SkyWest subsidy comes to an end

CASPER (WNE) — The flight times. The size of the aircraft. The lack of ability to attract customers. The money required to keep it running. It was just not doable anymore.

The Natrona County Board of County Commissioners has voted to stop funding the minimum revenue guarantee that subsidized a SkyWest Airlines flight from Casper to Salt Lake City and back.

The day before, on June 17, the Casper-Natrona County Airport Board voted to do the same.

For the airport’s only other carrier besides United Express — which flies to and from Denver — local entities expressed disappointment and regret, but said that it is time to let it go.

SkyWest is a regional airline that has partnered with Delta to offer a flight to Salt Lake City, a Delta hub, where passengers can make their connection to other locations. SkyWest currently operates two flights per day out of Casper: one in the morning outbound, and one in the evening inbound.

But Delta sets the ticket prices and the times of their flights.

The state and county subsidize the flight; the state gives 40% and the county 60%. It is not, on its own, profitable.

Ultimately, SkyWest will be the one to decide the flight’s fate. But no one the Star-Tribune talked to said that they believe continuing the flight would be a good business decision for the company, and no one has any idea when SkyWest would decide to cut the Delta-branded flight, if it does.

A call to Delta’s communications and media line asking about the future of the flight was unanswered as of Tuesday.

This story was published on June 27, 2024.