LV carrier eyes Elko flights

Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

Las Vegas-based Scenic Airlines, which flies thousands of tourists on flights over the Grand Canyon every year, is considering scheduled round trips between Las Vegas and Elko this fall.

Elko was among 46 cities awarded a federal Small Community Air Service Development Program grant, which helps small communities get air service by subsidizing airlines. Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign announced that Elko received a $222,000 grant and said Scenic Airlines would serve the route.

However, Scenic President Chad Dixon said a service announcement is premature, although the company is working to offer flights to and from Elko.

"We are not yet making any official announcements as we are still in the final stages on completing all the necessary steps to be in a position to launch the service, make our announcements and set a start date," Dixon said Wednesday. "Many areas must be covered when initiating air service such as aircraft acquisition, pilot training, time for marketing and so forth. We just need a little more time, but the subsidy certainly will assist our cause."

Scenic, which already offers scheduled service to Ely and to Merced, Calif., from Las Vegas, would use a 19-passenger twin-engine Beechcraft 1900 jet-turboprop aircraft for the service.

The company has 216 employees and served an average 1,000 passengers a day in August. In addition to Elko flights, the company hopes to offer flights to and from Palmdale, Calif.