The City of Great Bend was denied the right to receive Essential Air Service at the Great Bend Municipal Airport in late May. While the Great Bend Airport still sees roughly 1,100 departures and arrivals from private and corporate airplanes each month, the chances of getting another commercial air carrier were eliminated.
Airport Manager Martin Miller has said the only hope to open an airline service in Great Bend is to get a private charter airline, something that has not developed yet.
Martin Miller Audio
Both SeaPort Airlines and Great Lakes Airlines backed out of their service at the Great Bend Airport for various reasons in recent years, leaving residents without a chance to fly out of Great Bend.
Miller says despite the unreliability of both the previous two airlines, he still has community members asking about flights.
Martin Miller Audio
The inconsistent flight service from SeaPort and Great Lakes became a frustration, but it still brought in money to the airport and the City of Great Bend. Miller says the air carrier and security were rent payers at the terminal. Great Bend also made money from the air carriers purchasing fuel at the airport.