Charter Air Transport (Cleveland Hopkins) and ADI Aerodynamics (Pontiac Oakland County International) have expressed a keen interest in operating an Essential Air Services contract covering the Nebraskan towns of Scottsbluff, Kearney, and North Platte.
KOTA TV states the two carriers have already held preliminary meetings with the airports' management.
Great Lakes Airlines (Cheyenne), whose current contract expires in November, is expected to submit a new proposal after a previous one was rejected by all three communities.
"Mr. Michael W. Morgan, City Manager of Kearney, and The Honorable Dwight Livingston, Mayor of North Platte, submitted identical letters that detailed their reasons for not supporting Great Lakes’ bid. They cited their concern that the proposal for 9-seat aircraft would greatly diminish passenger traffic at their communities and expressed skepticism that 9-seat aircraft would improve the airline’s service reliability," a US Department of Transportation (DoT) regulatory filing stated. "In addition, both commenters stated that they needed greater clarity on the regional jet and 19-seat aircraft proposal; specifically, the timeline that Great Lakes would commence such service and the reliability of such service."
Interested parties have until September 29 to submit their proposals.
