SkyWest begins air service to Bemidji

SkyWest Airlines began providing air service to the Bemidji area today.

The airline replaces Delta, which announced last year it was pulling out of several northern Minnesota airports.

Delta stopped service to Bemidji, Thief River Falls, International Falls and Brainerd, and dropped one of its three daily flights to Hibbing.

Passengers won't notice any difference with SkyWest, said Harold Van Leeuwen, executive director of the Bemidji Airport.

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Service will continue with two daily flights to the Twin Cities with 50 passenger jets.

"Literally, for us there is no change. It's the same capacity, same frequency as we had before," Van Leeuwen said.

SkyWest is receiving a $1.7 million annual federal subsidy to serve Bemidji through the Essential Air Service program, which was reauthorized by Congress last month.

Van Leeuwen said the airline is looking to add a third daily flight. Allegiant Airlines is considering flights to Las Vegas starting in the fall.