Leaving Lewiston for the last time

United Airlines ended its Lewiston to Denver service with the last flight leaving the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

The flight landed in Denver and the plane will be reassessed within United’s network and put on a rotation in another route. Those on the flight planning to return to the Lewiston area will have to find an alternative way back.

“It’s been scheduled for several weeks, so there’s no surprises,” Airport Director Michael Isaacs said.

The plane that left Lewiston was a full flight seating 70 people.

“The flights remained full up until the very end,” Isaacs said.

The Skywest employees who were operating the United flight will stay at the airport and work on Delta flights, which provide service to Salt Lake City and Seattle. There will be no layoffs at the airport.

The airport board is still meeting with its consultant and other airlines for more flights on a weekly or biweekly basis.

While the airport is looking at all options for flights and airlines, customers have felt the effects of the lost Denver flight, Isaacs said. The flight offered connections to businesses and college students from Moscow and Pullman used it.

“We’ve heard a lot of concern about the Denver flight being lost,” Isaacs said. “We’ve heard some disappointment from customers.”

Those who have questions or comments on flights for the airport can send them to www.golws.com

United Airlines announced it was withdrawing service to the Lewiston airport in December after the airport was unable to secure $4.9 million in funding to subsidize the flights.

The airport requested assistance from the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County, which co-own the airport. Nez Perce County agreed to pay $500,000 in October, but the Lewiston city council didn’t vote for another revenue guarantee in November.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.