Federal transportation officials have finalized essential air service providers for western and central Kansas, which includes new service between Garden City and Dallas, TX.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has selected American Eagle for federally subsidized air service in Garden City. The same order selectes Great Lakes Airlines to provice service for Dodge City, Liberal, Hays and Great Bend with flights to Denver.
Dodge City and Garden City worked together over the past year, in an effort to add service between southwest Kansas and Texas. The work came after a study found travelers from the area wanted the service.
Garden City will have a 44-seat regional jet, replacing the current Great Lakes service on a 19-seat turboprop plane. Officials with Garden City say the transition between carriers will be seamless, and Great Lakes service to Denver will continue until American Eagle Service begins. That could come as early as April 3, 2012.
Officials with Garden City say representatives from American Eagle will be in town in the coming weeks with information on sales, scheduling and marketing.
