Joplin flights can be booked beyond December, airline says

Debby Woodin, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Dec. 9—Flights on SkyWest Airlines at the Joplin Regional Airport can continue to be booked beyond Dec. 31, the airline reports.

City officials said last week they remained hopeful service will continue but had no guarantee.

SkyWest's corporate communications office said in responding to a Globe email last week about the status that passengers can continue to book flights in and out of Joplin into next year using the airline's website at www.united.com.

"Since we announced changes back in March we have continued working with officials to maintain our service in Joplin," the SkyWest response stated. "Passengers are able to book flights at united.com beyond December and we are continuing to work with airport leaders on any flight schedule adjustments.

"We appreciate the support we've seen from our customers and local community leaders as we work to ensure we can continue to provide solid, reliable service," the airline spokesman said.

Bart Starkey, manager of the Joplin Regional Airport, said in an email response to Globe questions about the status of SkyWest flights to Chicago and Denver: "We are in regular communication with the airline and are dealing with this on a month-to-month basis. Hopefully, we can weather this storm and come out better in the end."

Flights remained unchanged in November when SkyWest provided 12 round-trip flights a week, seven to Chicago and five to Denver, Starkey said. There is one change in the Chicago route for December.

"The Chicago flight will include a stop-over at Decatur, Illinois," Starkey wrote in the email. "It's my understanding that Joplin passengers will not deplane, they will just board Decatur passengers to Chicago. Same with the return flight."

SkyWest notified the U.S. Department of Transportation in March that the airline intended to terminate United Express service at Joplin and 28 other United Express communities last summer. The airline said the reason was a national pilot shortage that has affected many U.S. airlines and led to flight cancellations.

Joplin and 28 other cities receive the service from a DOT program that provides subsidies to the airline. The department issued an order in response to SkyWest's notification that required SkyWest to continue service temporarily while bids were sought. Only one bid from a small airline with limited service, Boutique Air, offered service to some cities.

Joplin and its airport management worked with the city's airline consultant, Mike Mooney, from Volaire Aviation Consulting, and with SkyWest officials to find a way to continue the SkyWest service because Joplin's passenger counts have been strong, the airport director said.

On June 13, the city submitted a letter from its airport board director rejecting the Boutique Air proposal and asking that the SkyWest service be continued with fewer flights.