Air service returns to St. Cloud

Home
Local

Air service returns to St. Cloud

Updated: August 23, 2012 - 11:27 PM

Las Vegas-based airline Allegiant Air says it will begin nonstop flights from the Minnesota city to Phoenix beginning in December.

2
comments
resize text
print
buy reprints

Tweet
share

email
Email share

your name

your email

recipients email

+ add a comment add a comment

St. Cloud once again has commercial air service.

Allegiant Air and St. Cloud officials announced Thursday that the Las Vegas-based travel company will begin nonstop jet service to Phoenix beginning Dec. 15.

"We are proud to announce we have regained air service for the St. Cloud region," said a statement by Al Kremers, chair of GSDC Air Service Corp. and a business leader involved in the talks. "The community support has been vital in achieving a confirmed air service partnership."

Millions of dollars in business pledges and public subsidies have been promised in an effort to rebuild air service to St. Cloud.

Kremers said last week that the airport was in final negotiations with a carrier to provide regular service to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport but wouldn't identify the airline. The regional airport has tried to lure airlines for a decade. Efforts intensified in 2010, after Delta Air Lines stopped flying 34-seat prop planes between St. Cloud and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Sun Country curtailed flights from St. Cloud to gambling resorts in Nevada.

But confidence has grown recently with nonbinding pledges by local businesses to spend more than $6 million on flights to Chicago.

The airport also is offering $750,000 in federal grants awarded last year to subsidize airline revenues.

"We have some incentives that we didn't have in the past," St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis has said. "I'm confident we'll have air service."

The $750,000 in grants from the Small Community Air Service Development Program could subsidize service at St. Cloud for a year or more, boosters said.

STAFF REPORT