Up in the air: Quincy may be sticking point for flights from Cape to Chicago

The Cape Girardeau City Council hopes to land air service to Chicago, but it's unclear whether the U.S. Department of Transportation will approve it.

Council members voted unanimously Monday to recommend the U.S. Department of Transportation award a two-year contract to Utah-based SkyWest Airlines to provide round-trip passenger service to Chicago under the federal Essential Air Service program.

But SkyWest's proposal is contingent upon providing flight service to Cape Girardeau and Quincy, Illinois, Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager Bruce Loy told the council.

Deputy city manager Molly Hood said Quincy officials recommended the proposal of a different airline.

But Loy and Mayor Harry Rediger said it is important for the Cape Girardeau City Council to demonstrate to SkyWest it wants its flights to Chicago.

Under the EAS program, the federal government subsidizes commuter flights to smaller communities such as Cape Girardeau.

The airline, which would operate as United Express, would provide two round-trip flights daily, Monday through Friday. There would be one direct flight to Chicago and the other would make a stop in Quincy.

SkyWest would offer one round-trip flight to Chicago on Saturday and another round-trip flight on Sunday, officials said.

The airline would fly passengers on a 50-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft.

If approved by DOT, SkyWest would begin flights here Dec. 1. The airline would replace Cape Air, which provides round-trip flights to St. Louis on a much smaller aircraft.

Loy told the council if the DOT doesn't approve the council's recommendation, city officials will have to reconsider the other four proposals.

Ward 6 Councilman Wayne Bowen suggested the current carrier, Cape Air, should be strongly considered if the SkyWest proposal falls through.

City officials said the SkyWest proposal offers the best chance to increase boardings at the Cape Girardeau airport to the 10,000-a-year threshold.

Cape Girardeau would qualify for $1 million in federal money for airport improvements every year it reaches the boardings threshold, city officials said.

"This gives us a chance to upgrade our airport," Rediger said.

Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox said, "I think this is a no-brainer to go with SkyWest."

Hood said SkyWest passengers would be able to make more connecting flights at the Chicago airport.

"Essentially, you would be able to go from Cape Girardeau to anywhere in the world," she said.

SkyWest service also would generate more money for the airport, she said.

Hood said office rental, ramp fee and landing fee revenue, and fuel sales would generate an estimated $405,000 over the two-year period, or nearly $203,000 annually.

That is well above the $95,800 a year estimate of revenue for the airport listed in a 2016 city report on the current Cape Air agreement.

Hood said a DOT regulation also factored in the airport board advising the council to choose SkyWest.

Only SkyWest and Cape Air proposed flights with twin-engine aircraft. The other three airlines seeking to serve Cape Girardeau proposed using single-engine aircraft.

Under federal regulations, the city would waive its right to service by twin-engine aircraft if one of those three airlines was awarded the contract, Hood said.

The airport board recommended last week the city not give up that right.

In other action, the council tabled a resolution to apply for a federal grant to help pay for a proposed sculpture for downtown Cape Girardeau after a majority of council members said they did not want to commit city funds to match such a grant. The council will revisit the issue in August.

Bowen, who will be moving to Florida, participated in his last council meeting Monday. His fellow council members recognized him for his service.

In his parting remarks, Bowen encouraged the council to have "more debate, more discussion" with each other and the public on issues.

"I will continue to pray for Cape Girardeau," he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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