Penor: City should keep SkyWest

I offer the following reasons to keep two airlines servicing the Casper airport:

1. Having multiple airlines with different schedules allows airline customers to customize their flights to their needs and offers more competitive rates. United will be unchecked in raising fares if we lose SkyWest. Also, I don't believe United alone can fulfill the total demand of potential passengers' needs and people will have to drive to Denver, Billings or Rapid City for their flights.

2. SkyWest goes to additional places than United does and often provides more convenient flights. It makes sense to keep SkyWest for passengers traveling west, and it also sometimes provides flights with fewer stops and/or shorter layovers, or layovers that are long enough to make connecting flights, than what one can find on United.

3. Many businesses in Wyoming depend on multiple airlines and will lose revenue if they can't get their employees to necessary destinations. Casper currently provides the best air service in Wyoming and it would jeopardize this.

4. If United cancels or delays a flight, sometimes passengers can rebook on SkyWest and reach their destinations on time.

5. Growth in Casper relies in part on the number of flights and the number of airlines servicing the area.

6. Our economy prospers, as does Wyoming's, due to passengers from outside Casper spending money on hotels, entertainment, and meals, among other spending. The lost revenues and tax money in Casper will be greater than the cost of keeping the SkyWest airline service. Our taxes are well spent on essential air services.

7. As frequent fliers, we personally would rather support Casper's economy than other cities' economies.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Please contact the Council and encourage them to vote to keep SkyWest in Casper.