Olympia Regional Airport

"Port commissioners gave tentative approval Monday [Feb. 4] to consider commercial air service at Olympia Regional Airport for the first time since 2004.

They invited a Eugene, Ore.-based consultant to present the recruitment plan for daily service between Olympia and Portland at the next commission meeting, which is Monday [Feb. 11].

Air service between Olympia and Spokane stopped in September 2004 when Montana-based Big Sky Airlines ended service to Olympia.

Consultant Mark Sixel foresees a cooperative arrangement including Olympia for propeller-powered planes that also would fly to Tacoma Narrows Airport, Bremerton, Port Angeles, Aberdeen and Roseburg, Ore., said Rudy Rudolph, director of Olympia Regional Airport. The hub for the service would be Portland International Airport...

Rudolph identified potential carriers as Cape Air, which serves New England, Florida and the Caribbean, and Washington state-based Kenmore Air, which serves the Seattle area, the San Juan islands, Whidbey Island and Victoria, British Columbia," quoting The Olympian.

Ed. Note: This writer appreciated & enjoyed the air service provided by Big Sky from Olympia to Spokane. They had an interline ticketing/baggage/frequent flier mileage agreement with partner Northwest Airlines and provided convenient connections from Olympia through Spokane to Northwest's Minneapolis hub and beyond.

Any airline wishing to succeed must provide easy/seamless connecting service to a major carrier in Portland like Northwest or Alaska Airlines.

The Olympian updated this story after the Port of Olympia meeting on February 11.