Six airlines provide proposals to service HRO

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, November 4, 2026

By Michael Gripp

Six airlines have now submitted proposals for the Essential Air Service (EAS) contract with the Department of Transportation (DoT). The Boone County Regional Airport (HRO) board will spend the rest of the month examining these proposals before submitting their recommendation to DoT, which will ultimately make the decision. The selected airline will begin its contract in March 2027.

Boutique Air

Editor’s note: The Boutique Air proposal described in Saturday’s edition was based on a prior proposal and inaccurate. The following is based on the current proposal.

Boutique Air is proposing to use a Pilatus PC-12 turbojet, seating eight or nine, for three route options. They believe the PC-12 offers shorter flight times than prop options. Boutique has interline agreements with United and American Airlines. Their options include flights to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Memphis (MEM), and Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).

Option 1
Weekly round trips: 18 to DFW      Year 1 subsidy required  $5.964M

Option 2
Weekly round trips: 15 to DFW/3 to XNA Year 1 subsidy required  $5.598M

Option 3
Weekly round trips: 15 to DFW/3 to MEM Year 1 subsidy required  $6.195M

Southern Airways Express

Southern Airways Express currently holds the contract operating 9-passenger turboprop Cessna C-208 Caravans. They hold interline partnerships with Alaska, Hawaiian, United, American and Japan Airlines.

Option 1
Weekly round trips: 18 to DFW   Year 1 subsidy required  $5.186M

Option 2
Weekly round trips: 21 to DFW   Year 1 subsidy required  $5.989M

Skyroads Aviation

Skyroads also uses the Pilatus PC-12 configured to seat eight. Skyroads Aviation has primarily operated as an on-demand charter service specializing in physician transportation to rural hospitals. Their options include service to DFW and the Houston International Airport (IAH).

Option 1
Weekly round trips: 18 to DFW   Year 1 subsidy required  $5.457M

Option 2
Weekly round trips: 12 to DFW/6 to IAH Year 1 subsidy required  $5.348M

Contour Airlines

Contour’s proposal anticipates using a 30-seat twin-engine regional jet. Its proposal says Contour is partnered with Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue and United. They provided five different options for the board to consider. All options, except the proposal for flights into IAH, would require establishing TSA at HRO. Current plans for the forthcoming new terminal do not include a TSA area. Among their options are service to DFW, IAH, Nashville (BNA), Atlanta (ATL), and O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

Option 1
Weekly round trips: 12 to DFW  Year 1 subsidy required  $6.743M

Option 2
Weekly round trips: 7 to DFW/5 BNA  Year 1 subsidy required  $5.457M

Option 3
Weekly round trips: 7 to DFW/5 ATL  Year 1 subsidy required  $6.758M

Option 4
Weekly round trips: 7 to DFW/5 ORD Year 1 subsidy required  $6.849M

Option 5
Weekly round trips: 12 to IAH    Year 1 subsidy required  $6.863M

SkyWest Charter

SkyWest intends to use a 30-seat CRJ200 jet. Its current fleet of more than 500 aircraft operates regional flights for United Express, Delta Connection, American and Alaska.

Option 1
Weekly round trips: 12 to IAH   Year 1 subsidy required  $7.828M

Denver Air Connection

Denver Air proposes using its Metroliner, a 9-passenger twin-engine turboprop plane. They have interline agreements with United, American and Delta Air Lines.

Option 1
Weekly round trips: 14 to DFW/4 MEM  Year 1 subsidy required  $3.859M

The Essential Air Service is a federal subsidy program designed to preserve existing commercial air service to small communities where it would otherwise be unprofitable for airlines to operate.

Prior to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, the federal government controlled airline routes and fares. Once that system was dismantled, Congress created the EAS to prevent the sudden loss of air service to small communities.