Oil claims more airline services

AirTran will suspend its direct service from Akron to Las Vegas, Akron-Canton Airport said today. The flight, which began in August, will be suspended this May.

Judy Graham-Weaver, a spokeswoman for the airline, said a flight from Flint to Las Vegas also will end then. She blamed rising oil prices, which lead to higher jet fuel costs.

AirTran will continue flying out of Akron-Canton, with direct service to Orlando, Tampa, Boston, Atlanta and New York/LaGuardia.

Kristie Van Auken, Akron-Canton’s marketing director, said Frontier Airlines, another low-cost carrier that just signed with the airport in 2005, will offer connecting flights to Las Vegas, and AirTran also will have connecting flights to Vegas and 39 other destinations through its Atlanta hub.

Cleveland Plain Dealer