Cargo airline considers options if contract lost

By Timothy R. Gaffney

Dayton Daily News

February 27, 2004

A Wichita, Kan.-based cargo airline has warned it will eliminate 121 jobs in Vandalia if it loses a contract with Menlo Freight Forwarding at Dayton International Airport, but a Menlo spokeswoman says the work isn't leaving.

Ryan International Airlines Inc. on Tuesday filed a notice with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services that it might eliminate the jobs on April 23. Ryan operates eight Dayton-based freighter jets under contract with CNF Inc., Menlo's parent company.

Menlo operates a freight hub at the airport and employs approximately 1,500 people in the Dayton area. Ryan is one of several contractors flying freight to and from the hub on CNF-owned planes.

CNF's contract with Ryan expires in May and several airlines are vying for the new contract, CNF Spokeswoman Nancy Colvert said from CNF's corporate headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.

"I wouldn't think there would be any economic impact on Dayton," she said.

CNF contracts with a number of cargo airlines to operate 30 planes it still owns under its Emery Worldwide Airlines subsidiary, Colvert said. CNF grounded the fleet and laid off its airline workforce in 2001 under pressure from the Federal Aviation Administration to correct safety violations. It eventually disbanded the airline.