The US Department of Transportation says it has selected United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) at Dickinson, North Dakota, over the period September 28, 2016, through to September 30, 2018.
It is recalled that United had earlier operated the route on a strictly commercial basis. However, with the slump in the price of oil, the town's chief export, and a corresponding decline in demand, United announced it would be discontinuing service to Dickinson from September 27 onwards.
The DOT subsequently ordered the airline to retain its services for a further 90 days while an Essential Air Service (EAS) selection-case proceeding was carried out and finalized. Town officials had complained the withdrawal would leave Dickinson isolated for the foreseeable future.
As such, under the EAS contract, United Express will provide Dickinson with twelve weekly return flights to Denver International for an annual subsidy of USD4,162,080. Operations are on-board E145 equipment.
Other operators that submitted proposals included ADI Aerodynamics (Pontiac Oakland County International) (later withdrawn), Great Lakes Airlines (Cheyenne), and ViaAir (Orlando International).
Of the offers, the DOT says the town responded the most positively to United's proposal despite it requiring certain service suspension notification rights to be waived.
