Cape Girardeau airport board wants air service to Chicago

Editor's note: The following story has been edited to reflect that the estimated price of the ticket is one way, not round trip. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error.

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport would have flight service to Chicago if the city's airport board has its way.

The board unanimously recommended Tuesday the Cape Girardeau City Council choose the proposal of Utah-based SkyWest Airlines, which would provide two round-trip flights weekdays to Chicago.

The airline, which would operate as United Express, would provide one direct flight to Chicago and another flight that would make a stop in Quincy, Illinois.

Airport manager Bruce Loy said the airline also would provide a morning departure on Saturdays and two arrivals and one departure on Sundays.

Airport board chairman Robert Cork and vice chairman Justin Albright said they believe the service to Chicago will boost boardings. Cape Girardeau airport officials would like to increase boardings to 10,000 a year, which would allow the airport to qualify for additional federal grant money.

Albright said SkyWest has gone over the 10,000 boardings level at "almost every city" they serve.

The city council is expected to vote Monday on making a formal recommendation to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which will make the final decision under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program.

The EAS provides federal subsidies to airlines that provide passenger service to Cape Girardeau and other small airports.

SkyWest Airlines is seeking an annual $2.98 million federal subsidy to serve Cape Girardeau and another $2.65 million subsidy to service Quincy.

Both cities are making their recommendations to DOT, Loy said.

SkyWest's proposal lists an average one-way fare of $87 to Chicago.

If approved, the two-year contract would begin on Dec. 1. SkyWest would replace Cape Air, which has served Cape Girardeau since November 2009.

Cape Air provides round-trip flights to St. Louis, a destination board members view as no longer desirable.

Flights to St. Louis had to compete with Interstate 55, Cork said. When fuel prices decreased, more people chose to drive to the St. Louis airport, he added.

Cape Air was one of five airlines that submitted proposals, but it was the only one that offered service only to St. Louis, Cork said after the board's decision.

Albright said SkyWest is the largest regional airline in the nation, operating commuter flights under the United, American and Delta brands in different parts of the country. The airline operates 2,000 flights a day, he added.

Albright said SkyWest would provide Cape Girardeau with "a real airliner."

Cork and Albright said Chicago O'Hare is a major hub for air service, making it convenient for Cape Girardeau passengers to connect to United flights and service from other major air carriers to destinations across the nation and the world.

Albright said St. Louis can't offer as many connections.

"St. Louis has become a middleman airport," he said, adding SkyWest's service will eliminate the middle man.

SkyWest would fly passengers on a 50-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft. The others would use turboprop planes that seat eight to nine passengers, Loy said.

The jet would have a flight attendant and a restroom, something none of the other airlines offered in their proposals, board members said.

"This is a totally different class of passenger space than we have had here," Albright said, adding the jet can fly at a speed of 560 miles an hour.

Albright said the SkyWest jet will be the largest aircraft to serve Cape Girardeau since federal deregulation of the airlines in 1978 and the departure of Ozark Airlines.

"We are pretty excited about it," Albright said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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