SkyWest’s Planned Charter Service at Stake as FAA Flags Risk
- FAA proposes new rules that could derail some charter carriers
- Aviation unions say charters exploit regulatory loopholes
Ground crew workers service an Skywest plane at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Photographer: Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty ImagesDevils Lake Regional Airport is partway through a $14.8 million terminal renovation that will double its size and add a boarding bridge to protect travelers from the harsh North Dakota winter. A decision by federal regulators could pose a significant threat to jet service and how many passengers ever set foot in the revised airport.
SkyWest Airlines is the only carrier that currently flies to Devils Lake, and its ambitious plan to keep and expand service in small US cities has been awaiting US Transportation Department approval for more than a year. But the Federal Aviation Administration signaled Thursday that it plans to make sweeping changes to regulations governing charter operations, potentially threatening SkyWest Inc.’s SkyWest Charter subsidiary as well as competitors like JetSuite Inc.’s JSX.