Ultimately, it will be up to the DOT to decide SkyWest’s subsidy rate until a replacement airline is found. And, a lot of the pilots that were operating on regional routes, were actually kind of given the incentive to go and fly on larger commercial airlines,” said Nastro.

“Regional airlines were hit pretty hard with the impacts of COVID-19. Now it makes a stop in North Platte, Nebraska. In fact, they’ve already scaled back some flights from here at the airport and a flight they used to go directly to Denver. Ultimately Sioux City would like SkyWest to stay here at the airport, though in its official government filings, the airline has given no indication it plans to do so.

“They basically connect those communities with other airports around the country, by a subsidized service that the government provides to being able to provide smaller aircraft to take people to a larger hub, if you will, and then have them go on from there,” said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for Going, a flight subscription company.

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