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As small airports leave the scene, are communities taking a hit?

Thief River Falls airport
The Thief River Falls Regional Airport in Thief River Falls, Minn. Great Lakes Airlines, a small regional carrier, suspended its service in February to Thief River Falls, where employees and employers said the air service was a crucial link to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and beyond.
Jackie Lorentz/AP

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Many communities across the state are served by small, local airports. But this model no longer makes economic sense, many are arguing.

Domestic air service has declined for the last six years, and this decline has disproportionally impacted small and medium-sized airports, according to a study conducted by the MIT International Center for Air Transportation.

High operating costs and declining flight traffic will force these airports to close, and passengers will be rerouted to larger terminals, the report suggests.

Does the closing of small, local airports threaten the communities that they serve? Are these airports worth saving? Leave your comments below.