Nez Perce County commits $500,000 to subsidize United Airlines flights between Lewiston-Denver

United Airlines could receive $500,000 from Nez Perce County to support its nonstop Denver-Lewiston flights if the city of Lewiston is willing to provide the same amount.

The Nez Perce County Commission approved spending the money in a split vote Tuesday with the contingency of the funds being matched by the city.

Commission Chairperson Doug Havens and Commissioner Don Beck were in the majority. Commissioner Doug Zenner voted against the resolution.

The half million will come from line items in Nez Perce County’s budget for this fiscal year such as architects, engineering and surveying, professional services and legal specialists where the county doesn’t expect to need as much money as it allocated, Havens said.

The city of Lewiston, which owns the airport with the county, has no money earmarked for United Airlines in its budget this fiscal year. As of Tuesday, it didn’t have any meetings scheduled to discuss the issue.

United Airlines has requested $4.9 million for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 to help the route be financially sustainable, according to Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Director Michael Isaacs.

The airline has extended the deadline for the community to create a plan to provide the revenue until Dec. 15 and is checking on the status of the money weekly, Isaacs said.

“They’re working with us,” he said. “I don’t believe they want to leave. So I think it’s encouraging.”

The prices for all direct Lewiston flights have dropped dramatically since United introduced its Denver service, saving area travelers millions of dollars annually they can spend in other places, Havens said.

“The airfares right now are so reasonable,” he said. “People are flying across the country for an unbelievable price. It is just really amazing.”

Beck had a similar take.

The county representatives on the airport authority board, he said, have done “one heck of a good job” bringing the transportation hub to this point.

“It’s our due diligence as part owners (that) we need to support them like we do the fair or like we do the sheriff’s office or any other department,” Beck said. “I don’t know why we wouldn’t extend that opportunity a little longer to give us an opportunity to see if there’s funds available elsewhere that would help us.”

Zenner has a different position. The $500,000 could help replace a leaking roof at the jail, Zenner said.

“We’re just going to give money to the airport again,” he said. “That just doesn’t make sense to me. We should be taking care of our own county infrastructure.”

What other resources could be available is not clear.

The council could amend the budget for this fiscal year, said Lewiston Mayor Dan Johnson in a text.

“However, if the council were to amend its budget, they risk not having enough in the reserves at the end of the next fiscal year,” Johnson said. “The city council took 0% property tax increases for three years. The budget is very efficient at this point.”

The Port of Lewiston and area employers potentially could contribute, Havens said, adding he would try to attend a port commission meeting today.

The port doesn’t have any money in its budget for the United flights, said Scott Corbitt, general manager of the Port of Lewiston in a text.

The United flights have been subsidized with government money since they debuted in 2021. In the first three years they were backed by $4 million from a portion of Nez Perce County’s $7.8 million allocation from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

United has billed the city of Lewiston just more than $4 million for a year-long minimum revenue guarantee that ended Sept. 30.

Besides United’s Denver flights, Lewiston has nonstop service to Salt Lake City and Seattle on Delta. Neither Delta route is subsidized.

The Seattle flights started last year and the Salt Lake City service debuted in 2005.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.