TWIN FALLS — Starting December 1, passengers will have to find a new way to get from Twin Falls to Denver due to a recent cancellation of the flight that goes into effect on November 30.
“This is just the worst news and we’re incredibly disappointed,” said Bill Carberry, the Manager of the Magic Valley Regional Airport.
Part of the reason behind the flight's cancellation is because of lingering effects from the pandemic which airlines across the nation are still experiencing.
“What the airline is telling us is although United had good ridership, the average yields on the fares weren’t as high as they would’ve liked," said Carberry. "Their costs are certainly going up, and so they decided to discontinue that moving forward.”
The timing of the cancellation has come at a difficult time as it is right around the holiday season. Yet, the effect will not just be felt during the holiday season, both leisure and business travel will be impacted.
“I’m already hearing from businesses that it’s had a significant impact on their ability to move their employees around to important business meetings,” said Shawn Barigar, the President of the Chamber of Commerce.
For those who have already made travel plans during the holidays through the Denver flight, officials are recommending that those passengers speak to the airline directly.
“They need to contact their booking agent, United.com, to try to get refunds, those types of things," said Carberry.
Officials also recommend looking at alternative options through neighboring airports.
While there is a feeling of disappointment that the flight could not be offered for an extended period of time, officials remain optimistic of possibilities in the future.
“We’re always looking for opportunities that can improve the air service here," said Barigar. "Again, we are a small market. We don’t provide a ton of passengers, but certainly some. So, we’ll just continue those ongoing discussions we have with other carriers.”
