Maine's Small Regional Airports Confront Big Challenges

Two of Maine's smaller regional airports are facing some tough challenges ahead. They're reliant on a federally-subsidized air service, often flying planes that are mostly empty. Now the search is on to find a carrier to replace a key daily service--an airlink to Boston described by many as an economic lifeline for northern and downeast Maine. Tonight we have the first of two reports.

It's mid-afternoon on a recent weekday at Bar Harbor Hancock County Airport, and the 3:30 from Boston has just landed. It's the last of two daily Boston flights to arrive at this tiny regional airport.

About 11,000 passengers passed through here last year. On this occasion, only five travelers emerge from the 34-seater Saab Turbopop aircraft. Among them, businessman Phil Moriarty, a trustee at the nearby College of the Atlantic. He takes this flight six or seven times a year, and sees its continuation as essential.

"Oh absolutely, absolutely, not just for my own purposes but the entire general region needs commercial air capacity, absolutely," Moriarty says.

"I'm coming to Jackson Labs to give a lecture--I'm from the University of Massachusetts in Worcester, Mass, and I flew out of Boston today," says Melissa Moore, who says it was her first time on this flight. "It was a beautiful flight. I really enjoyed it, very convenient."

Moore's destination, The Jackson Laboratory, is a global leader in genetic research. It's about a 20-minute drive from the airport, on Mount Desert Island.

"The regional airport is absolutely critical to us, and having commercial air service on a regular basis--very important," says Charles Hewett, chief operating officer at Jackson Lab, which also has facilities in Sacramento, California, and Hartford, Connecticut.

"Our scientists travel all over the world to collaborate and participate in meetings," Hewett says. "And then, especially in the summertime, we run a courses and conferences program that brings thousands of people here to the island to learn more about the genetics and genomics research that we do."

The backbone of this regional service is provided by Colgan Air, which operates under the name U.S. Airways Express, and operates several flights a day from Presque Isle and Bar Harbor to Boston. But in September, Colgan petitioned the U.S. Department Transportation to end the service as it undergoes some corporate restructuring following a recent acquisition.

Because both services are federally funded under the so-called Essential Air Service program, Colgan cannot discontinue the flights until a replacement airline is found.

Among the four carriers bidding to replace Colgan are Sovereign Air out of North Dakota, and Missouri-based Air Choice One. But local officials here recently threw their weight behind a different proposal--a joint bid by Massachusetts-based Cape Air and Peninsula Airways, which is based in Alaska.

"Having a discount carrier represented here in Bar Harbor would be certainly a benefit," says Chris Fogg, executive director of the Bar Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce, which represents about 480 area businesses. "Interesting that Cape Air is affiliated with Jet Blue, and I feel like that opportunity with Cape Air may enable us to reach some new markets."

The bid proposes more flights, but on smaller planes. For much of the year, Cape Air would fly a nine-seater Cessna to Boston four times a day, with the last flight getting in from Logan before 9 p.m. This would enable executives from places such as Jackson Lab to fly to Boston, attend a business meeting, and be back in Bar Harbor that evening.

During the warmer summer months, when thousands of tourists flock to this part of Maine, Cape Air would scale back to one flight a day and Peninsula would step in, providing about three daily Boston trips on its larger 34-seater aircraft.

"It's going to be an excellent fit for us I think," says airport Manager Alison Navia. Navia says this flexibility should help avoid the situation often seen at this time of year when a 34-seater aircraft lands with only a handful of passengers on board.

And Navia says Cape Air plans to offer $69 one-way flights to Boston--less than a third of what Colgan Air charges. Peninsula's prices are not yet known, but Navia also expects them to be cheaper than current levels.

Navia also points out that while Cape Air will be seeking federal subsidies for this route, Peninsula Air will not. "The passenger traffic in Bar Harbor during the summer is such that they do not feel like they need any help, because it'll take care of itself," she says.

The public comment period for the bids ends on Feb. 7, and a final decision is expected in early April. Tomorrow we look at the issues facing northern Maine's regional airport in Presque Isle, and the ongoing debate over the cost of the Essential Air Service to U.S. taxpayers.

Source:  http://www.mpbn.net