WC Wisconsin News

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is now weighing bids from three air service providers vying to provide flights to and from Eau Claire at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport.

With current provider SkyWest Airlines going on record in March with details about its plans to stop serving cities like Eau Claire, the DOT began accepting bids for the airport.

Chippewa currently has 12 weekly flights, a WEAU news report said this week. The planes serving the airport can carry up to 50 passengers.

Among those known to have submitted bids is Sun Country Airlines, whose plan includes flying two times a week to Minneapolis’ airport using 183-seat planes. In addition, the airliner would provide seasonal non-stop service to places like Orlando.

Southern Airways Express is also known to have submitted a bid that includes an itinerary offering daily flights to Minneapolis and Chicago with nine-seat planes. 

The third and final known bid is from Boutique Air, which also proposes daily flights to Minneapolis with either eight- or nine-seat planes.

“Airline service is obviously very important for a community’s access to the national airport transportation system, and really the rest of the country and the world, so we think it’s very important to have the community have the opportunity to submit anything the airport commission should consider,” airport director Charity Zich told WEAU.

The Airport Commission is now seeking public comment on all three of the bids, the news report said. Following a meeting scheduled for Friday, members plan to send their recommendation to the DOT, which will make the final decision as to what provider will be allowed to service the facility.