Order 03-02-7

Order 03-02-7

Essential Air Service at Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Order 03-02-7
OST-02-14146

Issued February 6, 2003
Served February 11, 2003

Order Allowing Suspension of Service

Essential Air Service at Lancaster, Pennsylvania / Colgan Air, Inc. d/b/a US Airways Express

We will allow Colgan to suspend its service to Lancaster at the end of the 90-day notice period. Based on our earlier findings, Lancaster is not eligible for subsidy; thus, we cannot require Colgan to maintain service at the community. The only question, therefore, is whether to allow Colgan to suspend service early. As a general matter, we normally require carriers to maintain service at eligible communities until the end of the notice period, unless the community does not object to such termination. In this case, the community of Lancaster has submitted such an objection. Therefore, we will not allow Colgan to suspend its service before the end of the 90-day period. Colgan filed its notice on December 23, 2002. Day-one of the notice period is the next day, December 24, 2002, and the ninetieth day is March 23, 2003. We will require Colgan to provide service through March 23, 2003.

By: Read C. Van de Water