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Big Sky Airlines seeks more riders
GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) — Ticket sales for Big Sky Airlines continue to be about a third of what the company wants.
"We’re still seeing good response to our schedules. However, we’re still not meeting budget expectations yet," Executive Vice President Craig Denney said Tuesday.
Some 208 passengers boarded Big Sky flights in Gillette in January. Ideally, Denney said, the airline would like to see that number be about 600 a month.
Low ticket sales, high fuel prices, recent terrorist alerts, the ongoing crises in Iraq and North Korea and a plodding economy all have taken a toll on the airline, and the industry, Denney said.
Big Sky began flying in and out of Wyoming on routes between Gillette, Casper, and Billings in late October.
Earlier last year, Campbell and Natrona counties each pledged $250,000 to match a $500,000 federal grant to help fund the project, which included buying a 19-seat Metroliner airplane.
Denney had said in November that he hoped travel during the holiday season would jump-start sales for the airline once fliers became familiar with the service. But ticket sales for Big Sky flights between Gillette and Billings plummeted by 41 percent between December and January.
On Jan. 14, the airline was compelled to start running only two scheduled flights a day on its Wyoming routes instead of three.
In mid-November, the company managed to solidify a code-share agreement with Northwest Airlines for its Wyoming flights, which also code-share with Alaska Airlines and America West Airlines. Code-sharing allows passengers to take advantage of competitive connecting fares, simpler ticketing, baggage transfers and frequent flier programs.
Gillette-Campbell County Airport manager Jay Lundell remains "cautiously optimistic" about Big Sky’s Wyoming operation, just as he was when the service opened in October. He pointed to the two-year agreement the carrier has with the airport.
"Either we make it or we don’t in that period of time. That should be sufficient time for both the airline and the community to make sure it’s going to work," Lundell said.
Lundell said 1,923 passengers flew out of the airport in January, compared to 1,706 in January 2002.
"We’re up 13 percent from last year. If it weren’t for Big Sky, we’d be below where we were last year," Lundell said.
Lundell said he thought it would be important to continue advertising and marketing a "fly local campaign."
He also said the airport should continue to work with area travel agents to book flights in the area for not only Big Sky but the airport’s other carrier, Great Lakes Airlines.
Campbell County Chamber of Commerce President Brenda Boss agreed, saying that the carriers play a crucial role in the success of area businesses.
"It’s still just so important to make sure that we’re supporting the airlines," she said.
Denney said that, despite the difficult economy, Big Sky has kept its introductory fare between Gillette and Billings without taxes at $60, which requires a 21-day in advance booking. The airline also offers $50 medical fares.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
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