PenAir (Anchorage Ted Stevens) has announced in a press release that it has decided to suspend its East Coast essential air services earlier than scheduled citing a lack of mechanics and pilots. Given previously announced plans to terminate its remaining services outside Alaska, the carrier said its East Coast-based staff members have since begun accepting positions at other airlines leaving it no choice but to terminate operations from/to Boston.
PenAir currently operates from Boston to Bar Harbor, Plattsburgh International and Presque Isle under an essential air service (EAS) contract.
The Alaskan regional carrier's chief executive Danny Seybert said: "Our intentions have been to remain until replacement carriers began service. To accomplish this, we agreed to pay retention incentives to mechanics and pilots to remain with the company. However, due to the continued loss of mechanics and pilots as a result of the DOT’s decision to award the EAS routes to other carriers, many mechanics and pilots have accepted employment elsewhere and after May 31st, we will not have the required resources to continue operations."
Silver Airways (3M, Fort Lauderdale International) will take over the route between Boston and Bar Harbor currently served by PenAir (Anchorage Ted Stevens) from July 1.
Using a single Saab 340B based in Bar Harbor, the Floridian regional carrier will serve Boston twice daily for the summer season until September 3.
SkyWest Airlines (OO, Salt Lake City) takes over essential air service to Plattsburgh from Washington Dulles later this year under the United Express banner. It will operate 12x weekly using CRJ200s starting August 29.
United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) is about to take over essential air service out of Presque Isle serving New York Newark 12x weekly using E145s operated by United Express operator CommutAir (Cleveland Hopkins).
