MOLINE, Ill. — If you're flying out of the Quad Cities International Airport, soon you'll no longer be able to get a nonstop flight to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
According to the airport, Delta Air Lines suspended its service from the Quad Cities to the Twin Cities effective Oct. 5. The carrier hasn't announced any plans to suspend its nonstop service from Moline to Atlanta.
While Americans are returning to airline travel in their biggest numbers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, like other industries, airlines are being hit with understaffing, which prevents them from operating as many flights as they would like to fulfill consumer demand.
Faced with limited pilots, airlines are forced to pull workers from smaller regional airports, leaving those airports with shortages and service disruptions.
"The ongoing pilot shortage continues to impact many regional airports and these decisions are unfortunately more and more common as a result," Quad Cities International Airport Spokesperson Ashleigh Davis said.
The Quad Cities airport has already begun reaching out to carriers to explore other nonstop flight opportunities out of Moline, Davis said.
The airport is also taking measures to help combat the pilot shortage.
"We are also committed to doing our part to create a pipeline of talent for the aviation industry by introducing kids in the QC area to the breadth of careers available through tours, career expos and events like Girls in Aviation Day," she said.