The City of Valdez will soon begin evaluating new options for air transportation to the city after announcing a federal government request for proposals for essential air services earlier this month.

The impetus for the RFP process comes from what the Valdez city government describes as a lack of reliable and frequent air service to the region.

“A significant portion of Valdez’s population relies on air travel, particularly for medical appointments, business activities, and to stay in touch with family and friends in other parts of Alaska and beyond,” said Martha Barberio, director of Valdez’s Economic Development Department. “Valdez is somewhat geographically isolated, with limited road access and seasonal ferry service. This makes air travel an important mode of transportation for residents and visitors.”

Valdez has a population of just under 4,000 and is located on the northeastern tip of Prince William Sound, about five to six hours’ drive from Anchorage. Cordova is one of the closest cities to Valdez, but is off the road network – only accessible by ferry or plane.

In an April 12 letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Valdez City Manager John Douglas wrote that Corvus Airlines, owner of Ravn Air Alaska, filed for bankruptcy in 2020. As a result, Valdez remained without any air service until 2021, when Ravn was acquired by California-based FLOAT Shuttle.

Douglas wrote that air travel is not only critical to the travel needs of the population, but also serves as an “alternative strategic port” for U.S. Department of Transportation military operations and a “cornerstone” for the fishing industry.

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“Frequent cancellations and changes to scheduled flights have often left our residents stranded in Anchorage with no other public transportation to return home,” Douglas said in the letter. “Many Valdez businesses have implemented policies prohibiting their employees from flying for business due to the unreliability of flights.”

For example, take a Ravn Airlines flight from Valdez to Anchorage from October 1 to October 4: There is only one scheduled departure from Valdez to Anchorage on October 1 at 5:10 p.m. The only return flight on October 4 is at 9:00 a.m. With occasional cancellations and delays, and already limited service, travelers are at high risk of disruption.

Grant Aviation, another Alaska airline that serves some of the state’s smallest airports, does not fly to Valdez.

Neither Ravn nor Grant fly to Cordova, but city manager Samantha Greenwood said there are two Alaska Airlines flights a day that stop in town. Cordova has not requested additional service, but she believes it would be well received.

Similar to Valdez, Greenwood said air travel is crucial for Córdoba residents, providing access to healthcare, road connectivity and tourism. She said airlines also “make Córdoba’s remoteness more attractive to people considering moving here.”

“We used to have Ravn flights that went to Anchorage in the morning and returned in the evening the same day,” Greenwood said.

She said the Ravn service is “popular” for quick trips to Anchorage, but the city of Cordova does not immediately need more.

“Additional flight connections would be welcome, but we are not pursuing that at this time,” Greenwood said.

Barberio, the director of the Valdez Economic Development District, told The Cordova Times that the city will determine the final number of airline proposals by the RFP deadline of Aug. 22. She said the city does not yet have a specific date for when it will make a recommendation, but that officials hope it will happen “shortly after” the RFP evaluation process.

Once the city has decided on a provider, the new flight service is scheduled to start on December 1st.

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