Erie International Airport will be served by just one airline beginning June 2.

United Airlines has made the "strategic but difficult decision" to suspend service at Erie and at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois, on that date, according to an announcement by the airline to airport staff.

Erie International Airport Executive Director Derek Martin confirmed the suspension of Erie service Friday morning.

Earlier this month: Larger jets provide more seats for Erie-Chicago travelers

"After careful analysis of operations and market demand, United Airlines has determined that it is necessary to adjust its route network to better align with its business objectives and improve its overall efficiency. These decisions are not made lightly, and we understand their impact on the teams in those locations and the United Ground Express community as a whole," United said in the announcement.

United drops DC service: Here's why

United Ground Express is a subsidiary of United Airlines that provides United service at Erie, Springfield and other airports.

United provides four flights daily between Erie and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The airline launched the Erie-Chicago service in June 2014 after grounding Erie-Cleveland routes that it had flown since 2010.

You can still get there from here:: But travel options in and from Erie are changing

More recently, United provided daily flights between Erie and Washington, D.C., from December 2020 until March 2022.

American Airlines will be the only airline serving Erie once United takes flight. American provides four daily flights between Erie and Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 2021: With Delta's return to Erie up in the air, here's a look at the airline's future and the airport's past

American previously offered service between Erie and Chicago and Erie and Philadelphia. The Philadelphia service ended in 2019, the Chicago service in 2020.

Airport officials will urge the airline to resume its Erie-Chicago service, Martin said.

"We will be meeting with them to talk about that next week," Martin said.

United's departure from Erie will be the second by a major airline in three years. Delta Air Lines ended Erie service in July 2020. The airline had provided daily flights between Erie and Detroit and earlier offered Erie-Atlanta and Erie-Cincinnati service.

Erie International Airport has been working to make itself more attractive to airlines, but it will take "a joint community effort" to increase Erie air service, Erie Regional Airport Authority President Dan Giannelli said in an emailed statement Friday.

"United's decision just underscores the competitiveness for air service. Airlines have limited routes and are looking for the cheapest airports to fly out of," Giannelli said. "Although we have worked to reduce our expenses by 25% over the last few years, other communities have programs that are supplementing that expense to attract service.

"Fortunately, over the past six months we have been working with local officials, business leaders and regional airlines to implement a similar program. We are hoping to announce positive developments shortly. We have good people doing good work, but it is a competitive market that needs a joint community effort," Giannelli said.

United pledged to work with staff at the two airports whose jobs will be terminated.

"Our teams have been contacted, and we will continue to provide support, information and assistance in the coming months," the United announcement said.

The airline also will help travelers find other options, a United Airlines spokeswoman said.

"We’re proactively reaching out to impacted customers to discuss their options," she said.

Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: United Airlines will no longer offer Erie service effective June 2