Not far above the eastern Montana prairie, a fleet of propeller aircraft whizzes every day from Billings to some of America’s smallest passenger airports.
These flights might also rank among the nation’s most exclusive. Cape Air, the operator, limits capacity to as few as seven passengers each. But they serve some very different VIPs: people from far-flung towns who say they rely on the routes for basic needs like medical care.
“People that use it need it,” said Don Kaveshan, who recently waited for his flight from Glasgow Valley County Airport.
People sit in the waiting room at Glasgow Valley County Airport on Thursday, July 25.
There, a small room holds departing passengers, welcomes arrivals and includes the ticket window. Wood-paneled inside, this otherwise utilitarian outpost exudes more charm than what the federal government’s Essential Air Service program may suggest.
