After nearly three years of challenges, SkyWest is hopeful that new Federal Aviation Administration leadership will help its SkyWest Charter (SWC) subsidiary expand. SWC began in 2023.
The ultimate goal of this venture was to use 30-seat CRJ-200s to serve small communities throughout the U.S. which have seen a reduction in scheduled air service post-pandemic. SWC would operate under a different set of regulations from its scheduled counterpart, theoretically improving economics in already thin markets.
Currently, 18 CRJ-200s operate under the SkyWest Charter brand, with sports teams and other clients using the aircraft.
SkyWest’s plan for the subsidiary hit a regulatory snag when the FAA began cracking down on public charter operators. The company has been trying to gain its commuter authority for two and a half years, CEO Chip Childs said.
Despite these headwinds, Childs remains hopeful that the venture will be able to expand into small communities, especially under the new Trump administration.
“I think the term that you use ‘being reengaged’ in this is an understatement. We certainly do see a very good opportunity relative to the 2.5-year challenges at SkyWest Charter to get commute authority,” he stated during a recent earnings call.
SkyWest also owns a minority stake in Contour Airlines, which uses 30-seat aircraft to serve smaller communities as a public charter operator.
“[We]e look forward with optimism to reengaging this incredibly important strategic opportunity that we have to better serve communities,” Childs continued. “And so yes, we are definitely reengaging in that process.”
