IRON MOUNTAIN -- Delta Airlines is cutting flights to 24 cities nationwide including Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Sault Ste Marie.

The proposed changes would have Escanaba losing one flight per day and Iron Mountain potentially losing all three.

But Delta Airlines is under contract with Ford Airport in Iron Mountain until August 2012 and still needs approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation before implementing changes.  Ford Airport officials said flights will continue to operate either with Delta or another carrier.

Upper Michigan’s Source has confirmed that Frontier Airlines has shown interest in picking up Ford Airport’s flights in the future.

Delta is sighting 14 million dollars in annual losses and reduced passenger loads for needing to make the change.

Iron Mountain flights average a 48.7 percent load factor.

In its press release, Delta said if the U.S. DOT approves the plan, the airline will continue service until an alternative carrier is selected.