Forecast is for Strong Headwinds for Cheyenne Regional Airport  

MT – Commercial airline flights in Cheyenne resumed in November 2021, and so far, we have gotten off to a good start with very few delays and cancellations. Most of our issues with flight disruptions come from the operational constraints at the connection in Denver. Data shows that U.S. airline flight cancellations in 2022 surpassed pre-pandemic levels. In total, airlines canceled more than 128,000 flights from January to June 2022, and, just recently, between Dec. 23 and Dec. 29, the airlines canceled 15,781 flights. Of that number, Southwest canceled 38% of its entire schedule. 

The number of flight delays passengers have endured impacted travel, as well, during the holiday season. Every U.S. airline experienced significant disruptions last month. Weather and other operational challenges have certainly impacted these numbers. Still, the largest driver of cancellations has been the shortage of pilots and airline workers left over from the pandemic-era employee cuts. Cheyenne Regional Airport has fared better than other airports compared to the national statistics, and their passenger loads are increasing. For the past 12 months, they have seen their passenger numbers improving month over month, resulting in a 64% increase in boardings. This was accomplished despite the runway construction restrictions faced this past summer. 

Fortunately, in Cheyenne, the community understands the importance of commercial air service and the vital need to link to the national and international transportation system. With the help of the Wyoming Department of Transportation Aeronautics Commission, Laramie County, Visit Cheyenne, the city of Cheyenne, and the sixth-penny sales tax ballot initiative, Cheyenne Regional Airport can have United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, to provide daily flights to United Airlines’ hub in Denver. 

Without the partnership with SkyWest, Cheyenne would not have any air service. They support small communities throughout the country, and they are the largest regional airline in the U.S. Through their codeshare partnership with the major airlines, they can connect smaller communities to the major airline hubs. Over 400 communities in the United States, including Cheyenne, rely on the regional airline industry to access the transportation grid. Direct service to an airline hub can provide one-stop access to destinations worldwide, and it provides visitors from 49 states, and more than 197 countries access to Cheyenne. 

Despite Cheyenne’s continued success and community support in 2022, they are facing a significant roadblock for the calendar years 2023 and 2024. The multi-year runway construction project severely impacts their efforts to grow air service in Cheyenne. The project has already impacted this community for the previous two years, and now they are faced with pausing their airline service once again beginning in April. 

The project’s final phase consists of replacing nearly 3,600 feet from the main runway, totaling 60,000 square yards of concrete, which entails closing that runway for several months. Due to the limitations of the second, shorter runway 13-31, SkyWest cannot operate their CRJ 200 (50-seat) airplane safely on that runway, and they have no other aircraft to use as a replacement. Cheyenne Regional has explored all options to avoid this pause in service, but, unfortunately, they seem to have no choice but to ask SkyWest to suspend their airline schedule until the runway work is complete.