EAS returns to Sidney, Lewistown

BILLINGS

Essential Air Service flights have resumed at Sidney and Lewistown, about six months after they and four other cities lost EAS service when Big Sky Airlines stopped flying. Great Lakes Aviation made its first EAS flights from Sidney and Lewistown to Denver on Wednesday. Great Lakes Chief Executive Chuck Howell says Miles City will get air service to Denver next, but a date has not been set. Howell says the Cheyenne, Wyo.-based airline plans to restore EAS to Havre, Glasgow, Wolf Point and Plentywood when it can negotiate a contract to lease 10 more Beechcraft 1900s. Great Lakes took over an $8.2 million EAS contract held by Big Sky Airlines before it ended operations on March 8. (AP)