NORTH BEND - Airport officials are happily surprised with passenger counts on flights between North Bend and San Francisco. But they are equally surprised and disappointed with afternoon flights to Portland.

For the month of October, flights between Southwest Oregon Regional Airport and San Francisco totaled 1,239 filled seats, or a 74 percent load factor, according to a memo from airport Operations Manager Gene Cossey to Executive Director Gary LeTellier.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if another flight or two is added by summer,” LeTellier said.

 Portland flights, however, had just 559 seats filled — a load factor of 51.1 percent.

LeTellier said the problem is most likely an issue with scheduling that he needs to discuss with SkyWest Airlines. The airline began offering service between North Bend and Portland on Oct. 12, with two round trips a day leaving North Bend at 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. The afternoon time doesn’t really suit business travelers, LeTellier said.

What makes the San Francisco flights so popular is the international connections offered down south, he said. Nothing like that is available when the SkyWest afternoon flight arrives in Portland.

“There’s nothing to connect to,” he said.

Coos County Airport District Commissioner Helen Brunell Mineau agreed.

“The only thing really to connect to is at midnight,” she said. “People are asking for a 10 or 11 p.m. flight.”

The airport district had to raise $250,000 for a revenue agreement for SkyWest on its San Francisco flights, and $713,000 to guarantee the airline would break even on its northbound flights. LeTellier said he’s pretty sure officials won’t have to dip into the $250,000. But he is concerned about reaching 64 percent on the Portland flights — SkyWest’s break-even level. The district is increasing marketing efforts to improve the numbers.

“December, January and February will be the litmus test for us,” LeTellier said in a report.