Report of merger-related cuts at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is just "noise,'' the head of Team NEO says
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Business leader Tom Waltermire, chief executive of Team NEO, said diminished capacity at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport would hurt the region and its corporate community.
But he found little to worry about in reports that Continental had considered deep cuts in flights at the airport.
Continental documents describing the cuts emerged from a U.S. District Court in San Francisco, where plaintiffs seek to block the merger with United Airlines.
In a statement, Continental said the deep cuts were among a number of scenarios the airline studied before the merger. Singling out one is a "legal maneuver'' meant to distort facts, Continental said today.
"The numbers were serious, but numbers in a story mean nothing unless you understand the context and the source,'' said Waltermire, whose group leads business attraction in the region. ''This is just noise.''
Likewise, Gov. Ted Strickland said he was encouraged by Continental's swift response affirming its commitment to Cleveland.
But he wants to speak with Continental Chief Executive Jeff Smisek as soon as possible, said spokeswoman Kelly Schlissberg.
Strickland will stress his support for "making this merger a net positive for the city of Cleveland and ensuring Continental's Hub continues to grow and prosper.''
The governor sees the worst-case scenario described in court documents as "an unacceptable outcome,'' Schlissberg said.
Business leaders are anxious about the merger's impact on the Cleveland airport.
A cut in flights "means less direct flights, it means longer flights and maybe higher costs,'' Waltermire said. "It makes us more like the other cities in the Midwest. Right now, we have an advantage with that Continental hub.''
But losing a hub won't upend the local economy, Waltermire said.
"Columbus and Indianapolis don't have hubs and last time I checked they are not doing too badly.''