The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has selected Key Lime Air (KG, Denver Centennial) doing business as Denver Air Connection for the Essential Air Service (EAS) contract at Alliance, NE.
The airline will operate for the two-year period from June 1, 2019, through May 31, 2021, at an annual subsidy rate of USD2.3 million. It will fly 12x weekly to Denver International using Metroliner aircraft.
Alliance is currently served by Boutique Air (4B, San Francisco) which flies 12x weekly to Denver using PC-12 aircraft. The airline also operates 6x weekly to Chadron, NE, which is covered by the same EAS contract.
Denver Air Connection, a virtual brand of Key Lime Air, currently operates scheduled flights from Denver to Sheridan, WY, WY, via Riverton, WY, using Do328-300 regional jets. It also operates scheduled public charter flights between Denver Centennial and Grand Junction.
Key Lime Air operates seven Do328-300s (including two operated for Denver Air Connection and five deployed on its charter flights), one inactive E120ER, and one Metroliner.
The DOT reselected Boutique Air for the Chadron EAS. The airline will receive USD2.5 million per year for 12 weekly flights to Denver.
