United Will Cut Service at 29 Smaller Airports

United Airlines’ contractor SkyWest Airlines gave the Department of Transportation a 90-day notice last week informing that it will exit 29 airports. The the airports are part of the federal Essential Air Service program.

EAS was put into place to guarantee that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before airline deregulation maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service. The United States Department of Transportation (the Department) is mandated to provide eligible EAS communities with access to the National Air Transportation System. This is generally accomplished by subsidizing two round trips a day with 30- to 50-seat aircraft, or additional frequencies with aircraft with 9-seat or fewer, usually to a large- or medium-hub airport.

All the affected routes are operated on behalf of United Airlines as United Express. The cuts come due to an ongoing shortage of pilots at SkyWest Airlines.

Here are the 29 cities: