# OKCpedia > Businesses & Employers >  SkyWest Airlines

## Pete

SkyWest Airlines to bring 375 jobs to OKC


The City of Oklahoma City is seeking to provide $2 million in economic incentives to finalize a deal with SkyWest Airlines which would result in a large new maintenance facility at Will Rogers World Airport and the creation of 375 new jobs over the next five years.



The Oklahoma City Economic Development trust will decide in its meeting next week whether to allocate the incentives from funds earmarked for job creation and raised through the issuance of a general obligation bond.  Similar funds are included in the up-coming election to decision on a new G.O. bond.

SkyWest is based in St. George, Utah and flies in a partnership with Alaska Airlines, as United Express on behalf of United Airlines, as American Eagle on behalf of American Airlines, and as Delta Connection on behalf of Delta Airlines.  All four airlines are served by Will Rogers.

The airline employs more than 12,000 people in North America and carried over 30 million passengers in 2016 on a fleet of over 400 aircraft.

Under the terms of the agreement, SkyWest would build at 135,000 square foot maintenance facility at Will Rogers at 6325 S. Portland Avenue, which would be directly south of Field Aviation.



It is anticipated that the 367 new jobs would average $56,740 in annual salary.

SkyWest currently operates maintenance bases in Boise, Chicago O'Hare, Colorado Springs, Detroit, Fort Wayne, Fresno, Milwaukee, Nashville, Palm Springs, Salt Lake City, South Bend and Tucson.

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and economic development officials from Oklahoma City have worked with the company since 2016.

Estimates from the Economic Development Trust show the total financial impact to be more than $327 million over the first three years of operation.  Estimated local sales and property taxes is $1.5 million for the first three years than $318,000 annually thereafter.

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## macfoucin

:Congrats:  :Congrats:  :Congrats:

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## dcsooner

Great News! Keep um coming (new jobs)

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## FighttheGoodFight

Sounds like a win win. Good to see.

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## catch22

I think I'll be moving back to OKC sooner than expected.

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## HangryHippo

Excellent news! The more OKC can capitalize on aviation, the better!

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## bradh

so deal is NOT final yet?  the project bid out back in the first week of July

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## Pete

> so deal is NOT final yet?  the project bid out back in the first week of July


Technically, no.  The OKC EDT and then the City Council have to approve the incentives.

In reality, it's already a done deal because both bodies have a 100% approval rate of these types of things.

It was the same with Niagara Bottling who was already under construction before the incentives were officially approved.

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## gopokes88

This is a no brainer

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## Teo9969

It's pretty exciting to see the continued growth of the aviation sector in OKC.

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## catch22

Pete do you know when they expect to have this completed? 

This is very exciting to me.

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## gopokes88

> It's pretty exciting to see the continued growth of the aviation sector in OKC.


http://m.newsok.com/article/5560159

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## chuck5815

> It's pretty exciting to see the continued growth of the aviation sector in OKC.


You look at Memphis and how it has positioned itself as such a key logistical hub with FedEx. We already seem to have a decent foothold with long-haul trucking, but it would be absolutely killer if OKC could start to approach what Memphis has done with aviation and logistics.

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## bradh

Isn't FedEx HQ'd there?

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## jonny d

> Isn't FedEx HQ'd there?


Don't let facts ruin a guys dream. lol

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## chuck5815

> Don't let facts ruin a guys dream. lol


It's weird how much you hate OKC. Never a positive post from you.

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## bradh

I mean I like where Chuck is going, aerospace is an industry we should go after, but getting what FedEx has in Memphis or UPS in Louisville would take a bit more.

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## chuck5815

> I mean I like where Chuck is going, aerospace is an industry we should go after, but getting what FedEx has in Memphis or UPS in Louisville would take a bit more.


Yea, I mean I said "approach" what Memphis has, not "equal" it. I have several friends who fly for FedEx so I understand its positioning quite well. What's clear is that we're heading in the right direction with Boeing and these new airlines.

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## OUman

> We already seem to have a decent foothold with long-haul trucking...


I've heard Oklahoma City is one of the trucking hubs of the counntry but could you elaborate on that? Just curious.

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## Plutonic Panda

Any update on this?

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## catch22

> Any update on this?


Site work is being done in preparation for building piers and foundation work.

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## Pete

This is the new SkyWest facility under construction just to the east of the new Portland Ave, just as it curves to the east as you head south.

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## Zuplar

I noticed in the aviation thread someone mentioned Alaska Airlines may be increasing their footprint here. I know SkyWest does some of their flights, so with this new facility is there thought that there will be a decent expansion?

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## HangryHippo

It may be just me, but I hate the lights that the city has used around the airport.  Airports are supposed to be modern and these old-fashioned knock offs just look completely out of place to me.

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## gopokes88

> It may be just me, but I hate the lights that the city has used around the airport.  Airports are supposed to be modern and these old-fashioned knock offs just look completely out of place to me.


What a weird thing to hate

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## HangryHippo

> What a weird thing to hate


I mean, I don't lose sleep over it so hate was probably too strong a word.  But I certainly think they look stupid.

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## catch22

> I noticed in the aviation thread someone mentioned Alaska Airlines may be increasing their footprint here. I know SkyWest does some of their flights, so with this new facility is there thought that there will be a decent expansion?


Alaska switched the OKC service from SkyWest to Horizon.

Given Alaska’s strategy to not open OKC even though they have had their maintenance done here for two decades wouldn’t give me much confidence that they’ll open any new routes just because of SkyWest. At the end of the day, the airplane “clocks out” - it’s Skywest’s job to get it into maintenance. So it doesn’t do AS any benefit to open marginal routes just to help cycle the contractor’s airplanes to maintenance.

Now, United and Delta both give Skywest a little bit of latitude in this department. Their relationship with DL and UA go back 30 years. Alaska and Skywest are only in bed because of the problems at Horizon and to keep pressure on the Horizon pilot union that they aren’t guaranteed any work and Alaska will look outside the family to keep costs down.

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## Zuplar

I actually really like the lights.

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## cedbled

This entire area is going to be BUZZING, on a whole new level.......

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## Plutonic Panda

> It may be just me, but I hate the lights that the city has used around the airport.  Airports are supposed to be modern and these old-fashioned knock offs just look completely out of place to me.


I agree. I dont like them either.

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## SOONER8693

> I actually really like the lights.


Agree, I like them a lot. Think they are very cool.

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## CloudDeckMedia

> Agree, I like them a lot. Think they are very cool.


Park a DC-3, a Ford Tri-Motor and a couple of Beech D-18s underneath them and you’ll really have something!

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## Pete

Press release:

***********

SkyWest Airlines Celebrates New Maintenance Facility at WRWA
Ribbon Cutting Event Thursday, Sept. 20

WHAT:            SkyWest opens their new Oklahoma City maintenance hangar on Thursday, Sept. 20. Media will enjoy exclusive photo opportunities and access to cover the ribbon cutting, including remarks from:

Chip Childs – President and CEO, SkyWest, Inc.
David Holt – Mayor, City of Oklahoma City
Rhonda Hooper – Chairman, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce
Mark Kranenburg – Airports Director, Oklahoma City Department of Airports

WHEN:           Thursday, September 20, 2018 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

WHERE:         The New SkyWest Hangar: 6325 S. Portland Place, Oklahoma City, OK 73159

WHO:              Members of the media are invited to join city, airport, and SkyWest officials for this historic event.

WHY:              SkyWest is pleased to open their new 135,000-square foot maintenance hangar at WRWA. This new maintenance facility accommodates up to  nine regional aircraft and supports overnight maintenance for SkyWest’s four major airline partners – Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. SkyWest expects around 100 aviation professionals to work at the new facility.


About SkyWest Airlines
With over 13,000 aviation professionals operating more than 2,100 daily flights, SkyWest Airlines connects millions of passengers each month to 241 destinations across North America. SkyWest operates in partnership with Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines and has a fleet of 445 aircraft. Headquartered in St. George, Utah, SkyWest’s industry-leading workforce and excellent leadership team have consistently generated solid operational and economic performance, setting the standard for excellence in the regional industry.

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