Great Lakes Airlines will discontinue its services to Laramie in November after the contract to serve the area was granted to SkyWest Airlines.
Monica Taylor-Lee, the director of public relations for Great Lakes, said the decision to leave Laramie was not in Great Lakes’ hands.
“Laramie falls under the Essential Air Service and every two years a proposal has to be submitted to maintain a contract to serve the airport,” Taylor-Lee said.
Great Lakes has served Laramie since 1998 and is not necessarily choosing to leave now, Taylor-Lee said.
“It is not a choice for Great Lakes to leave but we will be discontinuing our services because it is a contract service that was awarded to SkyWest this time,” Taylor-Lee said.
SkyWest submitted a proposal stating that it would offer 14 weekly round trips to Denver with a 30-passenger aircraft for an annual charge of $1.6 million, according to a document released by the United States Department of Transportation regarding the change of services.
Great Lakes offered more trips proposing 18 round trips per week, which equaled three week day and one weekend trip to Denver for a charge of $1.5 million. However, Great Lakes only offered a 19-passenger aircraft.
“The airport manager and city council have a say in these situations and they liked that SkyWest could provide larger aircrafts for the Laramie area,” Taylor-Lee said.
The community was greatly in favor for SkyWest to begin serving the Laramie area, according to the DOT.
“At Laramie, we were faced with a choice between SkyWest and Great Lakes, and all the feedback we received from the community supported SkyWest’s proposal. In addition, SkyWest has provided reliable Essential Air Service at a number of communities for several years and we are confident that SkyWest will not only meet the air service needs of the community but also enhance its existing air service,” the DOT said.
Prior to the switch, Great Lakes is to contact those who have already made reservations with its airline for dates following the suspension of its service to help them make other travel arrangements without a penalty, according to the DOT.
SkyWest will be operating under United Express and will begin serving Laramie on Nov. 4 when Great Lakes ceases its services.
The contract for SkyWest to serve Laramie will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2014, when the contract will be up for renewal.
Great Lakes will continue to operate in Worland and Cheyenne.
