The long-awaited return of United Airlines air service to Butte's Bert Mooney Airport will come Saturday morning with a ceremonial ribbon cutting followed by the maiden flight out of the Mining City shortly thereafter.
Options for air travelers out of Butte's Bert Mooney Airport have recently been relatively slim as was noted at a recent community meeting regarding ways to improve overall service. Butte has recently had only service from one major airline with service to only one major regional air hub, the Delta Connection flights from Bert Mooney to Salt Lake City. Limited connectivity along with higher fares have led many travelers from Butte and surrounding Southwest Montana communities to seek service from airports in Bozeman, Helena and Missoula, much to the frustration of Bert Mooney officials and supporters. Yesterday, the Bert Mooney Airport announced a big move towards flexibility by adding an additional airline to a different hub.