United Wins Air Service Bid

Despite recommendations from the Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Group that supported SkyWest as the region’s primary air service provider, the FAA yesterday named United Airlines as the winner of the Essential Air Service Bid.
The Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Group last month recommended to the FAA that Delta’s SkyWest connection remain in place as the primary provider for air service the Yellowstone Regional Airport. Both Delta and United had submitted bids for the federal Essential Air Service funds, and although United’s bid was significantly less than Delta’s, the CYAIR board recommended SkyWest based on the company’s reliability and in opposition to the difficulties that the board has experienced in the past with United.
Craig Wilbur is on both the Yellowstone Regional Airport Board and the CYAIR committee. He says that both boards were in agreement that they wanted Delta’s SkyWest to continue to serve the community, but from a financial standpoint, the $400,000 difference in bids made the difference for the federal government.

Wilbur points out that United Airlines will operate 2 nonstop round trips flights per day to Denver International Airport, using a 50-passenger regional jet, from October through May of each year. He says that SkyWest will continue to provide additional, unsubsidized connections to Salt Lake City in the summer months.
The new contract is set to begin in March.