Story Highlights
- About 6,500 passengers fly from Monroe to Denver each year.
- United, American and Delta currently offer service to Denver, but none offer direct flights.
- City officials also are also discussing the possibility of a flight to Las Vegas.
Monroe city officials expect to meet soon with United Airlines to continue negotiations to secure a direct flight between Monroe Regional Airport and Denver International Airport.
The direct flight would be a critical connection for Monroe-based CenturyLink, which also has a large regional headquarters in Denver, while Colorado's capital is also a prime destination for the general traveling public in the market.
After the first meeting last month, United Airlines requested additional information and analysis about potential customers who would choose a direct flight to Denver from Monroe, and Monroe Airport Director Ron Phillips said city officials will provide that information at the next meeting.
About 6,500 passengers fly from Monroe to Denver each year, tied with Los Angeles for the fifth-most visited destination from Monroe Regional Airport, Phillips said.
Monroe applied for a $500,000 small-community-development air service grant with the Department of Transportation that would go toward the development of air services and “hopefully the flight to Denver,” Phillips said.
If Monroe receives grant funding in the fall, it would be used for air service development, including marketing and incentives for flights. The money can be used to offset the costs of operating the flight and market the service throughout the region.
“We are still working on this. It’s not an overnight process, but we’re still in constant contact with the people at United and we’re looking at all of our options. We are talking to other airlines about that particular flight,” Phillips said.
City officials also are also discussing the possibility of a flight to Las Vegas.
“We’ve had a number of people inquire about that flight, and we feel it would be good for this area as well,” Phillips said.
Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo said city officials have engaged the business community to spark interest in the proposed flight.
“When we go back we will present an even stronger case, and we’re optimistic we have a good case,” Mayo said.
A time frame was not disclosed when city officials would meet with United Airlines, but both Mayo and Phillips said it would be soon.
United, American and Delta currently offer service to Denver, but none offer direct flights. United operates a direct flight to Denver from Shreveport and Lafayette.
Many residents and business officials travel to Shreveport to fly directly to Denver, Mayo said.
CenturyLink, in addition to using commercial air service, also sends one of its own corporate jets to Denver and back each week as a shuttle.
-Source: http://www.thenewsstar.com
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