Delta County board backs airport advisory recommendation to seek Denver Air for Essential Air Service

The Delta County Board of Commissioners voted to accept the Airport Advisory Board’s recommendation to request Denver Air as the county’s Essential Air Service (EAS) carrier, replacing SkyWest. The board approved the recommendation by roll call, with Commissioners Johnson, Williams, Vankenhoven and Jensen voting yes.

Airport Administrator Ashley Young and members of the Airport Advisory Board presented the recommendation and the bids the county received in response to the federal EAS solicitation. The county packet included a letter from Young summarizing the advisory board’s review; advisory board members and presenters answered commissioner questions at length during the public discussion.

Why it matters: The choice of EAS carrier affects scheduled destinations, baggage/interline handling, aircraft size, frequency and the airport’s ability to market and grow passenger boardings. Commissioners and the advisory board said the county has struggled with schedule consistency under the current carrier and sought a partner that would provide a stable, repeatable schedule and options for interlining with major airlines.

Advisory board presentation and rationale: The advisory board representative said the board “kinda felt that we’ve hit a plateau for growth with SkyWest,” and recommended Denver Air because its proposal included a 50‑seat regional jet schedule comparable to current service, interline agreements with major hubs (Detroit, Minneapolis and O’Hare), a guaranteed overnight aircraft presence and the option to support charters and group flights.

Commissioners and presenters also discussed operational details Denver Air included in its bid: a proposed on‑site aircraft maintenance employee (which could improve completion and on‑time performance), an Embraer‑145 class aircraft in the fleet as the largest representative aircraft, and a marketing allotment in the EAS proposal. Presenters said Denver Air’s interline agreements would make baggage connections easier for travelers changing to Delta, United or American at the hub, and that Denver Air guaranteed overnighting aircraft in Delta County.

Terms and community input: Commissioners asked about contract length (the county sought two years; Denver Air bid four), marketing funding (the DOT recommended $20,000), baggage fees and mileage program details. Presenters said some Denver Air program details—such as integration of a Denver Air mileage program with other carriers—were not finalized but were projected for 2026 in the carrier’s materials. Commissioners discussed avenues for community input on destination preferences (Detroit, Minneapolis or O’Hare) and noted outreach at the county fair and through in‑terminal surveys as possible feedback tools.

Labor and local operations: Commissioners asked whether local ground staff and unified employees would retain positions under a new carrier. Presenters said Denver Air would hire from the local community and would consider existing ground staff but would not commit to wholesale hiring; the carrier would employ its own ground staff as Denver employees if selected.

Outcome and next steps: The board’s vote authorized county staff to include the advisory board’s recommendation in the county’s submission to the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of the EAS selection process. Commissioners were told the DOT decision typically becomes final before the EAS contract starts (county staff said they expect notice in the third quarter rather than waiting until January). The county will continue outreach to passengers about hub preferences and will include the topic in upcoming county communications and the fair booth outreach.

Action taken: The board moved, seconded and approved a motion to go with the airport advisory board’s recommendation; roll call: Johnson — yes; Williams — yes; Vankenhoven — yes; Jensen — yes.

Context: EAS contracts are administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation; bids vary by aircraft type, frequency, marketing support and proposed hubs. The airport advisory board reviewed multiple proposals and presented Denver Air as their preferred carrier based on schedule stability, maintenance and growth potential.