Central ND News

Senator John Hoeven announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has selected SkyWest Airlines, Inc. (SkyWest) to continue providing Essential Air Service (EAS) at the Devils Lake and Jamestown airports for a three-year term from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. SkyWest will offer each community 12 round trips per week to Denver International Airport using 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet 200 (CRJ-200) aircraft.

Hoeven previously collaborated with the North Dakota delegation to prevent disruptions in air service to these communities while working to improve the availability of connecting flights in Denver. "This is great news for Jamestown and Devils Lake, as air service demand in North Dakota continues to grow, including in these areas," said Senator Hoeven. "It’s vital that these communities and the surrounding areas have access to continued, reliable commercial air service in order to allow for economic growth and opportunities in the region and to meet the needs of the traveling public."

"SkyWest has been a great partner to the Jamestown Region for commercial air service. We are very happy to solidify their partnership for three more years, and we look forward to setting new passenger boarding records," said Katie Hemmer, Jamestown Regional Airport Director.

"Devils Lake is extremely excited to have an EAS provider in place once again. It’s been a long road since the pilot shortage forced SkyWest to make some pretty hard decisions regarding EAS airports. We are thankful for all the efforts put forth from our state leadership, the Department of Transportation, SkyWest Airlines, and our communities in order to achieve this outcome. We can now look forward to continuing reliable and quality air service for our communities. A big thank you to all who had a hand in this," said Scott Cruse, Devils Lake Regional Airport Director.

"North Dakotans place great value on the ability to access the world’s air transportation network, which enhances quality of life and fosters business and economic growth," stated Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. "We appreciate the collaboration with our congressional delegation and federal partners to ensure that this vital program continues to support citizens within our rural communities."