Airport Commission Meeting Discloses New Details About Airline Recruitment
The Del Rio International Airport Commission and The City of Del Rio are in active discussions with two distinct regional airlines to restore commercial flights. The identified airlines operate regional jets (ERJ-145s or CRJs) and offer essential interline agreements with major carriers, like United and American Airlines. The Airport Commission convened on May 19, 2025, presenting a clear and detailed picture of the proactive efforts and progress made over the last 2 years since commercial flights ceased.
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The City’s airline recruitment consultant, Volaire Aviation Incorporated, was re-signed for one more year, after their original two-year contract expired. Following a public RFQ and consideration of alternative bids, the City of Del Rio chose to work with Volaire again. The new aviation consulting contract was awarded on April 22, 2025, which covers the period from May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026.
Airport Manager Juan Onofre said: “The new contract [with Volaire] started on May 1st. We had a meeting with city administration to kick off the new contract and to see what new activities we were going to do; one of them is to have a meeting with SkyWest Operations. We are going to be talking to them, making a market pitch of Del Rio… They are the same company that was flying here, and for American Airlines, so they are aware of what we can do.”
Onofre broke down the details. He said, SkyWest Airlines was previously our regional airline in conjunction with American but has switched things up and is now partnering with United. Flights through SkyWest would have one destination, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston Texas. The other unnamed regional airline reportedly approached Del Rio and is making the playing field more competitive, in a good way. Onofre said, “they reached out to us.” They have connections to American and would fly through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Both airline options qualify for GSA and can accommodate government agency flights.
There are a few small differences between the two airlines. Onofre noted, the unnamed regional airline “operates under different rules” and has a maximum capacity of 33 seats in each airplane. This means more legroom, but lower capacity. Onofre was not too worried about lower capacity, he said, “for the first year, while the market reestablishes itself, it will be good for what we need.” In contrast, SkyWest Airlines offers around 50 seats, like Del Rio has had in the past.
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One will come out on top. Onofre said, “at the end, we will have to choose one, the best offer.” Virtual meetings have already commenced. The next stage would be onsite stakeholder visits and final financial negotiations. The city has a lot to offer, Onofre said, “50,000 passengers that we had the last year of operation with American, so that is very good number we have to present ourselves.” Del Rio is seeking the best deal possible, with a key goal to make Del Rio flight prices competitive with San Antonio.
Onofre concluded: “We are approaching those two for now, until we start exchanging information and hearing their requirements. We are working some numbers and then some of them are going to come and visit the city… so we will get to know what specifics they need, what will help entice them to come and fly.”
Following the Airport Commission meeting, some historical context was provided by two commission members and aviation experts. They explained the persistent nationwide pilot shortage. This shortage is attributed to the mandatory pilot retirements at age 65, and an exodus of experienced aviators during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has created a significant imbalance between the demand for pilots and the available supply. This industry-wide challenge continues to ripple through the aviation sector, leaving smaller communities disproportionately impacted by the ongoing scramble to staff flights.
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American Airlines suspended its service to Del Rio International Airport in April 2023. A big shift in air travel post-pandemic impacted airports nationwide, many regional airports across the country had services indefinitely suspended. Prior to American Airlines, the airport was served by Continental Airlines and later United Airlines from 2005 to 2013, with a five-year gap in commercial service before American Airlines began flights in 2018.
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Over the last 2 years, while the airport has been fighting to get commercial airline service back, they have also been working to enhance the airport with additional safety measures and community engagement initiatives. These programs running in the background, facilitate airline recruitment, by making the Del Rio airport more appealing to stakeholders.
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Significant infrastructure upgrades are on their way. Several major projects are underway or nearing approval, funded primarily by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants for 90% federal funding. These include electrical improvements, a drainage study, and a significant taxiway realignment project expected to begin construction soon.
The taxiway will get a few new safety turnaround lanes and an expanded helipad. Details for the taxiway realignment grant note that an initial bid was rejected for being 52% over the engineer's estimate, it was re-advertised with three bidders, a meeting was held with the FAA, and a construction and engineering contract is expected to be awarded soon, with construction planned to begin 60 days after the award.
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As for community engagement, The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is actively recruiting volunteers to re-establish a unit at the airport, with support from Laughlin Air Force Base and the School District. CAP is a public service organization that functions as an educational nonprofit and supports missions as an U.S. Air Force auxiliary. “Civil Air Patrol’s aerospace education programs support community schools, teachers, students and CAP youth through a variety of programs, including curriculum for K-12 classes and study guides, books and special project kits that address aviation, space, cyber and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math),” according to the official website.
The City of Del Rio will be meeting with SkyWest Operations on Friday May 23, 2025. The City Council has upcoming possible action scheduled in regard to the airport improvement projects. Another Airport Commission Meeting with additional updates will take place mid-June. The pressure is on, Onofre said, “we are down to pandemic levels.” Although city records revealed April 2025 was the lowest revenue month for the Airport since American Airlines left in 2023, hope is on the horizon.
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