Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas among Frontier's new regional destinations

[JonnyKnoxville]

Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas among Frontier's new regional destinations​

Frontier Airlines today unveiled the first four cities it will service with its new 74-seat Q400 turboprop planes, the Rocky Mountain News reports. Flying the planes under its new Lynx Aviation subsidiary, Frontier will add new service this October between Denver and Sioux City, Iowa; Rapid City, S.D.; and Wichita. The Q400's will replace regional jet service on Frontier's route between Denver and Billings, Mont.
When Frontier announced last fall that it would buy the 74-seat turboprops, the move sparked enthusiasm among dozens of airports hoping to attract a low-cost carrier. The Associated Press writes 62 cities -– mostly in the Rockies and Great Plains -– submitted proposals to Frontier for its regional service.
The Denver Post writes Frontier's "venture is aimed at starting flights to smaller Rocky Mountain region airports where some competitors like Southwest Airlines don't offer service. It's a strategic move Frontier hopes will boost its fortunes amid heavy competition at Denver International Airport, particularly since Southwest began serving (Denver). Flights to those smaller airports can generate a greater premium for airlines. Fares on those flights are often higher than on routes between large cities with heavy competition among airlines serving them, and smaller airports also are often eager to attract more service by offering incentives," the Post explains.
Frontier will be the only airline to offer nonstop service between Denver and Sioux City, but the Denver-based carrier will go head-to-head with United on the three other routes. Frontier will eventually expand Q400 service to about 10 other cities. Markets like Aspen Colo.; Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Jackson Hole, Wyo. and Colorado Springs among the top candidates, the local papers report.