It seems fitting that as Yellowstone Regional Airport prepares to honor one of its most important champions this week during the unveiling of a new terminal, local organizations are at work trying to take local airline service to heights not seen in the last few years. 

The recently expanded terminal at Yellowstone Regional Airport will officially be named “Senator Hank Coe Terminal” during a public event at the Cody airport Friday, June 7. The public official who did at least as much as anybody else to strengthen commercial air service in the county died of cancer in 2021 after decades in public service, both in Cheyenne and at home. 

It’s exciting to see a new crop of airport and tourism leaders working to grow the service at least back to where it was before pandemic disruptions and a wave of pilot retirements upended the industry. 

The Park County Travel Council is committing $100,000 and asking the county to do the same to add to $60,000 in donations from CYAIR, the group Coe helped to start. This combined funding would provide 60% of a minimum revenue guarantee (MRG) — the state will add the other 40% — to be able to offer Delta a $400,000 revenue guarantee to entice them to once again provide daily service in the summer to Salt Lake City. 

Now, I admit it’s frustrating that Delta would even require an MRG for a service it previously provided without one. But, Cody Mayor Matt Hall said it can sweeten the pot to get the service restarted, and Airport Manager Aaron Buck assured commissioners recently that it would be unlikely with the demand already there that much if any of the $400,000 would actually need to be paid to Delta. 

That money could then be used to offer an MRG to another airline flying out of one of the next two airports determined by a consultant to provide the most service to Cody: Dallas or Seattle. 

Get one of those two on board, and you have re-created, if not exceeded, what service looked like just a few years ago when summer flights were coming from Denver, Salt Lake City and Chicago. 

It’s a win for tourism in the county, but what makes me OK with it considering tax dollars would be ponied up for the MRG, is that it would help residents as well. Travel Council Executive Director Ryan Hauck said roughy 20% of area residents drive to Billings to fly out of that airport rather than fly to Denver out of Cody. 

Having flown out of both airports, I much prefer Cody for the free parking, almost non-existent wait and short commute.  Still, the limited flights and single destination have necessitated flying out of Billings more than I’d like. Having more flights and more destinations could turn at least most of those trips to Billings into short rides to Cody. 

For that, and for the tourism and economic development benefits, I can see the funds being well spent.