After landing a connection to Chicago last summer, Cody airport boosters are hoping to expand the seasonal service next year — or perhaps secure a flight to another destination.

“There’s other opportunities in the wind right now,” said Dusty Spomer, the chair of Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Resources (CYAIR).

However, seizing any of those opportunities will require CYAIR to raise a significant amount of cash — and everything could hinge on the cost of fuel.

“The looming thing in the industry is the fuel prices,” Yellowstone Regional Airport (YRA) Executive Director Aaron Buck said at a Thursday meeting of the Park County Travel Council. “It’s really affecting all conversations with current flights and possible new flights. The fuel prices continue to escalate, and continue to have airlines very nervous.”

Upcoming meetings

Representatives from CYAIR and YRA are set to meet with United Airlines officials in the coming weeks and Buck hopes to discuss the possibility of not only getting summer Chicago service again, but going from one to two flights a week.

Cody airport reps are also slated to sit down with SkyWest Airlines officials in November. The regional carrier operates United’s year-round, government-subsidized connection between Cody and Denver, but also flies routes for Delta, American and Alaskan airlines.

Buck said SkyWest has indicated it’s open to discussing “additional opportunities” for Cody, though the fuel prices “have kind of made them put an asterisk next to that conversation.”

Fuel has gotten so expensive that multiple airlines have cut back on flights. But Buck still struck an optimistic tone at a Wednesday airport board meeting.

“We’re excited about some of the opportunities that we have,” he said.

Requiring revenue

Before they’ll provide additional service to a community, airlines often require a guarantee that they’ll make a certain amount of money. 

Though this summer’s 18 roundtrip flights between Chicago and Cody proved fairly popular — averaging about 69% full — the spike in fuel prices meant CYAIR needed to pay United the full $191,798 it had guaranteed in minimum revenue; most of that money came from taxpayer dollars.

More money will be needed to bring back the seasonal Chicago flight or to add any other service. Spomer said CYAIR is “gearing up for our next fundraising effort this winter.”

The organization announced earlier this month that it has secured $40,000 to match other donations from the community; that includes $20,000 from an anonymous donor and $20,000 from CYAIR’s board members.

“These personal donations from our community show the airlines that our community is ready to do what it takes to get additional service to YRA,” Spomer said in a news release.

Building on success

Buck added that the Chicago flight created “momentum” for local air service.

September boardings at the airport were up 5% over last year and are up about 3% overall.

“[I’m] really excited about what that trend tells us,” Buck told the YRA board on Wednesday. 

In seeking additional air service, airport officials will be aided by a new set of consultants. 

Buck said Volare Aviation has already started working on a report that will indicate how many people own homes in Park County and in other cities. The aim, he said, is “to show the airlines, ‘Hey, you already have these base[s] of customers that want to go between these two destinations.’”

Volare representatives are also slated to visit Cody on Oct. 26-27 to get a feel for the community and meet airport representatives.

“We’re excited about working with them,” Buck said, “and I think they have a lot of things that they can help us with.”

To donate to CYAIR, visit tinyurl.com/55bjxffw or drop off a check at the airport or the County Country Chamber of Commerce.