Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
A pilot shortage has SkyWest Airlines reevaluating which airports it serves across the country. The carrier is a regional affiliate of United, bringing planes into and out of Houghton County Memorial Airport from O’Hare in Chicago. It is looking to maximize profit by focusing on more popular routes, and that leaves 29 markets, including the Copper Country, in the lurch.
Airport Manager Dennis Hext says SkyWest can’t leave until there is a replacement carrier contracted to fly from the facility. A 100-day bid process is now open with the United States Department of Transportation. Hext says every option is on the table.
Even if DOT does not get a bid, it still has the power to compel SkyWest to continue service for the near term, although at slightly reduced frequency to the current arrangement.
Hext says patrons should not worry about booking for future months. If carriers are exchanged, there are procedures in place to make sure customers are refunded in quick order.
Hext says traffic volumes at Houghton County Memorial Airport are above pre-pandemic levels. SkyWest’s decision to leave is not related to an unexpected loss of business, and instead can be solely blamed on a lack of pilots.
