Scottsbluff Airport boarding drops down from 60% to 7%; will not ever close

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. The Western Nebraska Regional Airport is seeing a big decline in business because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The boarding numbers are usually at 60% but as of now, flights for SkyWest has dropped between 0% to 7%.

This means that if the booking flight is 50 people, the flight now has about one to two people.

With the airport having federal insurance, it will never see closure.

The only time it will ever close is when the FFA shuts them down and in that situation, it would be short-term.

Residents can still support the airport by continuing to book flights.

Staff continues to take cleaning precautions by spraying down the main terminal every morning, close off some of the areas they don’t need, closed off 200 seats of the security room and also sprays down everything after every flight.

As passengers aboard the flights, they must remember that the six foot distance rule does not apply to airports.

Passengers can wear gloves and masks while sanitizing their hands to remain safe from exposure.

Back in 2004, the airport borrowed a $4 million loan to re-do their terminal.

The airport uses the Passenger Facility Charge which takes $4.50 from every ticket booked and puts the money to re-pay the bond.

It still currently has a couple of years left until it is paid off.

The airport will also receive a check for the difference between their boarding numbers from last year up until current time.

With the airport being a tax entity, it relies on those funds to pay bills and keep operating.

“Continue to eat at the places and the establishments you go out to,” said Raul Aguallo, Director. “We understand that everybody can’t afford to but if you have a job that still is giving you a regular paycheck, spend that money at our local restaurants. Spend the money at our local shops because there are people that when you need money and when you ask for a donation, there are the folks that give you the money.”

The flight times have changed for the month of April.

With the flights consolidating including the ones at DIA, the morning flights now leave around 9:00am, comes back around 11:00am, then takes off to come back around 7:30pm.

The prediction as of now is that for the month of May, the flights will be down to one a day.