And the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (RREDC) staff -- which led the community in bringing Delta Airlines to Humboldt County -- continues to encourage use of the eastbound service.

In the year since the service began, more than 45,000 passengers took Delta flights to and from the Arcata-Eureka Airport, Virginia Fisher of RREDC said. From June 2008 to December 2008 the average passenger numbers were at 73 percent of the aircrafts' capacity.

The downward slide got underway in January, February and March, in concert with the nationwide financial downturn, Fisher said. But, the numbers picked up and by May the average load factor was 74 percent. That upswing may have led to Delta's decision to scale back rather than totally eliminate service to and from the North Coast, Fisher said.

"To me they could have just pulled out and said we're outta here," she said.

Fisher said RREDC is keeping its connections open with Delta and will be encouraging travel until the service hiatus begins Sept. 1.

Humboldt State University, which prepurchased some $30,000 in advance travel, saw 120 employees fly east out of Arcata in the first year, HSU spokesman Paul Mann said.

"It gave us more flexibility to fly east," he said.

Since the announcement, Mann said the university had received calls from some prospective out-of-state students inquiring about how the change will impact the ease of traveling to and from home.

HSU is part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange Discount, Mann said, with provides in-state tuition levels for students coming from the 14 participating western states.