A new airline in town: Gulfstream

After a number of complaints led to Great Lakes Airlines losing its Essential Air Service subsidy, it was replaced this month by Gulfstream International Airlines.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -based airline established its main center of operations in Billings and has brought its services out to the subsidized towns week by week.

"This was a big move, " Mickey Bowman, vice president of corporate communications for Gulfstream. "We are about 2,500 miles away from our home, so there have been some logistical problems, but we've solved them all. "

On May 1, flights to Havre and Lewistown started first.

According to Jim Lyons, Havre-Hill County Airport general manager, the transition was smooth.

"It's been seamless, that's for sure, " Lyons said. "They've been very good to work with.

"We look forward to a great working relationship between the airport and Gulfstream. "

May 8 brought service to the airports in Glasgow and Wolf Point.

On Sunday Gulfstream will begin flying to the final three destinations, Miles City, Glendive and Sidney.

Earlier in the plans for the move, Bowman said that Gulfstream would be setting up maintenance facilities in Billings and planned on staffing it there.

Bowman said this morning that the airline had decided it would rather subcontract the maintenance work with Edwards Jet Center already set up at the airport.

All of the flight crews are based in Billings, according to Bowman.

In the week and a half since the first Gulfstream flights began in Montana, ticket sales have been low.

The first flight had some passengers, but not everyone since then has.

Flights to Havre with no one to pick up have been diverted to other airports, where there are passengers.

"They've been light, but we've anticipated that they would be light, " Bowman said. "We're very hopeful. Advanced bookings are showing the life out there. As we deliver a quality product, we believe it will grow. "