HEBRON, Ky. - The computer failure that shut down Comair's national flight schedule on Christmas could hurt the airline's reputation with travelers in the long run, industry analysts said.

Comair, a regional carrier based at the Cincinnati airport, will have to work to prevent losing customers because of the cancellations, said Suzanne Betts, an analyst with Argus Research Corp. in New York City. Federal officials said they will investigate Comair's shutdown to try and prevent a recurrence.