Passengers continue to fill more and more seats on flights bound for Denver from Salina.

“Eighteen full weeks of scheduled service, non-stop flights to Denver and each week has been progressively better than the previous week,” said Tim Rogers, Executive Director Salina Airport Authority.

Rogers tells KSAL News that the air service from Great Lakes is also drawing passengers from an expanding area.

“People from twenty counties surrounding Saline County have traveled here to take the non-stop flights to Denver.”

The growth was made possible by work done in the trenches by leaders in Salina, at Great Lakes Airlines and by Kansas lawmakers earlier this year.

Great Lakes Airlines was poised to begin flights back in April, but TSA officials balked at sending agents due to budget constraints.

A Kansas congressional delegation and transportation officials were able to hammer out an authorization agreement for the airports the size of Salina around the country.

Rogers adds that with the increased traffic has come an increasing number of people traveling with service animals.

“Another ticket is not necessary, the aircraft is large enough that the service animal can lie in aisle of the aircraft,” he said.

According to Rogers, service animals need to have documentation from a physician and a harness to fly. “It’s a very positive for passengers and people who need that support of a service animal and they will be accommodated for flights on Great Lakes Airlines.”

There are two daily flights on weekdays, and one flight daily on Saturday and Sunday.

Schedule and reservations information can be found online at www.flygreatlakes.com .

The Great Lakes reservations number is 800-554-5111.