However, the DOT ultimately makes the selection.Ĭollett said he couldn't speculate on how soon a new carrier could begin providing service. He said the DOT will then provide those proposals in summary form to the city, which will give input.

'We have relationships with all the major airlines.'Ĭarriers have until April 11 to submit proposals to the Department of Transportation, according to Collett. We will definitely call upon the airlines and contacts that we have,' Collett said. SkyWest must continue to serve the market until the federal government selects a replacement carrier. 'We would take that into consideration on the community preference.'Įarlier this month, SkyWest announced its intent to pull out of Sioux Gateway and 28 other airports as early as this summer due to a shortage of pilots. 'We would like to see the current destinations in the mix, but, really the carrier can propose any destinations,' Collett said. SkyWest offers two daily connecting routes to and from Sioux City - one each to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Denver International Airport. 'It might be a rebooking here, because we don't even know who the ultimate provider is yet.'Ĭollett said he anticipates that other airlines will be interested in offering service from Sioux Gateway under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which is currently federally subsidizing SkyWest's flights from Sioux City. 'If you book today, when a new carrier is found, they will either try to rebook you out of another airport or refund your money,' he said. 2-SIOUX CITY - If SkyWest Airlines, Sioux Gateway Airport's lone carrier, pulls out of the Sioux City market ahead of the busy summer travel season, will passengers be left in the lurch?Īssistant City Manager Mike Collett said the goal is to keep the transition to a new airline 'smooth.' He said it's possible that a different United Airlines regional carrier could be chosen.

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