KEARNEY, Neb. — A new era at the Kearney Regional Airport is starting to take shape.

The city celebrated the ribbon cutting for the remodeled Kearney Flight Services complex and was introduced to a new air service provider on Wednesday. Denver Air Connection takes over after Sky West terminated its contract due to a pilot shortage.

“I think that the folks will find that our airline is a pleasant surprise," Director of Business Development Jon Coleman said. "I think they’ll find the onboard experience to be something that they haven’t experienced on an airliner for some time.”

Denver Air Connection will operate 50-passenger regional jets with 12 nonstop round trip flights per week to Denver International Airport. Booking, baggage transfer and flight transfers are available through United and American Airlines. 

Director of Business Development Jon Coleman says every community the airline serves has wanted to renew its contract.

“We like being part of smaller communities because there’s a sense that we matter," Coleman said. "We make a difference in people’s lives.”

City officials say U.S. Senator Deb Fischer and her office played a critical role in helping gather bids for a new carrier and getting Department of Transportation approval. She also supported the infrastructure bill that’s helping fund airport terminal renovations.

“These are the things that the federal government and the state government should be helping with, those big projects that it’s difficult for citizens, for cities, for communities to be able to work on by themselves,” Fischer said.

Kearney Flight Services provides fuel service and local logistics help for all aircraft flying into Kearney. Assistant Airport Director Steve Cole is happy with the entity’s new space.

“We’ve done a ton of upgrades, we’ve modernized it. It is one of the nicest FBO’s - as we call them - in the state of Nebraska if not our region altogether,” Cole said.

Combine the improved facility, new airline and future plans… and Cole likes the direction of the airport.

“The community will notice right away the level of customer service will be vastly improved," Cole said. "When you combine that with the terminal renovations that we’re doing, we’re going to be in really good shape here in the next nine months.”

Construction on the grant-funded $4.77 million terminal renovation and expansion will start as soon as it gets FAA approval.