Waterloo Regional Airport - Overview

Overview

The Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) is a small regional airport with limited facilities featuring two gates and one jet bridge. Delta Air Lines (formerly Northwest) was the airport's only carrier for several years with flights to Minneapolis-Saint Paul. In late 2011, Delta Airlines stated that they would discontinue service to the Waterloo Regional Airport. Delta immediately submitted an Essential Air Service proposal to continue flying the Waterloo with the aid of government subsidies. As part of the EAS process, the Department of Transportation opened up the airport to a bidding process with other carriers. American Airlines submitted a proposal to start service between Waterloo and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport utilizing their regional carrier, American Eagle. American sent representatives to Waterloo to present to the Chamber of Commerce and a straw poll of area businesses showed local companies favored service to Chicago over Minneapolis. American stated that they plan to only need the EAS subsidy for two years, at which time they believe that service will be self-sustaining. The Waterloo city council sent a recommendation to the DOT that American be awarded the contract and the DOT responded on December 8, awarding American Eagle the EAS contract. The Waterloo Regional airport will initially receive twice daily service.

Numerous carriers once operated at ALO during the 1980s and 1990s, including American Eagle, United Express, Transworld Express, Midway Connection, and Air Midwest (dba Eastern Express). Under its founding manager, Walter Betsworth, Waterloo Municipal Airport expanded from a WWII training airstrip to a flourishing regional airport. In the 1960s and 1970s, airlines such as Ozark and Braniff also served Waterloo, and there were many flights to Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, and St. Louis. After Betsworth's death in 1979, the airport was named The Livingston Betsworth Field, honoring both Walter Betsworth and noted Iowa flying ace Jonathan Livingston. Competition from nearby airports, especially The Eastern Iowa airport in Cedar Rapids eventually forced most of the airlines to drop service from Waterloo Regional. Northwest Airlines remained the only mainline jet service from Waterloo using DC-9s, until its current carrier, Delta, began service to Minneapolis-Saint Paul.