Get our free mobile app

You won't be able to leave the Land of 10,000 (Frozen) Lakes this winter to head to warmer climes on this airline because it just canceled flights from Minnesota this winter.

The airline industry was pretty severely impacted when the pandemic first hit two years ago. With everybody staying home, airlines shuttered planes and tried to pare down their total number of employees to stay afloat. Now, though, seeing as travel demand has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, many airlines are struggling to hire enough employees to staff all their routes.

As we've been seeing since the summer travel season kicked into high gear late this spring, many airlines haven't had a lot of success. As this CNBC story notes, cancellations due to lack of staff available have been numerous, and have made flying anywhere lately challenging. As a result, airlines have been canceling thousands of flights they know they won't be able to staff throughout the summer, and now stretching into the busy holiday travel season.

attachment-Play 8 Rochester Area Golf Courses (1)
loading...

And some have canceled whole routes like Denver-based Frontier Airlines just did-- and one affects us here in Minnesota. According to this story from travel site Simple Flying, Frontier just trimmed its winter schedule and canceled over 4,000 flights-- with one of the cuts being a flight that left from the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and flew down to Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida.

Simple Flying said Frontier's MSP-MCO flight, which had been scheduled to run 5 times per week this season, was one of 43 'reasonably well-established' winter routes that have been pulled from Frontier's schedule. It also cut several flights to Florida from various locations in Wisconsin, as well. Simple Flying also said it and believes those cuts may be permanent.

So, if you're looking to fly to Florida this winter, you've got one less option here in the North Star State. (However, did you know there's at least one direct flight to a warm weather destination that leaves from here in Rochester?)

Listen to Curt St. John in the Morning
Weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5

The Worst Things You Can Eat or Drink Before Flying

If you’re flying to go see family or friends or just heading out on vacation, here are some things you definitely should NOT eat or drink right before hopping on a plane. And keep scrolling along for a couple of ideas of good food for you to eat before you take off.

More From KQCL Power 96