Tourism commissioner says cheaper air travel would stimulate business

ATLANTA - The sky-high cost of flying between Atlanta and the rest of Georgia is keeping cities such as Augusta and Savannah from cashing in on major business opportunities, the state&#39;s tourism commissioner said. <br> <br> Attracting new businesses to the state requires inexpensive airplane flights to other parts of the state, said R.K. Sehgal, Georgia commissioner of industry, trade and tourism. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s a really big issue for us to grow,&#39;&#39; he said Friday at the 2002 Governor&#39;s Conference on Tourism in Atlanta. <br> <br> Officials from Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport and Delta Air Lines, Hartsfield&#39;s largest carrier, said fares to other Georgia cities remain high because of low air traffic. <br> <br> ``It really is a capacity issue,&#39;&#39; said John Boatright, vice president of properties and strategic planning for Delta. <br> <br> Fares between Atlanta and other Georgia cities vary dramatically depending on how far in advance a ticket is purchased.