SeaPort Airlines (Portland International) has ceased all operations as of Tuesday, September 20. In a statement, the Oregon-based carrier said it would now be liquidated as part of a switch from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.
“This is a very sad day for our employees, shareholders, and the communities we serve," Tim Sieber, president of SeaPort Airlines, said. "I would like extend my heartfelt appreciation to the employee team that I have been honored to lead and who delivered industry leading operational performance. While we made great strides, a successful financial reorganization did not appear possible and we were forced to make the difficult decision to cease operations.”
Court documents indicate the loss of SeaPort's Pendleton Essential Air Services (EAS) contract coupled with the loss of a key line of credit had both significantly impacted its ability to sustain operations.
On its initial application for Chapter 11 in February this year, the carrier said it had been struggling with a shortage of qualified flight personnel brought on by new US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations which require First Officers to have a minimum of 1,500 hours ATP experience to operate for a Part 121 airline.
Using a fleet of five leased Cessna (single turboprop) Grand Caravan 208Bs, SeaPort served El Dorado Goodwin South Arkansas Regional, Hot Springs Memorial, Houston Intercontinental, Harrison, Memphis International, Pendleton, and Portland International.
