Frontier Airlines will launch its much-anticipated Lynx Aviation regional turboprop operation this fall with flights from Denver to Wichita; Sioux City, Iowa; Rapid City, S.D.; and Billings, Mont.
Frontier plans to announce the new flights today. The airline will replace its regional jet flights to Billings with Lynx turboprop flights on Oct. 1, when Lynx will start flying to Wichita. On Oct. 5, it will launch flights to Sioux City and Rapid City. The Lynx service is pending federal approval.
The Frontier venture is aimed at starting flights to smaller Rocky Mountain region airports where some competitors like Southwest Airlines don’t offer service. It’s a strategic move Frontier hopes will boost its fortunes amid heavy competition at Denver International Airport, particularly since Southwest began serving DIA.
Flights to those smaller airports can generate a greater premium for airlines. Fares on those flights are often higher than on routes between large cities with heavy competition among airlines serving them, and smaller airports also are often eager to attract more service by offering incentives.
More than 60 airports sent in proposals asking for Frontier service with turboprops or regional jets. Wichita Mid- Continent Airport, for example, offered Frontier about $600,000 worth of incentives, including marketing support and waivers of landing fees, terminal rents and charges.
“This is a very huge thing for us,” said Valerie Wise, air service development manager at the Wichita airport. “People here are tired of the high fares on United.”
Some airlines – Southwest in particular – don’t bother to serve those smaller cities. Southwest flies only Boeing 737s and gains efficiencies with that business model, but it would be difficult to fill up a 737 on routes to smaller cities. United flies from Denver to Wichita, Rapid City and Billings. Frontier had service to Wichita several years ago but discontinued it.
Frontier had originally hoped to start Lynx flights this summer, but delays in deliveries of the 74-seat Q400 turboprop planes led to the later launch. Turboprops have a bad reputation for being noisy and small, though the Q400s have noise-canceling technology.
For Frontier, the turboprop routes will help feed passengers to other Frontier flights through the airline’s Denver hub.
“We want to become the gateway” to areas in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica, said Frontier spokesman Joe Hodas.
Frontier plans to gain the ability through Lynx to fly to mountain resorts such as Aspen, Vail and Jackson Hole, Wyo., and ultimately have a total of about 10 new routes with Lynx service. But Lynx has not yet received Federal Aviation Administration approval, so for now, it is announcing routes where it can substitute Frontier planes or regional jet service, if needed.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
Frontier’s new links: Lynx Aviation
The airline’s new turboprop service from Denver begins in four cities:
Wichita -Beginning Oct. 1
Sioux City, Iowa -Beginning Oct. 5
Rapid City, S.D. -Beginning Oct. 5
Billings, Mont. -Beginning Oct. 1
