Three Carriers Bid to Provide EAS Service to West Virginia Airports

Jan. 11, 2007
Big Sky Transportation, Colgan Air and Mesa Air have thrown their hats in the ring to serve Morgantown, Parkersburg and Clarksburg airports, which are now served by RegionsAir.

Jan. 10--Three companies have bid to take over federally subsidized commercial air service at Morgantown Municipal Airport and two other West Virginia airports.

Montana's Big Sky Transportation Co., Virginia's Colgan Air Inc. and Arizona's Mesa Air Group have thrown their hats in the ring to serve Morgantown, Parkersburg and Clarksburg airports.

RegionsAir began its service from Morgantown and the two other airports to Cleveland in July, but officials announced in November the company was up for sale. RegionsAir will continue to provide service to Cleveland until new service begins.

From the Morgantown airport, Colgan Air and Mesa Air are offering a shuttle to Pittsburgh International Airport through US Airways with connecting flights. Big Sky offers flights to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport through Delta Airlines with connecting flights from that point.

Big Sky submitted two bids: one with 18 departures a week, another with 24 departures a week.

The companies sent proposals to the U.S Department of Transportation and to the airports. The airports must respond to the DOT by Jan. 17 with their comments and recommendations.

The department's Essential Air Service Division subsidizes operations of the service for two years as part of a program to help kickstart dependable service in certain communities.

"In effect, what the companies are saying is, 'We'll commit to starting up a new service which eventually will make a profit,'" said Dan Boroff, Morgantown city manager. "There's lots of work being done in a short time. Council will make their recommendation to DOT next week."

The Essential Air Service Division will review the comments and recommendation of each airport. At that point, it will compile the information and forward it to the DOT assistant secretary of transportation, who makes a final decision.

"There is still some discussion to be done with the other two airports after they have their [Airport] Authority meetings," said Bob Hammel, Morgantown Municipal Airport director. "Although I'm not aware of which proposal is being favored by the other two airports, I am hopeful that we will all come to consensus in regard to the selected service that meets each community's needs and desires and proves to be the most affordable."

Once the DOT has chosen an air service provider, airport directors and either US Airways or Delta Airlines will begin to coordinate flights, Hammel said.

Mesa Air previously served the three airports with service to Pittsburgh through US Airways.

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