Why is Air Wisconsin running a $400 nighttime route from Appleton to Milwaukee? What we know
Amid significant layoffs and pending bids for federal Essential Air Service contracts, Air Wisconsin is selling tickets for late-night Saturday flights between Appleton and Milwaukee.
The one-way flight scheduled on Saturday nights from Appleton International Airport (ATW) to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) costs $447 per passenger as of April 22, according to JustFly. The route isn't prominently listed on other travel platforms like Booking or Expedia, nor are they displayed on the Appleton airport's website.
In comparison, United Airlines offers a one-way flight from Appleton to Milwaukee with a connection in Chicago O'Hare International Airport, with fares at around $558 per passenger as of April 22, according to JustFly.
However, there are discrepancies between scheduled listings and actual operations for the route. The MKE route map shows these flights are listed as scheduled on Saturday nights from April 12 through May 31. Data from FlightAware, a flight tracking service, shows an Air Wisconsin flight departed from ATW to MKE on April 11 and again on April 12. There was an April 21 departure from MKE, and another flight took off on April 22.
Air Wisconsin hasn't responded to The Post-Crescent's multiple inquiries for comment.
One aviation industry analyst says the scheduled flights are used to maintain the airline's Federal Aviation Administration certificate as an air carrier.
'It's really just the logistics operation to keep the certificate valid,' Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R.W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, told The Post-Crescent.
Air Wisconsin is a regional airline and has historically operated flights connecting smaller cities to larger hubs and served as a feeder airline for major carriers, including American Airlines. To operate scheduled passenger services, Air Wisconsin must hold an FAA Part 121 Air Carrier Certificate, which ensures that airlines adhere to strict safety, operational and maintenance standards.
In January, the company announced the end of its partnership with American Airlines and a strategic move toward federally subsidized Essential Air Service (EAS), typically linking smaller, less-populated airports to major hub ones and expanding its charter operations.
Air Wisconsin drastically reduced its flight operations after concluding its contract with American Airlines on April 3, according to FlightAware. The airline had scheduled 108 flights under the American Eagle banner on April 3, but this number dropped to just a handful the following day.
Mann said it takes time to build a portfolio of charter operations and EAS program markets, assuming the company secures those federal contracts, while continuing to qualify as a federally certified regional air carrier.
While the FAA doesn't specify a minimum number of flights that a 121 air carrier must operate to retain its certificate, the company is maintaining a minimum number of airplanes in operation. That allows pilots to retain their qualification and keeps maintenance personnel engaged.
'They're really just trying to hedge their bets on the transition, but also the ability to hold on to a certificate as a 121,' Mann said.
While seeking alternative flying opportunities, including bids for federally subsidized EAS routes and expansion of its charter operations, the company is facing challenges in securing new contracts.
Recent bids for EAS routes in Burlington, Iowa, and Quincy, Illinois, are pending with the U.S. Department of Transportation as of April 17.
'If that doesn't work out, their best shot may be to sell a certificate to someone who is involved in a certification and wants to move faster by acquiring it,' Mann said.
Zhen Wang is a business reporter for The Post-Crescent. Reach her with story tips and feedback at zwang@gannett.com or 920-993-7117.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Why is Air Wisconsin running a $400 nighttime Appleton-Milwaukee route?
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