Image: Denver International Airport
Great Lakes Airlines, a regional carrier based in Denver, has canceled all of its scheduled flights as of Tuesday, citing a lack of pilots, the Denver Post has reported. The airline posted a notice on its website noting the company has not entered bankruptcy and will continue to operate scheduled service as Great Lakes Express between Denver and two cities in South Dakota. Great Lakes had flown to Los Angeles, Phoenix and several other regional destinations. “It’s just plain, fundamental draining of availability of pilots,” Great Lakes CEODoug Voss told the Post. “At the end of the day, it’s about the pilot-supply issue and how government is managing the consequences of it.” The shutdown will leave Cheyenne and Telluride without air service from Denver.
The Post also noted that changes in the government’s essential air service program had affected Great Lakes. Also, in 2015, the airline had entered an agreement with the aviation program at Metropolitan State University of Denver, to direct new pilots into entry-level jobs with the airline. That arrangement has been discontinued, according to the Post. According to the airline’s website, their fleet includes the Beechcraft 1900D twin turboprop outfitted for nine or 19 passengers, Embraer’s Brasilia 30-seat turboprop, Bombardier’s CRJ 200 jet with 50 seats and the CRJ 700 with 70 seats. Voss told the Post he may use the airplanes to haul cargo, and hopes to return to passenger service.
