Coos County Airport District commissioners voted Thursday to negotiate with SkyWest Airlines for round-trip flights between the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport and Portland.

The move comes just seven weeks before Horizon is going to cancel its northbound air service at the airport.

“That’s what we’re fighting for, to continue service or lose it not for very long,” Airport District Chairman Mike Lehman said.

Lehman said that an airline needs at least 30 days lead time prior to providing service so it can publish the routes for passengers.

The board agreed to send a letter to SkyWest acknowledging its intent to begin negotiations for flights north.

“There is only one source,” said airport district attorney Jerry Lesan. “Once that was determined, you can go ahead and negotiate with the one source.”

Commissioners said they investigated alternatives, such as having other airlines, including Horizon Air, provide the flights. The airline has flown passengers between North Bend and Portland for 27 years, but announced in June it would no longer bring planes to North Bend after Oct. 11.

Horizon Air’s reasons for ceasing service include rising fuel costs and other operating costs, plus the retirement of the 37-seat Bombadier Dash-8 Q200 from the fleet. The airline is providing three non-stop flights Sunday through Friday, four in the summer, and two non-stop flights on Saturdays to Portland. As of October, the airline is switching to larger 76-seat aircraft that it says won’t be economically feasible for North Bend.

Horizon also is ceasing service between Portland and Klamath Falls on Oct. 11. That city is trying to raise more than $620,000 to guarantee revenue for the airline. Klamath Falls City Council is considering contributing $200,000 and Klamath County $100,000 to guarantee flights.

SkyWest also will need a guaranteed revenue, according to Lehman. But he said the subsidy won’t be determined until after the district discusses it with the airline.

“We’re figuring out what we will need to do to meet their needs,” Lehman said.

He said commissioners will be looking to the airport district budget, to the community and the state for funding. He acknowledged that the district already has provided SkyWest a guarantee of $250,000 in revenue for its San Francisco flights.

But Klamath Falls is different than North Bend. That airport is owned by the city, according to Lehman.

“It all comes from the same pot,” Lehman said.

SkyWest already submitted a market analysis to the district, which includes projected revenues and expenses, passenger counts and connecting flight revenues and more financial information.

Commissioners believe the analysis to be favorable toward obtaining Portland flights.

SkyWest’s air service south began July 7, and airline spokeswoman Marissa Snow said bookings have been strong thoughout the summer.

“We’re hopeful residents and tourists alike will continue to utilize the service throughout the fall and winter months,” Snow said in an e-mail.

Snow had no comment on the pending negotiations.

Commissioners voted Thursday as a contract review board to exempt the district from statutory requirements for competitive bidding by other prospective airports. A public notice announcing the board’s intent to enter into negotiations with SkyWest Airlines was to be published in today’s World, according to Lehman.

“Other parties have seven days to protest if there is no competitive bidding,” Lesan said. “But we don’t know anyone out there.”

An analysis by airport staff determined the airline would have to operate an aircraft with a minimum of 30 seats and provide not less than two daily round trips to Portland.

Lehman said the district is facing a delicate timeline.

“No matter what happens right now, we’re going to have a gap in service unless we can move very quickly,” he said.

“I don’t know of any firm deadline, but I know they’re really pushing hard �” SkyWest, the governor’s office, us, the whole works,” Lehman said. “If you lose that connection, once you lose it, you spend a lot of time getting people back adjusted to using it again.”