Washington, DC – Today, following news that SkyWest Airlines is filing a termination notice to end service to the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District and other Essential Air Service (EAS) locations, Rep. Ron Kind sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging him to help ensure continued service to impacted cities until a new carrier can be selected.
“Like many other EAS locations, the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is essential to our region’s economic development and connects our rural communities to other regional hubs,” said Rep. Ron Kind. “The Chippewa Valley community and others like it can’t afford to lose access to vital air transportation services and the economic benefits the EAS service brings. I’m calling on the Department of Transportation to work with these impacted airports to ensure this vital service is retained for our communities.”
SkyWest Airlines, which shares code with United Airlines, is planning to leave 29 EAS locations, which would leave these airports with limited or no scheduled service.
The most recent economic impact study conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation found that the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport provided $72.1 million in economic output, supported 458 jobs, and contributed $15.3 million in wage income to the local and state economy.
Read the letter here.
