The US Department of Transportation says it has selected ViaAir (Orlando International) to Essential Air Service (EAS) at Staunton, Virginia, for the two-year period from November 30, 2016, through November 30, 2018. Incumbent operator Silver Airways' contract to provide eighteen weekly flights to Washington Dulles, expired on September 30, 2016.
Using E145 aircraft, Via will provide Staunton with twelve nonstop round trips per week to Charlotte International at an annual subsidy of USD3,797,780.
In its decision, the DOT said that aside from Via's proposal, it had also received offers from ADI Aerodynamics, Boutique Air, Corporate Flight Management, Silver Airways, and Southern Airways Express.
During a previous tender round held earlier this year, Staunton's municipality actually settled for ADI's proposal which, however, was contingent on it winning the EAS contract for Lewisburg Greenbrier Valley, West Virginia.
When that contract failed to come through, ADI's proposal was voided thereby warranting this most recent round of tenders which, as reported above, Via won.
