Denver Air Connection has responded to a call by SkyWest Airlines that the US Department of Transportation re-bid the Essential Air Service contracts for Watertown and Pierre.
Last month, the US DOT awarded a two year contract to DAC to serve Watertown and Pierre beginning July 1.
SkyWest, in a letter dated April 28, said “DAC’s proposal poses both financial and operational risk that will likely impact their ability to operate sustainably and have a negative impact on the communities.”
DAC President and CEO Cliff Honeycutt responded with a letter of his own to the US DOT yesterday (May 10, 2021) saying, “DAC is reliable, fit, willing and able to provide reliable service at a far lower cost than SkyWest.”
Honeycutt points to DAC’s on-time departure rating of 98.12% last year, and an average on-time arrival rating of 97.1% for all routes it serviced. He says the contract was properly awarded based on established criteria and should not be revisited.
DAC service to Watertown and Pierre would require a federal subsidy that is $7.7 million less than the SkyWest bid. DAC will provide jet service from Pierre to Denver, and from Watertown to Denver and Chicago on 50-seat regional jets.
(Watertown Radio contributed to this story.)
Read DAC’s letter to the US DOT below.
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