Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airline Service topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Airport officials flag steep drop in jet fuel sales as DOT airline decision remains pending
Summary
Board members reported a sharp decline in Jet A fuel purchases by the incumbent carrier and said the drop began after the county recommended a different essential-airline provider; DOT has not announced its choice and staff are monitoring service reliability and economic impacts.
Moab — Airport staff told the board that year-to-date operations are roughly in line with last year but Jet A fuel flowage and employment figures fell beginning in March, a trend that staff flagged for its possible connection to the county’s recent recommendation to the Department of Transportation on essential-airline selection.
"It seemed like there was a pretty big drop or pretty big change after that county's decision," the director said during the operations report, noting that DOT has not yet announced which carrier it will designate. The director said staff are checking DOT’s docket daily and expect a decision soon, but that the 90‑day review period only recently elapsed.
Board members and staff discussed hard numbers. An airport presenter said the current air carrier’s Jet A purchases were down about 69% year to date compared with last year, while overall airport operations and charter traffic have remained relatively strong. "We're still close to last year's total. So that tells me the airport's pretty strong from charter business that's coming in," the presenter said.
Staff cautioned against drawing immediate conclusions about cause and effect. DOT, not the county, makes the essential-airline selection and staff said the county's recommendation may be only one factor in the department’s review. The board asked staff to pull carrier performance metrics, including on‑time performance and cancellations, and to verify whether Contour or other bidders remain contracted to operate risk flights if DOT selects a different provider.
Why it matters: Local fuel flowage is a direct revenue stream to the airport and a signal about airline operations and local demand. Airport leaders said the drop in Jet A purchases could affect employment and on-field business partners, and asked staff to prioritize a DOT update and to engage carriers about maintaining service during any transition.
What’s next: Staff will monitor DOT’s published decision, collect carrier reliability statistics, and reach out to incumbent and prospective carriers about maintaining flights and fuel supply. The board also asked staff to track and report any measurable economic impact from reduced fuel flowage.
