Frontier Airlines is due to return to Durango-La Plata County Airport in May from its self-imposed seasonal hiatus, but the Denver-based airline’s route may not last long.
While exact dates have not been set, La Plata County Manager Joe Kerby said Frontier is expected to go on seasonal hiatus again in August.
That raises the prospect Frontier would provide service to Durango only during the peak of summer. Kerby said Frontier had decided to use its planes elsewhere in the off-season, when passengers loads are light on Durango flights.
Frontier spokeswoman Kate O’Malley said the airline will resume Durango flights May 16, but it has not decided how long the route will endure.
“It will remain seasonal, but a seasonal end date has not yet been determined,” O’Malley said in an email message Monday.
Frontier’s seasonal exit has already had an impact in boosting fares, Kerby said.
“By them pulling out, it has impacted fares somewhat,” he said.
United, US Airways and American Airlines continue to provide routes from Durango to Denver, Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
Kerby’s comments came Monday at a Board of County Commissioners meeting held with their counterparts from San Juan County, N.M. The county officials discussed issues of mutual concern, including the airport.
Many Farmington-area residents fly in and out of Durango because of limited capacity at Farmington’s Four Corners Regional Airport.
“We wished we had your problems at our airport,” said Jack Fortner, a San Juan County commissioner.
San Juan County Chief Executive Officer Kim Carpenter said he frequently flies out of Durango. “I’m on four different flights out of here in the next three months,” he said.
However, the San Juan County delegation did bring some criticisms. Carpenter said he recently waited 45 minutes for his luggage after flying into Durango, making him late for a meeting.
Other topics of discussion ranged from hydraulic fracturing to water quality. Carpenter revealed that New Mexico Environment Department testing of the Animas River near the Colorado border has found high levels of nitrates traced to human sewage.
“The assumption is a high number of failing septic systems,” Carpenter said.
La Plata County commissioners were unaware of the issue.
“It’s the first I’ve heard of it,” said Commissioner Bobby Lieb.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
