Sawyer Airport Goes to 100% Jets

IT MAY BE A NEW ERA OF AIRLINE SERVICE AT THE U–P’S MOST HEAVILY TRAVELED AIRPORT.

It’s a new era of airline service at the U.P.’s most heavily traveled airport.

Starting today, Sawyer Airport no longer has any propeller-driven planes providing passenger service.

It’s all regional jets.

Delta Airlines has just started 2 regional jet flights a day to Detroit and 2 to Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Keith Kaspari, the airport manager, says he’s encouraged by the number of people taking advantage.

He says 2010 is shaping up as a much better year for passenger traffic than 2008 or 2009 were.

The regional jets can carry 50 passengers, compared to the 34 that the turboprop planes could carry.

That pushes up Sawyer’s daily passenger capacity by 50%.

Delta will be adding a 3rd daily flight to Detroit for July and August as well.