Uintah County and local City officials gave preliminary approval for the Vernal Regional Airport to negotiate a contract for air service to Salt Lake City with Redtail Air Connections. This service will be in addition to the air service to take over for Skywest. Airport Manager Ken Campbell, as well as representatives with Redtail Air, attended Wednesday’s City/County meeting sharing details about the potential service and the cost. Multiple officials expressed their support for having additional commercial service at the Vernal Regional Airport. Campbell shared that the subsidy will be funded by money that the City and County previously put aside that will pay for a one year trial. Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion emphasized that the airport must hit 10,000 enplanements to maintain FAA funding of qualifying for a million dollars versus $150,000 dollars a year. This additional air service will help get to that enplanement number. A motion was made and approved to allow the Vernal Regional Airport staff to negotiate a contract to include a $130,000 dollar subsidy at a $100 dollar one way ticket price. Campbell estimated that it is possible these flights could start in October or November.
