In an email, President Scott Green reflected on University of Idaho’s investment of the Pullman-Moscow airport and its effect on enrollment.
“We began seeing enrollment declines of about 200 students per year when we lost both Moscow and Lewiston flights to Boise,” Green stated. “The return of the Boise-Moscow flights coincided with a 16% jump in freshman enrollment last fall.”
Alaska Air began to provide direct flights from Boise Regional Airport to the Pullman-Moscow airport in August of last year. This came with a contract that ensures that both UI and Washington State University will provide a $500,000 for three years if Alaska Air doesn’t make a 10% margin on the flight.
“Even if the full subsidy is paid, the U of I will only need approximately 40 new students from our largest recruiting market to break-even on its commitment to the agreement,” Green stated.
In the newsletter, Green also mentioned that UI pledged $400,000 to the $43 million new terminal project at the Pullman-Moscow airport. The project is estimated to be completed by 2023. Green stated that the new terminal will allow the university to venture into new markets in the west.
“We need approximately 12 new students over the three annual payments to break even on this investment,” Green stated. “One new route will likely generate those students.
Daniel V. Ramirez can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @DVR_Tweets.