Dubuque Regional Airport (KDBQ) in Iowa announced on Tuesday that a new carrier will begin serving the city this fall.

Dubuque is located just over 200 miles east of Des Moines and saw a sharp decline in air service coming out of the pandemic. It joins a long list of about 70 other similarly sized markets that American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines also dropped since 2020.

American was the only carrier serving the airport, ending its daily route from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (KORD) in September 2022. At the time, the airport’s director said the airline’s decision to leave the market was due to the “national pilot shortage.”

Regional carriers bore the brunt of the post-pandemic pilot shortage as major airlines hired new aviators at record-setting rates. This rapid movement within the pilot ranks caused some markets—including Dubuque—to lose daily service altogether.

Six months after American exited the market, ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Avelo started flights from Dubuque to Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida. These flights were operated less-than-daily and eventually became seasonal.

Avelo was set to return to Dubuque in November 2024 but nixed those plans last month, citing increasing costs in Orlando along with aircraft availability issues.

A New Airline

Earlier this week, Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh announced that Denver Air Connection will launch flights to Chicago O’Hare on November 4. The new route is slated to operate daily on an Embraer E145.

“The return of daily flights to and from a major hub is cause for celebration,” said Cavanagh in a press release. “We are excited to welcome Denver Air Connection to the Dubuque Regional Airport, and I encourage all travelers, whether for leisure or business, to take advantage of the convenient connections across the country and around the world that this service will provide.”

Based in Colorado, Denver Air Connection has continued to expand eastward in recent months. Dubuque will be the carrier’s first market in Iowa.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Iowa Airport Regains Daily Air Service appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Santa Clara, California-based company has operated a corporate shuttle for decades, which moves employees through its various West Coast facilities. Commonly referred to as “Intel Air,” the aircraft fly on regular schedules with up to 24 flights per day before the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Cirium Fleet analyzer data, the Intel Air Shuttle has four active aircraft in its fleet, including two Embraer E145s plus two E175s. The company has hangars at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA), Sacramento Mather Airport (KMHR) in California, and Hillsboro Airport (KHIO) in Oregon. It also operates flights to San Jose, California.

First reported by The Oregonian/Oregon Live, the shuttle’s permanent shutdown joins a long list of other scaled-back employee benefits.

“We really aren’t in a situation where we could continue to afford benefits and programs that are above market practice,” Intel human resources chief Christy Pambianchi told employees.

Intel just recently resumed operating the shuttle in April 2024 after a year-long pause. At the time, a company spokesperson said the shutdown was intended to “reduce employee travel as part of our ongoing cost-cutting efforts.”

The four aircraft are operated by GMJ Air Shuttle, which uses the call sign “High Tech.” GMJ is part of the Florida-based private aviation firm XOJet and operates under FAA Part 125 rules.

Intel did not immediately respond to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on the shutdown.

Editor’s Note: This article first appears on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Money-Losing Intel Grounds Corporate Air Shuttle Fleet appeared first on FLYING Magazine.