Big Sky opens links to Boise, Calgary
Glacier Park International Airport will soon become an aviation mini-hub - an international one at that.
With Big Sky Airlines' Oct. 5 addition of two daily flights to Calgary, one daily flight to Boise, and a second daily flight to Spokane, Big Sky President Fred deLeeuw on Tuesday dubbed the airport an official "mini-hub" for his airline.
"This is real exciting, since now Glacier Park will be the only Montana airport with international daily service," deLeeuw said.
Big Sky will use Beechcraft 1990D planes. These aircraft can fly at 25,000 feet and travel at 327 miles per hour.
The nonstop Calgary flight will take just over an hour and the one-stop Calgary flight - with a stop in Spokane - will take almost three hours. The Boise flight will be under an hour and a half.
"This is an economical aircraft and makes it viable for us to fly a route like this one," deLeeuw said. "We'll use all 19-seats and be able to operate at a load factor that's profitable."
The addition of Calgary to the airport's flight plan gives Flathead Valley residents yet another way to connect to international flights.
With its summer festivals, winter sports and extensive shopping, Calgary - a city of almost 1 million residents - has long been a leisure destination for Montanans.
Boise's population is now close to half a million.
"This service to Calgary and Boise allows us to connect to two fairly large metropolitan areas," said Mike Daigle, Glacier Park International Airport director. "We believe that GPI is strategically located between these two cities and makes a perfect connection or stopping point."
DeLeeuw said he thought this fall was an excellent time to start up the new service, which minimized the downtime of Big Sky's aircraft and thus made operation of the routes more cost-efficient.
Round-trip fares to either Calgary or Boise are $300. Big Sky is running an October special on the Calgary route, where buying a single ticket will allow the passenger to bring along a companion for free.
Big Sky Airlines recently celebrated its quarter-century anniversary. It has 250 employees and headquarters in Billings. Today it serves markets in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Alberta. It entered the Flathead market in 1998.
"We are owned by MAIR Holdings, a publicly traded company, which is 30 percent owned by Northwest Airlines," deLeeuw said.
Big Sky has also been awarded several federal Essential Air Service routes. The purpose of the EAS program is to guarantee a minimum level of air carrier service to small communities via a subsidy program.
"Seven of the cities we fly to - all in Eastern Montana - are subsidized," deLeeuw said. "It is very hard to make a profit in those areas and subsidization makes it possible to fully utilize our fleet."
The Department of Transportation currently subsidizes air service to 38 rural communities.
DeLeeuw has been at the helm of Big Sky less than a year, but he brought with him 30 years experience in the airline industry with such carriers as Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines and People Express Airlines.
"I have to say that it's fun being president," he said. "I'm a very hands-on person and with an airline this size, we get to try things. We're definitely growing."
"There are so many opportunities for us out there today. Kalispell is like low-hanging fruit on a tree - it's just a great opportunity for our airline. It's a real niche destination."
Reporter George Kingson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at gkingson@dailyinterlake.com