Southwest Airlines is suspending the Phoenix and Las Vegas routes from Wichita, and will begin a non-stop daily flight to Denver on Sept 6.
Southwest plans to bring the Las Vegas route back in March, and the Phoenix route in January.
Southwest serves five dozen destinations from Denver. Next year, Southwest plans to add 16 gates in Denver, allowing it to expand to more destinations.
The airline says Denver is closer to Wichita and less expensive to operate. The connection in Denver will allow more passengers to fill a plane to various destinations including Las Vegas and Phoenix, according to the airline.
Valerie Wise, air service development & marketing manager with the Wichita Airport Authority, said all airlines are reducing flights because of the upcoming expiration of the CARES Act requirements, and are required to operate a minimum level of service to their destinations through the end of September in order to receive the funding. She said passenger traffic has not rebounded and airlines need to reduce costs by furloughing employees and reducing flights. Compared to August, the airlines have cut more than 20 million seats out of their October schedule, and 198,000 flights.
