Frontier Flights to Denver Area Step Closer

By Molly McMillin, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.

Jun. 28–Wichita appears closer to landing nonstop service to Denver on Lynx Aviation, Frontier Airlines’ new regional subsidiary.

Airline officials have looked at counter space at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport and researched phone service and information technology costs here, said Valerie Wise, the airport’s air service manager.

And Monday, the airline conducted a job fair at the Airport Hilton seeking full- and part-time customer service agents, according to an ad for the job fair posted on Careerbuilder.com.

So has Frontier said it’s coming to town?

“We’re pretty confident they are,” Wise said.

The airport does not have a signed contract for the service, though.

The airline is waiting for approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation before it announces new routes.

“It’s very frustrating,” Wise said.

Frontier spokesman Joe Hodas said the carrier expects to hear from the DOT today, but said there would be a lag time between DOT approval and an announcement of service.

Hodas said he could not confirm whether the airline was starting service in Wichita.

Lynx would operate the Denver flights under the name Frontier Express.

Lynx was formed in September to operate short-haul flights. To operate the flights, Lynx has ordered 10 Bombardier Q400 74-seat aircraft with an option for 10 more.

More than 60 airports, including Wichita Mid-Continent, sent proposals to Frontier for service by Lynx.

The carrier plans to add service in nine to 12 communities.

Low-fare service to the west has been a priority for airport officials, who have been in negotiations with Frontier for several months.

United Airlines currently is the only carrier providing direct service to Denver from Wichita.

Area officials in April began a campaign asking the public to e-mail Frontier in an effort to help woo it to town. More than 1,100 people responded.

Reach Molly McMillin at 316-269-6708 or mmcmillin@wichitaeagle.com [mailto:mmcmillin@wichitaeagle.com].

—–

To see more of The Wichita Eagle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.kansas.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NASDAQ-NMS:FRNT,