Summary
- Sun Country Airlines proposed new seasonal flights between Phoenix and two Midwestern cities
- The proposed flights are part of the DOT’s Essential Air Service program.
- Sun Country anticipates increased passenger volume and revenue with the new routes.
Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines is looking to operate new flights between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and two cities in the Midwest. The airline reportedly filed proposals with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) last week.
The carrier proposed the service thanks to a program aimed at maintaining scheduled air service in smaller cities. The leisure airline offers daily flights from its hub at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to PHX and also connects the city to other destinations seasonally.
Minnesota and Wisconsin
According to AZ Central, Sun Country proposed flights from Brainerd, MN, and Rhinelander, Wisconsin, to PHX on September 25th. The flights would be seasonal, with the route between PHX and Brainerd beginning in September 2024 and lasting until January 2025. Between PHX and Rhinelander, the flights would only be offered for three months, from September to November next year. The carrier currently offers seasonal nonstop flights between PHX, Milwaukee, Madison, and from nearby Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to MSP.
Photo: natmac stock/Shutterstock
The airline reportedly expects the flights to offer up to 32 annual departures on each proposed route, along with increased passenger volume and revenue. On the PHX-Brainerd route, Sun Country anticipates carrying nearly 4,700 passengers, resulting in over $417,000 in revenue. In comparison, about 4,500 passengers would fly on the PHX-Rhinelander route, bringing in more than $412,000 of earnings. Simple Flying reached out to the airline on Tuesday for comment but was unable to receive an immediate response.
Maintaining air service
The carrier’s proposal comes as part of the DOT’s Essential Air Service (EAS) program. Established in 1978, the program gives airlines close to total freedom to determine which domestic markets to serve and for how much to offer them. The DOT said the EAS was implemented “to guarantee that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before airline deregulation maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service.” The flights imposed by the program connect travelers to hubs, allowing them to fly on to further destinations.
To select airlines and approve them for EAS routes, the DOT considers different factors, including service reliability, affiliations with larger carriers, preferences of actual and potential passengers, and whether the airline has established a plan to advertise the new flights to the community, according to AZ Central.
Included in its proposal, Sun Country would also reportedly connect Brainerd and Rhinelander to MSP and to Orlando and Fort Meyers, Florida. According to AZ Central, the service to MSP would be offered year-round, while the Florida routes would operate seasonally.
Photo: Robin Guess/Shutterstock
PHX has six EAS routes, with two of them being in-state. Regional carrier Contour Airlines offers flights to the northern Arizona city of Page, and Southern Airways Express, a commuter airline, flies to Show Low, Arizona. Out of state, Denver Air Connection operates nonstop service to Cortez, Colorado, Southern Airways Express has flights to El Centro, California, and Advanced Airlines flies to Carlsbad and Silver City in New Mexico, according to AZ Central.
The current state
Sun Country currently has 39 active passenger aircraft in its fleet, consisting of Boeing 737-700 and -800 aircraft, according to ch-aviation. The airline is reportedly set to receive five 737-900ERs from Oman Air through an operating lease.
Last week, the carrier’s CEO admitted that it faces limits on how much it can grow with its current fleet and is considering the possibility of operating new planes in the future, according to AeroTime.
Sources: AZ Central, ch-aviation, AeroTime