"It was really great for my family to be able to fly out of Sun Valley during the holidays to travel back east and at a price that beat what we could find out of Boise. Plus, the money and time we saved being able to leave from Hailey instead of having to drive to and then park in Boise was an added bonus. Thanks Fly Sun Valley Alliance, the benefits of our improved air service are evident and appreciated!"
-Mike McKenna, Hailey
TAKE THE SUN AIR PASSENGER SURVEY
If you fly out of SUN, you may have encountered the opportunity to take our air passenger survey, and if so, we hope you have obliged. Long-time local Betty Grant is our dynamic and friendly survey collector who loves to interact with passengers and is a great ambassador for our community. She collects 1000 surveys each season and the data and input received helps us better understand our air travelers (local residents, second homeowners and visitors) in order to guide decisions on airport facilities, services and operations, air service development and air service marketing. It also provides excellent data on the overall economic impact of the airport and those who use it.
We hope you do your part to help us continue to improve air service for all SUN air passengers - if you get asked by Betty, please take the survey and provide your input!
Photo: Betty Grant (lleft) poses at airport with local SUN traveler Leslie Silva
WINTER SUN FLIGHTS = GREAT ACCESS
The SUN winter flights offer nonstop access to 6 cities and more flights to SEA and ORD!
SEA: Alaska daily nonstop flights plus Wed/Sat/Sunday 2nd daily flights run through March.
ORD: United weekly Saturday nonstop flights run through March.
LAX-DEN-SFO: United daily nonstop flights run through March
SLC: Delta 3x daily nonstop flights through March, then 2x daily nonstop flights in spring
This unique and complimentary program assists SUN air travelers with getting to their destination during those times when inclement winter weather affects flight operations at SUN. This is a much better alternative to having a flight cancelled or delayed, which would happen at most any other airport. We are proud to make an extraordinary effort to take care of our SUN passengers, and we know they appreciate it.
Get program details HERE. Be informed and prepared!
There are also exciting new developments in the works to improve reliability of all the airline flights to/from SUN. Check out the update from the SUN airport manager HERE
SUN AIRPORT NEWS
SUN VALLEY AIR SERVICE BOARD ADDRESSES AIRPORT CHALLENGES
Friedman Memorial Airport experienced high volumes of traffic on certain days during the 2019/2020 December and January holiday season.Due to the volume of commercial and general aviation flights during these peak demand times, coupled with periods of inclement weather, there was an unusually high level of Air Traffic Control delays which contributed to flight diversions by commercial airlines. Aircraft typically land from the south and take off to the south, adding a further limiting factor as to how many aircraft can land or take-off in any given period.
Due to the number of delays and diversions by some commercial flights, the members of the Sun Valley Air Service Board (SVASB) met with Friedman Memorial Airport Authority (FMAA) to further examine policies and procedures around flight delays and diversions. They also explored whether any actions should be taken that could improve the visitor flying experience.
From that meeting, SVASB made the following observations:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy is to treat all aircraft equally on a first-come, first-served basis allowing for no discrimination between aircraft, whether commercial airlines or general aviation.
Changes to this policy would require changes to federal law, which would likely be a long political process at the federal level with no guarantee of success.
FMAA suggested that proactive management methods can improve operational efficiency. These practices have been successful in the past in addressing issues related to crowded airspace and have dramatically improved the visitor experience.
Progress continues toward alleviating some of the weather-related diversions experienced during this past holiday season, and historically throughout the winter season, via improved approach procedures and advanced avionics used on aircraft. Adoption of the new technologies is at the sole discretion of the airlines.
SVASB came to the following conclusions:
FMAA continues to proactively work with all users and stakeholders to address issues relating to commercial airline delays, diversions, missed connections, and overall efficiency of the airport to better serve all users.
SVASB supports the actions being taken by FMAA and will continue to work closely with them to examine all options in support of the airport's operational efforts.
About the SVASB: The Sun Valley Air Service Board was created through a Joint Powers Agreement adopted by Blaine County and the cities of Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey in 2012 and 2013 in preparation for the successful voter passage of a 1% increase in Local Option Tax in the three cities. The Joint Powers Agreement creates a board of limited powers with the purpose of retaining, improving, developing and promoting commercial air service to Friedman Memorial Airport. The board is a separate legal entity which includes voting representatives from each of the three cities and a nonvoting representative of Blaine County. Board members are Sun Valley Mayor Peter Hendricks, Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw, Hailey Mayor Martha Burke and County Commissioner Jacob Greenberg.
FLYING WITH A REAL ID - DEADLINE IS OCT 2020 TO GET YOURS
Beginning October 1, 2020, every air traveler, 18 years of age and older, will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another
acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States.
Check for the star.
REAL ID-compliant cards are marked with a star at the top of the card. If you're not sure, contact your state driver's license agency on how to obtain a REAL ID compliant card.
For info by state, including where to obtain a REAL ID, visit the
DHS REAL ID website and click your state on the map. For Idaho residents the link is
HERE
AIRPORT PARKING PATIENCE AT SUN
'Tis the season for busy parking lots! With the growth we are experiencing at the airport, our parking lot often fills up during peak demand times (holidays, spring break, and big ski weekends). We are working closely with our parking lot management company, The Car Park, to address this issue by developing procedures to accommodate as many cars as possible, but
during crunch times, we encourage you to get a ride to the airport if you can. Parking lot status will be updated as necessary on our website and Facebook page. If you encounter a full parking lot when you arrive at the airport, look for a representative from The Car Park in the lot and they will work to assist you. As a reminder, PLEASE DO NOT park your vehicle in fire lanes or pedestrian crosswalks, or your car may be ticketed or towed. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience!
FMAA MEETING NOTICE
The next meeting of the Friedman Memorial Airport Authority:
Tuesday, March 3, 5:30pm Old Blaine County Courthouse, Hailey
FMAA board meeting agendas and packets available HERE
WINTER SUN FLIGHTS = GREAT ACCESS
'Tis the season for busy parking lots! With the growth we are experiencing at the airport, our parking lot often fills up during peak demand times (holidays, spring break, and big ski weekends). We are working closely with our parking lot management company, The Car Park, to address this issue by developing procedures to accommodate as many cars as possible, but
FLY SUN VALLEY ALLIANCE