City still hoping for Denver flights

After two years of flying east, going west may be in the future for flight service at McCook Regional Airport.

The McCook City Council unanimously approved a recommendation Monday from the airport advisory board to accept Great Lakes Aviation's proposal for one-stop service to Kansas City, but to also pursue the possibility of flights to Denver.

Doug Vap, Chairman of the Airport Advisory Commission, told the council that he has been in contact with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the agency that will determine which airline carrier is awarded the essential air service at McCook Regional Airport, and also with Great Lakes Aviation.

The current essential air service carrier assigned by the DOT to McCook and Grand Island, Air Midwest/Mesa, had provided flights to Omaha and Kansas City for both cities but requested in January the termination of their contract.

Vap said the DOT indicated that it was willing to work with the city in determining what was best for McCook, depending on what Great Lakes is prepared to offer.

And talks with Great Lakes were positive as well, he said.

As of now, the only proposal from Great Lakes is service to Kansas City, with one stop in Grand Island, Salina or Hays, Kan., but airline officials have indicated that an option of a non-stop flight to Denver could be possible.

The option on the table now includes a connecting flight to Denver from the Salina or Hays stop for an additional fee, Vap said, but the DOT traditionally does not allow dual hubs.

Great Lakes was the essential air service carrier in McCook for about two years, until the contract was up for renewal in 2006. At that time the city asked the DOT for service with Air Midwest/Mesa because of the low fares to Omaha.

Councilman Lonnie Anderson questioned why the Great Lakes proposal did not include flights to Omaha, as it seemed to be a popular flight.

Vap said the flights to Omaha from McCook were a success because of the low fares Air Midwest/Mesa offered but that passenger rates dropped by 50-60 percent when the fares were doubled.

Most of these passengers, he said, weren't business types but grandparents and other family relatives and those traveling to Omaha for medical purposes or gambling venues.

Omaha also was a popular destination for McCook passengers because of a marketing grant that promoted local people to fly out of McCook instead of people coming in.

But business passengers coming into McCook appreciate the Denver service. "People coming in don't want to go on to Omaha," Vap told the council.

"It all depends on whether you're coming or going."

Council member Colleen Grant noted that in a 2007 study, the majority of the people wanted to go west instead of east. Councilman Aaron Kircher agreed and said most people he talked to requested flights to Denver as it's easier to find connecting flights. But he questioned what kind of rates Great Lakes would charge to Denver.

Great Lakes, the essential air service for the North Platte airport, offers round-trip flights to Denver at between $194-303, depending on whether flights are booked at the ticket counter or 14 days in advance, Vap said.

He asked that city staff draft a letter to Great Lakes requesting a proposal for Denver flights.

Regardless of what option is pursued, air service at McCook's airport is one of the most critical economic development tools the city has, he stressed.

"If we lost it, we'd be just another dot on the map," he said.