route, our goal is to have very full planes."

Laughlin said the airline is poised to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy this spring. The company's plan of reorganization now is being sent to creditors for a vote, with a confirmation hearing scheduled for April 25. If approved, the plan will be put in place by May.

Business decisions, such as the expanded service to Kalispell, have been tailored to streamline the company's expenses and revenues.

"It's part of what we've been doing over the months," Laughlin said. In addition to adding nearly 20 new international markets last year, Delta wants "to ensure we are going to the right places, at the right times, with the right number of seats. We want to expand to destinations where it makes sense.

"With our operations to Salt Lake City," she said, "the demand was such that we think this will be a good addition."

Martin, too, is optimistic about opportunities that Delta's move will offer for newcomers to visit Northwest Montana and for repeat visitors to return.

"The consumer always wins when there's competition," Martin said, "and the consumer always wins when there's lots of choices."

Reporter Nancy Kimball may be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com