Airport Leader: SkyWest Plans Show Commitment to Johnstown Flights
After disappointing numbers last year, SkyWest Airlines is working to revamp operations to improve performance, Chairman Rick McQuaide said during this week's Johnstown- Cambria County Airport Authority meeting.
One of the changes will reconfigure seating on the company's jets to limit seating to 30 seats and, presumably, improve comfort.
SkyWest operates the federally subsidized United Express flights at Johnstown under the Essential Air Service program.
McQuaide was updating the authority on the EAS situation, including the historic background for newly appointed board members George Arcurio, Jim Brazill, Ed Cernic Jr., Adam Murphy and Jolene Wesner.
The federal EAS program issues two- and three-year contracts for participating airlines in qualifying airports, including John Murtha Johns- town-Cambria County Airport.
SkyWest is in the final year of its two-year, $3.2 million- to-$3.5 million contract.
McQuaide said the federal Department of Transportation will send out requests for proposals from airlines interested in serving Johnstown in 2024 and 2025. SkyWest is welcome to bid, and it could be in competition with other interested airlines.
Although the DOT has the final say, McQuaide pointed out the agency strongly considers local input during the process, which will begin in a few months.
SkyWest will be a strong candidate and continues to build a good relationship with Johnstown leaders, McQuaide told authority members.
The airline recently donated one of its 50-passenger jets to the aircraft maintenance program at St. Francis University in Loretto and continues to support the university's pilot training program. Both are operated in conjunction with the Johnstown airport.
SkyWest has been a godsend to the airport and area travelers. McQuaide displayed a chart showing 8,519 passengers boarded SkyWest jets at the airport during 2021 — its first year operating here.
That's the most since 2007 when the former Colgan Air, later Pinnacle Airline, was operating as US Airways Express.
The pilot shortage hit hard last year and a provision in its affiliation agreement with United Airlines made it worse for SkyWest. McQuaide said the agreement allowed United to "poach" SkyWest's pilots.
"United had a deal with SkyWest to be able to recruit their pilots with a moment's notice," McQuaide said.
The situation played havoc with SkyWest's operation, leading the regional airline to file notices it would terminate service to 29 airports, including Johnstown. Through negotiations with the authority and DOT, SkyWest is here and has launched a plan to continue its operation, McQuaide said.
One of the changes will reconfigure the Bombardier CRJ200 jets' interiors, reducing capacity to 30 seats instead of 50. That should allow the airline to reclassify its service as charter flights without changing the flight schedule or process of booking flights through United.com, he continued.
Nulton Aviation founder Larry Nulton said the local company's offer to help with the conversion work is being discussed.
Cooperation such as that demonstrates SkyWest is building its relationship with the Johnstown community and intends to file a request for proposal for the next EAS contract, McQuaide said.
"SkyWest is not going anywhere," he said.
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