Sun Country Airlines announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) for Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU) in Eau Claire, WI, beginning in December 2022. Sun Country will provide Eau Claire with a total of four weekly round trips per week including two round trips to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and approximately two round trips per week to Orlando, Las Vegas or Fort Myers adjusted seasonally.
Sun Country is well known to Wisconsin travelers. It already provides service to Green Bay, Milwaukee and Madison. The Chippewa Valley Regional Airport approached Sun Country about providing the service last spring when SkyWest Airlines/United Express filed a notice that it intended to terminate EAS service at Chippewa Valley.
In response to the DOT request for comments from the community regarding air carrier proposals, the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Director said: “The Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Commission would like to express their unanimous support for the Sun Country Airlines proposal to provide airline service to EAU. Sun Country Airlines provides an exciting opportunity to work with an Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier with a brand that is already known in our region.”
“Sun Country’s business model surges in times of peak demand, including the winter months, and utilizes cargo and charter flying at times of the year with less demand for scheduled service flying,” said Grant Whitney, chief revenue officer. “This is a great fit for Sun Country to provide additional service in Wisconsin, and we are excited to bring new service to the Chippewa Valley region,” said Grant Whitney, Sun Country Airlines Chief Revenue Officer. “We appreciate the enthusiasm of and partnership with the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport to connect the Chippewa Valley with Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the 78 destinations we serve as well as to provide service to Las Vegas, Orlando and Fort Myers.”
U.S. DOT waived the minimum frequency requirement for the EAS service which requires a minimum of two daily flights, six days a week.
