SkyWest/United Airlines will be altering their schedule for the foreseeable future to one morning passenger flight to Denver daily with a return flight in the evening.
Western Nebraska Regional Airport Manager Raul Aguallo told KNEB News the Department of Transportation did authorize SkyWest to drop back to six flights per week. Aguallo said Skywest has agreed to do seven per week, which is a bit of a win.
For the foreseeable future but at least the month of May, SkyWest will operate a morning flight departing at 9:17 a.m. The return flight will arrive at 7:14 p.m.
Aguallo said the aircraft will no longer be staying over night. After dropping off passengers in the evening, the aircraft will proceed on to Pierre, South Dakota, where it will overnight before taking an early morning flight to Denver and then returning to Scottsbluff for the 9:17 a.m. Flight.
Passenger numbers have dwindled nationwide during the coronavirus pandemic, with subsidized airlines like SkyWest struggling to make ends meet while maintaining their contracted flights.
The DOTs plan authorizes payment of 50 percent of the contracted per-flight subsidy for flights that are not operated, so long as the airline completes at least one round trip a day for that EAS community.
