REYNOLDSVILLE -Members of Clearfield and Jefferson Counties Regional Airport Authority are sticking with their original beliefs Silver Airways should continue to provide essential air service at DuBois Regional Airport.
Members said at yesterday's meeting, they continue to believe the plan submitted by Silver Airways to the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide three flights daily from DRA to Washington-Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Va., would provide a more uneventful flight experience and options for destinations. The company also has a maintenance facility at the DuBois Regional Airport and if Silver is not awarded the airport's EAS contract, the company could close the facility resulting in the loss of more than 30 local jobs.
SA is one of four airlines to submit proposals to provide federally subsidized flights at airports throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia, including DuBois Regional Airport. Offers were also received from City Link, Boutique and Sun airlines to provide service from DRA to Pittsburgh International Airport. City Link Air had the lowest proposal for service from seven airports including DRA.
SA is the current EAS provider at DRA. In February, the company announced it was withdrawing as soon as possible from its current EAS contract, expiring Aug. 30. Under the agreement SA provided daily service from DRA to Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport. The company noted in its announcement it wanted to strengthen its operations by reducing costs and building its fleet. According to information presented at yesterday's meeting, Silver will continue to provide flights to and from DRA until a new EAS provider is chosen and starts service.
Bob Shaffer, airport manager, told authority members there has been a new development in that two of the four airlines requested U.S. DOT give them additional time to revise their original bids. The agency gave permission for all four to have an extension setting May 28 as the new deadline to receive proposals for EAS and June 27 for the public to provide written comment on the offers it receives.
Authority members said yesterday other than cost they are unsure of any definite criteria U.S. DOT uses for choosing a new EAS provider but said they would like to believe if the proposals were close the agency would weigh any comments received.
Shaffer said yesterday he and Joe Barber and Jay Chamberlin, authority members, attended a meeting last week at Pittsburgh International Airport where City Link, Boutique and Sun airlines presented information about how they would provide air service to representatives of airports affected by SA's withdrawal.
Shaffer told the authority members none of the three companies are currently offering the same frequency of service as Silver nor do they have the amount of planes or staff. In addition, none has an agreement with any major airline carriers for the transfer of luggage and all have different conditions for carryon bags or items. In several instances, Shaffer said each of the airlines' representatives could not answer the questions DRA representatives posed because they are not far enough along in their plans. Shaffer said he believes given the information presented at the meeting, if one of those companies is awarded the EAS bid at DuBois there could be a considerable wait for a start-up time.
Shaffer said the three left that meeting affirming the authority's decision to support Silver's new proposal. He said yesterday he believes SA would continue to provide the type of service the traveling public using DRA has become accustomed to and expects. He said he also believes Washington-Dulles International Airport provides travelers with many more options for destinations throughout the United States and internationally than Pittsburgh International Airport.
He said while there have been issues in the past with SA's canceling flights because it did not have available crews to operate them, he said he believes these other airlines because they are smaller could have similar problems with staffing planes.
"I think when we consider all the information, Silver was given the correct support," said Loren Bishop, the authority's chairman.
In other business, the authority:
• reported it has a new tenant in the airport's administrative building. Sustainable Forestry Consultants LLC is now renting space.
• renewed the agreement with Coldwell Banker through Developac Realty, DuBois, to market three parcels of land owned by the authority. There are no changes in terms or conditions.
• authorized the purchase of a general liability/terrorism insurance package through Catlyn Insurance managed by Matson Insurance, Brookville. The cost is $6,300 for the coverage that begins June 15.
• noted it would be advertising for bids for airfield signs, painting and crack sealing on the runway, and the T hangar and taxiway rehabilitation. Offers received would be considered at the June meeting.
The authority's next meeting is June 27 at the DuBois Regional Airport's conference room.
Source: http://www.theprogressnews.com
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