Dubuque Regional Airport to End Daily Air Service Next Month
In a recent announcement, the Dubuque Regional Airport revealed that it will be ending daily commercial air service starting next month. This decision has left many travelers searching for alternative options.
According to local realtor Ann Williams, who regularly uses the airport for both work and personal travel, this change will greatly impact the community. She stated, “It was just the easiest way to get from here to there and then onto my next destination with no trouble at all. I’m really going to miss it. ” However, this will no longer be an option as January 15th will be the last day passengers can board a Denver Air Connection jet at the Dubuque Regional Airport.
The city of Dubuque made the decision to not renew the three-million dollar contract for flights after they failed to become profitable. Williams expressed her disappointment, saying, “I think that would have been a time-limited investment, and what relevant city in the world these days doesn’t have an airport?
The loss of daily air service will not only affect travelers, but also local institutions and families. Andy Bellings, from Clarke University, shared that it could make it tougher to bring in new students. “We recruit a lot of students from Texas, Florida, and California and it makes it really hard for them to come here and go back home,” he explained. Bellings also mentioned that his own family will be impacted as his daughter attends college in New York.
With the end of daily air service, travelers will now have to rely on longer travel times to airports in Cedar Rapids or Chicago. Bellings stated, “Chicago is six hours roundtrip, inconvenient time of day. I’m older. I don’t want to drive late at night or early in the morning. ” This will be a major inconvenience for many, especially for those who have mobility or health concerns.
Although the airport will continue operations with the University of Dubuque’s Aviation program and occasional charter flights, the passenger terminal will remain largely empty. City leaders have stated that they are actively working to find ways to make daily air service sustainable in the future. However, for now, the loss of this service will have a significant impact on the community and its accessibility to air travel.