Inyo Supes Get an Airport Update, Take Cautious Approach to Expanding Flights

March 17, 2025

Inyo Supes Get an Airport Update, Take Cautious Approach to Expanding Flights

The Bishop Airport officially opened to commercial flights in December 2019. With a little over five years of operation, the Inyo Board of Supervisors got a chance to review its progress and decide next steps in the form of expansion during summer and the shoulder seasons as well as facility improvements. Without the Board’s unanimous agreement on those steps, Nate Greenberg, Inyo’s Chief Administrative Officer suggested he go back to those entities involved in the Eastern Sierra Air Alliance (Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth Ski Resort, Inyo and Mono counties) for additional input.

First, a little review: initially Mammoth’s Airport seemed to be the logical site for upgrades to bring tourists to the Eastern Sierra. While Inyo’s wind patterns can be erratic, they pale in comparison to those in Mono County. An aside: years ago, from Mammoth Mountain’s Cornice, a pilot gestured toward the airport and cautioned “don’t ever fly in or out of Mammoth Airport.” With encouragement from the ski resort’s founder, Dave McCoy, Bishop was the logical alternative.

The Air Alliance was formed to bring a functional airport, cautiously, to fruition with each entity contributing $200,000 as a minimum revenue guarantee to United Airlines.

Inyo’s Deputy Public Works Director Ashley Helms updated Inyo Supervisors on work done at the three Inyo airport facilities and paths forward for Bishop. The news was encouraging with an increase in load factors and significant growth compared to other ski area airports. Another plus, the airport would be eligible for $1.3 million from the Federal Aviation Administration once it hit 10,000 enplanements. Mammoth Lakes Tourism Director John Urdi added his observations that summer travel out Bishop was more local while winter flights were dominated by visitors. He also said flights out of Denver connected best with visiting fliers from all over the U.S.

Supervisors Scott Marcellin, Jeff Griffiths and Will Wadelton were supportive of the recommended schedule expansion and facility improvements while Trina Orrill and Jennifer Roeser wanted to see more of a return on the County’s investment before an approval of any expansion.

Deb Murphy