SkyWest Airlines files for termination of contract with Devils Lake Airport

K. William Boyer, Devils Lake Journal
·2 min read

DEVILS LAKE - SkyWest Airlines, the only commercial provider in Devils Lake, notified Devils Lake officials it will be filing a 90-day notice with the U.S. Department of Transportation to end service to the Devils Lake Regional Airport as well as 29 other service airports including Jamestown Regional Airport, significantly impacting travel for the area.

The airline is filing with the DOT to pull service from 29 airports. Dennis Olson, chairman of the Devils Lake Regional Airport Authority, confirmed that the Jamestown Regional Airport is also on this list.
The airline is filing with the DOT to pull service from 29 airports. Dennis Olson, chairman of the Devils Lake Regional Airport Authority, confirmed that the Jamestown Regional Airport is also on this list.

SkyWest began service for the area, with flights to Denver since 2014. SkyWest currently offers 12 round-trip flights per week to the Denver International Airport. The airline renewed its contract to provide service to the Devils Lake Regional Airport as part of the DOT Essential Air Service program, which ensures passengers from rural areas have access to the national air traffic system through June 2023.

SkyWest began service for the area, with flights to Denver since 2014.  SkyWest currently offers 12 round-trip flights per week to the Denver International Airport. The airline renewed its contract to provide service to the Devils Lake Regional Airport as part of the DOT Essential Air Service program, which ensures passengers from rural areas have access to the national air traffic system through June 2023.

Dennis Olson, chairman of the Devils Lake Regional Airport Authority, said the airline was a great service to work with and that termination is the result of the the airline facing an ongoing pilot shortage.

“It’s been steadily getting worse and worse and has finally come to a head for them,” Olson said in a statement.

Olson says the 90-day notice does not mean the airline will completely stop service to Devils Lake.

“We’ve got 90 days to come up with some solutions, and we may be able to eliminate one of our daily flights and still continue service,” he said. “Those are things we’ll be looking at in the next 90 days.”

Olson said travel in the airports has climbed steadily climbing again since the pandemic ended and to cease having that capability would have a huge impact on the community.

U.S. Sen. John Hoeven confirmed late Thursday that the state was working to ensure service continues in Devils Lake and Jamestown.

A representative said in an email to Grand Forks Herald that the state was working with the local communities and the Department of Transportation to ensure continued reliable air service to the communities of Jamestown and Devils Lake

"[We] will be petitioning DOT to ensure there is continued air service to these airports without any disruptions,” the email said.

This article originally appeared on Devils Lake Journal: SkyWest files for termination of contract with Devils Lake Airport