Delta bemoans costs at Atlanta airport

ATLANTA, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Delta Air Lines says rising costs at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have raised questions about company's future operations there.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday that the warning was made in a company memo.

"Our estimates show that the loss of connecting traffic routed through Atlanta could jeopardize billions of dollars in annual economic benefits, and could translate into higher prices and service reductions for consumers who fly locally from Hartsfield-Jackson," the memo stated.

Delta, which is based in Atlanta and recently took over Northwest Airlines, which had its headquarters in Minneapolis, is in negotiations with the airport on new airline leases.

In a Jan. 2 memo to Delta, Hartsfield-Jackson General Manager Ben DeCosta said construction on a new international terminal would be halted "on or about Jan. 26" if Delta and the airport could not reach agreement on the budget and memorandum of understanding by Jan. 16.