Published in the High Desert Advocate January 19, and updated in January 22, 2021, Editions.
An other casualty of COVID-19, the local Wendover Airport partially closed January 2nd, 2021 to commercial airlines, other airplanes can still land and refuel.
(photo credit High Desert Advocate)
Wendover Airport Director Lisa Dunn said that airplanes can still land in Wendover and refuel, the pumps are working, and the Historic Wendover Airfield Museum (is usually opened until 6:00 p.m.) is also opened for people to enjoy. Only commercial flights have been cancelled. Services offered are: Aviation fuel, Aircraft parking (ramp or tiedown), Hangars, Hangar leasing / sales, GPU / Power cart, Pilot supplies, Aviation museum, Courtesy transportation, Courtesy cars (free for pilots to use in the local area).
Because of less and less customers flying in, local Wendover casinos had to stop their commercial flights, and in consequences the Wendover Airport partially closed last March, 2020, and TSA cancel their services beginning of January 2021.
The local Wendover Casinos have been loosing an average of 2 Million Dollars per month compare to 2019 according to Nevada Gambling Control Board numbers.
The Casinos flights to and from Wendover had stop in March, 2020, but the TSA kept their employees on a partial pay until January 2nd, when the Airport to coomercial flights officially closed indefinitely.
The 15 to 20 TSA employees have the choice to relocate and work for an other airport, or loose their job completely. So most of them are leaving town, and starting new lives somewhere else, in other Utah and Nevada towns and counties, or even elsewhere.
The Enola Gay Café, situated inside the airport, catering to people flying in and out, closed also last March, 2020. And the café owner Jasie Holm said that including her, 4 people lost their job, but she is loosing her business, as no-one knows when the Commercial Air Carrier flights will resume.
Brenda Little also an Airport TSA employee lost her job too. In order to continue to work for TSA, she is moving to Boise, Idaho and will be working at the Boise Airport.
So local Girl Scout Troop #247 also lost her leader. But Dee Sulivan will be the new troop leader and she will be assisted by Tiffany Roddeback and Colleen Bank, both will be assistant co-leaders.
