Chippewa Valley Regional Airport discuss EAS proposals alongside community

EAU CLAIRE — While a decision on what service proposal to take was not made, the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport commission and some members of the public spent the time looking over their options on June 26 morning.

With the airport’s current contract with Sun Country running through Nov. 30, two proposals give the airport two options: renew their contract with Sun Country through September 2028 or sign a three-year contract with SkyWest, their former carrier who departed in 2022 after 12 years of service.

Both choices give the airport commission a lot to consider before their deadline to decide hits on July 23.

Part of the reason for SkyWest’s departure back in 2022 was because of pilot staffing challenges within the industry that impeded their ability to provide scheduled air service.

Airport Commission Vice President Barry Wells asked Aviation Consultant Mike Mooney if there has been an impact on the experience and qualifications of current SkyWest pilots. Mooney said that the rate of pilot production in the pilot pipeline is back to normal.

“The pilot supply is back in balance, and they have very high standards for putting someone in the cockpit,” he said, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration regulations are currently at an extremely high standard.

While at the meeting, the committee also invited audience members to give input during a public comment period. People spoke in favor of both options.

One individual, preferring SkyWest’s proposal, brought up the prospect of business potential and transportation during festival season.

Another individual, who claimed to have worked for both Sun Country and SkyWest, said that one thing to consider was plane repairs. While occasional repairs in the past have caused SkyWest flights to wait on mechanics coming from Minneapolis, Milwaukee or even sometimes Chicago, Sun Country has a mechanic in Eau Claire to resolve those issues almost immediately.

With the clock ticking on their 30-day deadline, Airport Director Charity Zich said the commission’s next step is to set up a discussion with each carrier directly before making a decision.

“The hope is that the discussion with the airlines happens within the next two weeks, and then a recommendation will be made at that time,” she said.

Zich said they want to make a decision that would be best for the community while also taking into account the financial well-being of Eau Claire’s airport. They will eventually have to choose one of the two offers, as the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport’s service falls under the federal essential air service program and is limited to being served by only one airline.

With many questions that people have for the airport, Zich said they are working to continually update the “Airport News” page on their website to give answers to frequent questions and keep people updated moving forward.