Despite SkyWest pulling United Express service to Mason City, airport terminal project will continue

MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City this week approved the sale of about $5 million in general obligation bonds, with some of those funds earmarked for the construction of a new terminal building at the Mason City Municipal Airport.

There’s been speculation in the community that the project might not happen after last week’s announcement that SkyWest intended to pull their United Express service out of Mason City, but airport manager David Sims says the terminal project was planned long before SkyWest established service to Mason City a year ago.  “The terminal process began before SkyWest even became a carrier here, mainly as a way to address the needs of the existing 60-year-old commercial terminal building, and some of the deficiencies in that building and the cost to bring that  building up to today’s standards. While the jet service obviously was a big motivator, it wasn’t the only one, as we look to address ADA compliance, safety compliance, fire safety compliance, and many of the other requirements for security with the existing facility, and those led to the conversations that led to designing a new terminal building.”

Sims says federal funding also helped move the terminal building project forward. “The funding for the terminal building is an extremely unique opportunity Mason City was given through the CARES Act that was passed back in 2020, and so therefore the need and the ability to continue with this project are still there, whether SkyWest or another airline is providing service to Mason City.”

The federal funding for the project must be used by the spring of 2024.