Incentives Draw Skywest to Moses Lake

SkyWest will begin flying two daily roundtrips between Washington state's Grant County International Airport and Seattle on 30-seat Embraer 120s.

The new flights, branded United Express, restore scheduled commercial service to Grant County Airport, after a gap of more than two years, said Debbie Doran-Martinez, executive director of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. The airport was last served by Big Sky Airlines in 2006.

"We are always evaluating viable opportunities for air service, and the community demonstrated an active commitment to gaining SkyWest service," a spokeswoman for the regional carrier said.

The city of Moses Lake actively sought SkyWest service and put together a $1.4 million incentive package for the carrier, Doran-Martinez said. That package was comprised of a $750,000 revenue guarantee, which includes $475,000 in Essential Air Service grants, and $134,000 in marketing assistance.

The city also promised $500,000 in prepaid travel, whereby residents could bank funds for travel at a local bank, Doran-Martinez said. After analyzing passenger traffic from 2006, the city found that several local businesses would pay for advance travel. Participants paid a $2,500 minimum for travel that must be redeemed by May 31 of next year.

The nearest large airport to Grant County Airport is Spokane, which is an almost two-hour drive, Doran-Martinez said. This city felt the incentive package to attract SkyWest was necessary to attract more investment in the community.

Photo credit: Skywest