Natrona County will continue to have daily Delta Airlines flights between Casper and Salt Lake City. Commissioners voted 4-1 to continue to subsidize the connection despite a hefty price tag.
The funding is a guarantee to SkyWest Airlines – which runs operations for Delta – through June 30. It pays the difference between what the airline corporations say they need to keep the direct connections profitable and the amount of money they actually earn from passengers. It could cost over a million dollars. The county will pay 60 percent of the costs and the state will pay 40 percent.
Commissioners expressed frustration over this arrangement, with several indicating that this may be the last time they support writing a check of this size. But Commission Chair Peter Nicolaysen said it’s important to keep two airlines in Casper to support local business, tourism and events.
“We've got a number of things going for us, and I think right now to pull out on this would be a bad thing for our community and one that we couldn't recover from for some time,” he said. “If we lose SkyWest and the Delta flight, at this point, I think it's going to be way more difficult to bring in another carrier.”
During discussion, commissioners explored alternative funding options, including asking the City of Casper to eventually take on some of the cost burden. They said other business or nonprofit interest groups – or surrounding cities and counties that fly through the airport – might also be able to pony up.
“We have the money to afford it right now. It isn't like we're robbing Peter to pay Paul. [But] I really don't want to do this for very much longer,” said Commissioner Dallas Laird.
The lone “nay” vote for the funding was Commissioner Dave North, who called the arrangement – known as a “minimum revenue guarantee” – “extortion.” He suggested cutting ties and exploring alternative airlines that might be interested in flying through Natrona County.
Besides the Delta connection to Salt Lake City, United Airlines currently offers daily services between Denver and Casper. Jackson is the only other place in the state with more than one destination option. In 2018, Allegiant Airlines discontinued services between Casper and Las Vegas to focus on larger markets.
