Nez Perce County commits $500,000 to subsidize United Airlines’ Lewiston-Denver flights
Commission votes 2-1 to approve funds, but deal is contingent on city of Lewiston offering up the same amount
United Airlines could receive $500,000 from Nez Perce County to support its nonstop Denver-Lewiston flights if the city of Lewiston is willing to provide the same amount.
The Nez Perce County Commission approved spending the money in a split vote Tuesday morning with the contingency of the funds being matched by the city.
Commission Chairman Doug Havens and Commissioner Don Beck were in the majority. Commissioner Doug Zenner voted against the resolution.
The city of Lewiston, which owns the airport with the county, has no money earmarked for United Airlines in its budget this fiscal year. As of Tuesday morning, it didn’t have any meetings scheduled to discuss the issue.
United Airlines has requested $4.9 million for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 to help the route be financially sustainable, according to Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Director Michael Isaacs.
The airline has extended the deadline for the community to create a plan to provide the revenue until Dec. 15 and is checking on the status of the money weekly, Isaacs said.
The Port of Lewiston and area employers potentially could potentially contribute, Havens said.
The Lewiston-Denver flights have been subsidized with government money since they debuted in 2021. In the first three years, they were backed by $4 million from a portion of Nez Perce County’s $7.8 million allocation from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
United has billed the city of Lewiston just more than $4 million for a year-long minimum revenue guarantee that ended Sept. 30.
Supporters of the service have stated helping United is a good investment. Fares on all Lewiston commercial passenger flights have fallen significantly since the Denver flights started and the airport gained another non-stop flight to a major hub.
Delta has offered non-stop Lewiston-Salt Lake City flights for about two decades and added direct Lewiston-Seattle service last year. Neither Delta route is subsidized.
Look for more coverage of this issue at lmtribune.com and in the Lewiston Tribune.
