Goodbye, Big Sky: Airline makes last flights. Boss blames lack of security screening for airline’s demise

Hi-Line businesses, hospitals officials struggle to cope

After the last four Big Sky Airlines planes land in Billings this morning, taxi to their parking spots and unload passengers, an era in Montana flying history will end.

By JAN FALSTAD
Of The Gazette Staff

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/08/news/local/18-bsa.txt

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Hugs, tears mark final Big Sky Airlines flights http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/08/news/local/16-finalflights.txt

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Boss blames lack of security screening for airline’s demise

By JAN FALSTAD
Of The Gazette Staff

Loss of Essential Airline Service was the second blow this week to aviation officials across Eastern Montana.

On Wednesday, federal officials from the Transportation Security Administration laid out the reasons that providing airline screening at seven small Montana airports would cost millions and be "exorbitantly expensive."

A decision is expected in a couple of months about whether TSA will come to Montana, but the feds were not encouraging. They also said that their decision on providing security screening was unrelated to the question of whether air service will soon return across Eastern Montana.

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/08/news/local/21-security.txt

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evelopment Corporation http://www.maedc.org , is working with the Montana Economic Developers Association http://www.medamembers.org regarding the possibility of creating a consortium of local economic development organizations for the purpose of assisting the employees of Big Sky Airlines purchase the company.

“We are trying to determine if there is interest in this idea,” King stated. “From an economic development standpoint, it is important to Montana to have an airline that serves rural communities under the essential air services program and that also connects these communities with larger cities in Montana though unsubsidized routes.”

Mr. King pointed out that Big Sky’s flights from Missoula to Billings are often full and that the airline also connected Missoula to Boise and Portland. “Clearly, the most important goal is to ensure that communities served by the EAS contract continue to have service,” he stated, “but there may also be an opportunity for the employees to establish a successful airline that connects these communities to larger Montana cities.”

King also noted that Big Sky Airlines supports good paying jobs in Montana. He encourages anyone interested in this idea to send comments to Gloria O’Rourke at MEDA ([email protected]). Mr. King can be contacted at [email protected].

Dick King, President/CEO

Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation http://www.maedc.org

1121 E. Broadway

Missoula, MT 59802

(406) 532-3204

(406) 880-0720 cell