PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The U.S Department of Transportation has chosen the carriers that will provide critical flight services to airports in Presque Isle and Bar Harbor.
Federal officials announced Friday that Peninsula Airways of Alaska will continue to operate under the Essential Air Service program at both the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle and the Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport in Trenton. Specifically, PenAir will service Presque Isle year-round and provide additional service to Bar Harbor in the summer, while Cape Air will increase its presence in Maine by serving Bar Harbor year-round.
PenAir will use a 34-passenger Saab 340 aircraft to operate 19 weekly round trips, year-round, between Presque Isle and Boston.
Cape Air will operate year-round providing service between Bar Harbor and Boston. From September through May, Cape Air will operate three daily round-trips using a 9-seat Cessna 402 aircraft. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Cape Air will provide just one daily round trip with the smaller plane, but PenAir will provide two additional daily nonstop flights between Bar Harbor and Boston using a 34-seat Saab 340 aircraft.
Colgan Air, which operates as U.S. Airways Express in the region, will continue to provide services at both airports until the transitions are complete, according to the Department of Transportation.
Colgan Air petitioned the Department of Transportation in September to end its service between Boston and Presque Isle and between Bar Harbor and Boston sometime this year. Colgan Air expressed a desire to close its Boston office because the market that it serves has become smaller.
The Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service program, established in 1978 during the period of airline deregulation, provides federal assistance to air carriers serving smaller communities that otherwise might lose service because of economic factors.
Under EAS regulations, Colgan Air was not to be allowed to leave until a replacement could be found. But there has been concern that another carrier would bring in smaller airplanes to provide that service.
In Presque Isle and Bar Harbor, Colgan Air currently provides business and leisure air travelers nonstop service to and from Boston’s Logan Airport in a 34-seat Saab 340 turbo jet prop.
Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe and Rep. Mike Michaud all spoke to officials at the Department of Transportation, stressing the importance of finding cost-effective, convenient carriers to service the airports. They also stressed the importance of the new EAS provider using aircraft large enough to fly directly from Presque Isle to airports outside of Maine without having to stop in Bangor or Portland to refuel.
Federal officials announced in January that four firms submitted EAS bids for Maine to DOT. Hyannis, Mass.-based Cape Air, which links its flights to Jet Blue service at Logan Airport in Boston, was the only one of the four to bid on providing EAS service only to Bar Harbor.
Alaska-based PenAir, Air Choice One in St. Louis, Mo., and Sovereign Air in Belcourt, N.D., all submitted bids to serve both Maine airports. Sovereign later withdrew its bid.
In January, Hancock County Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend to U.S. DOT that Cape Air and Peninsula Airways jointly be awarded EAS contracts for Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport. The Presque Isle City Council also endorsed PenAir to be the carrier at the Northern Maine Regional Airport.
On Friday, Snowe hailed news that the U.S. Department of Transportation had agreed to terms.
“I am pleased to officially welcome the PenAir team to Maine as they prepare to service the Presque Isle and Bar Harbor airports, and I congratulate Cape Air on expanding its reach in Maine by serving Bar Harbor as well,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to working hand-in-glove with both airlines and officials at each airport to ensure Mainers continue to have affordable, reliable, and convenient service in both markets. I am pleased that PenAir will be utilizing 34-seat aircrafts, and that they will continue to connect rural areas of our state with Boston, which is home to New England’s largest airport and connections to major cities across the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.”
Collins was equally pleased.
“As a native of Aroostook County, I understand how important regularly scheduled and reliable air service is to rural areas,” said Collins. “When I spoke to [U.S. DOT] Secretary [Ray] LaHood, I stressed how critical this is not only for residents, but also for the economic well-being of our communities. I commend Secretary LaHood for listening to my concerns, and for working to ensure that these communities can continue to depend on reliable air service to help attract business, promote tourism and create jobs.”
Michaud, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, also was glad to hear the news.
“I’m pleased the Department of Transportation has secured replacement carriers,” said Michaud. “The loss of this service would have been devastating to both Bar Harbor and Presque Isle. I look forward to working with the communities to make sure these replacements are a success in each region.”
Get Concord Coach to go to Bar Harbor!
Exactly, they would do very well in the Summer I believe.
An Old Convair, bull s—-! I recall when we had two flights a day with a 727 Jet with Delta Air Lines. I used them so much I was and continue to be a Flying Colonel. You’d think that today if we are providing subsidy to the Carrier, that our Political Leaders could at least insist that it be with Pure Jet Service,
There should be a schedule like (Morning) Boston, Portland Presque. Then Presque Isle Boston. (Evening) The afternoon Schedule should be Boston, Presque no-stop with the return being Presque Isle, Portland Boston.
This would allow Maine Business Men, Attorneys, Cpa’s, Other Professionals, Medical Personnel, etc the ability to do business in THE COUNTY, on a one day basis and be back in Portland that night.
This is where our elustrious, highly paid, politicians have sold us short. They are too concerned with the I’ve got a Right to services (Free), than representing we the Tax Payers and Job creators. Because the Takers rather than the givers, alwaqs Vote LIBERAL. Time to change thisw and throw all the LIBERALS out of their plush jobs. This is not the Government that Our forefathers visulized. Everyone was to contribute and cary their own weight.
Dude, I’ve got a fleet of Polaris that I could “fly” you and your high end friends around on, during the winter months. Show me the money and then we”ll can talk.
What aircraft has been the workhorse of the Air Force and NOAA for many years? The P-3 Orion, a jet prop. What types of aircraft are used in Alaska for most in-state service, in all weathers? Prop and jet prop.
What fixed wing aircraft is used for wildfire suppression nationwide? The DC-6-B. What are arguably the toughest, safest aircraft ever flown? The DC-3, and the DeHavilland Twin Otter.
The point is that there’s nothing substandard about prop-driven aircraft, and nothing inherently superior about jets. Each type has a role to play, and a place it fits.
The real issues of late for some smaller carriers have been pilot training , adequate rest, proper maintenance, and a corporate commitment to the highest safety standards.
Might I also recommend that before you lecture the rest of us about politics, the Founding Fathers, and rural air service, that you check your posts for accuracy in spelling and sentence construction.
Very funny. Whenever the private sector doesn’t deliver, do to straightforward market forces the conservatives will blame the liberals. There is no market for higher cost jet service at PQI and there is nothing wrong with 34 seat turbo-props. The real issue here is that taxpayer monies are wasted on Bar Harbor and Rockland, neither one of which should qualify for subsidies, given their proximity to bigger regional hubs.
You haven’t had to fly this if you think the prop plane is OK. These should be requirements for the subsidy. 1. Jet service…they make 35 seat RJ’s. 2. Affiliated with a major airline for connecting service. 3. Fly to a hub for said major airline. This new service fails on all 3 counts. Previous service failed on 1 and 3, so at least it’s only a small step down.
No airlines that meet your requirements bid for this service.
I’ll take your points one at a time.
1. Most carriers are parking 35 and 50 seat jets for 70 seat jets. The 70 cost the same to operate as the 50. Only two airports in Maine can sustain 70-seat service – Bangor and Portland.
2. You will find that all carriers operating in Maine will have or are currently operating in a partnership with the legacy carriers.
3. Last I checked – Boston is a originating hub.
You will also find that the fares from Bar Harbor, Rockland, Augusta and even Presque Isle are often at or below Bangor. Except for Bangor and Portland, these other airports offer free parking and easy access.
It is important to note that when there were jet and turbo-prop service from Bangor to Boston – the time difference en-route was less than 10 minutes.
I am amazed at how crackpots from both sides can turn any story into a political rant.
P.S. Depending on the airport and length of flight to be offered, turbo props are often the best equipment for the job. Still a turbine engine, and every bit as safe.
Government is partially funding a service that a private industry cannot operate for a profit on its own. That is my issue. Why do they do this? How is it of true benefit to the taxpayers?
Jackson Lab has many visitors that come into the Bar Harbor Airport instead of the Bangor Airport. It may be convenient for the Jackson Lab to drive to Trenton rather than Bangor. However our taxes are making it cheaper for them. Why should I finance the travel of thier guests in anyway?
I know nothing of what travel to and from Presque Isle is like. I do know that I fly a lot and it has always been cheaper for me to drive to Bangor and take the Bus either to Portland or Boston and fly from there. I live about three miles away from the Bar Harbor Airport.
Sal
The flip side is if the government didn’t do it and all the pols did not lobby for this subsidy funding many many segments of the flying population would suffer and would be screaming bloody murder and rightly so. This looks like a case of tax payers being provided a valuable service for their tax dollar. Destinations are an important part this question. I imagine you do get more direct connections out of Bangor or Portland and you feel the bus trip repays you for that effort. Everybody doesn’t necessarily have the same travel requirements as you and would yell like hell if they didn’t have alternatives to what works well for you.
Flying from Trenton to Boston seems to have no financial benefit to me if you live in Hancock County. Even if you are in Washington County it is many times just as quick to drive to Bangor on Route 9( if you are past Cherryfield)then it is to Trenton. In Bangor you can take the bus to Boston for less than 80 dollars round trip. A flight from Trenton to Boston is now around 365 dollars round trip. Parking at the Bus Station is free for a month. Its free at Trenton too.
Presque Isle looks like it might truly meet the needs for what this program is all about. Trenton I am not so sure about. Would it make sense to subsidize the Presque Isle operation and not the Trenton-Bar Harbor operation?
Why cant the companies raise the rates to the point of making the flights profitable on their own? If the flights are subsidized then are we not really just paying the full price anyway, in a roundabout way? Those of us who dont fly are contributing to the subsidy as well.
IF a market really exists then why not let the airlines operate on thier own.
Maintaining good air service in Presque Isle is key to the region’s vitality. Without it, we can just close up shop now. I am grateful for the essential air service program and for a right winger, this is my kind of socialism.