Flights resume this week

After going without local air service since early March, area residents are looking forward to Great Lakes Airlines starting service in Sidney Wednesday.

“We’re definitely very excited to get the service finally up and running,” Monica Taylor, director of sales and marketing for Great Lakes, said.

Flight 5012 will depart Sidney at 6 a.m. and arrive in Denver at 8:37 a.m. on Monday through Friday. The flight will depart Sidney at 6:59 a.m. and arrive in Denver at 9:36 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. In addition, there will be a daily flight, 5130, that leaves Sidney at 12:59 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 3:49 p.m. There will be a one-stop over either in Chadron, Neb., or Gillette, Wyo.

Flight 5173 will leave Denver at 10 a.m. and arrive in Sidney at 12:44 p.m. daily. Flight 5027 will leave Denver at 4:05 p.m. and arrive at 6:40 p.m. on Saturdays. The flight leaves Denver at 6:57 p.m. and arrives at 9:32 p.m. during the rest of the week. The company plans to add Sidney to Billings service as well as Miles City to Denver service at a later date.

Jan Bell, owner of Journeys by Jan, says she’s sold “quite a few” tickets regarding Sidney-Denver travel.

“Some people think it’s really great that they can fly all the way to Denver, but some would like a flight to Billings,” Bell said.

Carolyn Buxbaum of Sunworld Travel has also sold tickets for September flights with Great Lakes.

“But some people are still a little skeptical,” Buxbaum said.

Buxbaum added people express they want flights to Billings and Helena.

Taylor explained, “As soon as we secure additional aircrafts, we hope to have the Billings routes as well.”

editor@sidneyherald.com