Oregon Public Broadcasting

Horizon Air Wednesday announced it would abandon the Pendleton airport.

The decision follows the news that the federal government awarded more than $3 million in grant money to SeaPort Airlines to provide service to the community. Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

Over the summer, airlines struggled with high jet fuel prices.

In Oregon, Horizon Air made news by cutting its non-stop service from Pendleton to Portland.

The airline kept flying out of the airport – just on a less-desirable Pendelton to Walla Walla to Seattle route.

To recapture a non-stop flight, Pendleton applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

And this week it got it – SeaPort Airlines was awarded more than $3 million to fly its smaller, executive style jets between Pendleton and Portland.

In response, Horizon Air says it will quit Pendleton altogether on December 1st.

Dan Russo is a spokesman for Horizon Air.

Dan Russo: “We’ve served the Pendleton community for more than 20 years. It was very disappointing and it's disappointing that we can’t continue to do that.”

Seven employees based in Pendleton will be given the opportunity to apply for Horizon jobs elsewhere.