Baucus, Tester announce more air service in Helena

Senators Call Increase in Services to the Queen City “Great News”

(Washington D.C.) Montana’s U.S. senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester today announced two major airlines are increasing air services at the Helena Airport.

This summer, Northwest Airlines will increase the size of the airplane which provides air service in the morning to Minneapolis.  The planes will have 64 coach and 12 first class seats.  Another airline, Skywest, is adding daily flight from Helena to Salt Lake City.

In addition, $1 million is headed to the airport through the Jobs Bill. Baucus and Tester helped write and voted for the jobs-stimulus plan—which they call the Jobs Bill—earlier this year. The Jobs Bill dollars will be used to upgrade the lighting and markings on several taxiways at the airport. Bidding on the project will begin May 18.

“This is great news.  I’m thrilled to see that service in and out of Montana will get a new boost this summer,” Baucus said. “The dollars and the new and better flights will help us create good-paying jobs and attract new businesses to our state, to help us steer out of this economic downturn.”

“With these improvements, Montanans will have better access to our capital city,” said Tester, a member of the influential Senate Appropriations Committee.  “Safe, reliable air transportation plays a vital role for economic growth and opportunity in Montana.”

The Jobs Bill dollars were distributed through the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.