OST-1999-6184

OST-1999-6184

Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd., d/b/a United Express

Order 99-8-25
OST-99-6184

August 27, 1999

Order Requiring Provision of the Statutory Minimum Level of Air Service

Essential Air Service Provisions

On August 16, 1.999, Great Lakes, a United Express carrier, suspended all air service at five communities covered by the EAS program, leaving them without any air service: Devils Lake and Jamestown, North Dakota, Fairmont, Minnesota, Brookings, South Dakota, and Mount Vernon, Illinois. Each of those communities is guaranteed uninterrupted air service under the EAS program. The Department pays subsidies to Great Lakes, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 41733(c), to provide those services to each of the five communities. Prior to the actual suspension, we orally advised Great Lakes that termination of these Essential Air Services would violate the Federal statutes and regulations summarized above. In addition, on August 26, 1999, we had a conference call with Great Lakes in which we reiterated Great Lakes' legal obligation to maintain uninterrupted air service at all five communities. Nevertheless, later that day Great Lakes issued a press release stating that it did not intend to resume even limited service until September 12. Great Lakes' continuing failure to provide EAS to these five communities violates Federal law and Great Lakes' legal obligations under the EAS program.

Based on the foregoing, we are directing Great Lakes to reinstate immediately at least two round trips a day, six days a week at all five communities, as prescribed by statute and by the Department's regulations.

By: Bradley Mims