RTA Briefs

[ By Katherine Nettles ]

GUC load factors are maxed for capacity

During the Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) meeting on March 22, Gunnison Valley Tourism and Prosperity Partnership executive director John Norton and airline consultant Bill Tomcich reported that airline load factors (percentage of seats filled) held steady above 80% all winter for the major airlines using Gunnison-Crested Butte airport (GUC). 

“I don’t think we’ll ever fly more people than we flew this winter, given our current level of air service,” said Norton. “We’re really pleased with the load factors we flew this winter. We’re now shifting our focus to summer.”

Flight reliability, bookings stay strong 

Tomcich put together a more detailed report on flight reliability after January’s meeting and said GUC’s reliability is in general very good compared with other airports and past years. He said January was a rough month, as previously discussed, and February was much better with only one cancelled flight in and out, one overnight delay on February 5, and one diversion through Montrose that still ended up in Gunnison less than an hour late. 

Tomcich said 99.2% of flights were complete in February, versus 91% in 2023, and while the overall completion rate for 2023 winter at GUC was just shy of 92%, it is currently at more than 98%. Compared with other mountain resort area airports, he said, “Gunnison is no longer one of the lower performing airports. I would argue that when all is said and done this winter, it’s going to be near the top.”

February flights were up 13% ahead of last year, March was pacing 16% ahead of last year and April and May look much better, he explained. “We are going to be down to one flight after April 9 through May 22,” he said, but United will start its full summer schedule with two daily flights and one flight on Saturdays through Denver starting on May 23. Houston flights will begin on June 28 and run through September 5. 

JSX struggling

Load factors for boutique air carrier JSX out of GUC this winter were less than 50%, said Tomcich. He said they basically carried the same number of passengers as the previous winter, but they had expanded their flights from four per week to five. “They are competing against American,” he said, which may limit their growth potential for winter. 

“But JSX is still committed to the market, and they do very well in the summer when they are the only operator from Dallas.” Those summer flights will begin five days per week on May 23.

Jermaine’s is open

Airport manager Rick Lamport said that Jermaine’s restaurant began operating its new franchise out of the concessioner area in passenger holding at GUC in late February and has been a great success. 

Ramp rehab starts in May

Lamport said GUC will begin a ramp rehabilitation project by the general aviation site on or about May 1. Funding was obtained to rehab the ramp where the asphalt is breaking up. It is expected to be a 30-day project.