Essential Air Service at Visalia, California

Order 04-12-23
OST-04-19916 - EAS at Visalia, CA

Issued December 30, 2004 | Served January 7, 2005

Order Prohibiting Suspension of Service and Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is prohibiting SkyWest Airlines, Inc., a United Airlines code-share operator, from suspending service at Visalia, California, and requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing replacement essential air service (EAS).

By Order 93-6-13 the Department defined EAS for Visalia as requiring two round trips a day to either Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Jose. Service was to be provided with no more than one intermediate stop, and the aircraft were to have two pilots, two engines, and at least 15 seats with air stair access to the cabin. With the consent of the community, any of these conditions may be waived.

On December 15, 2004, Sky West filed a 90-day notice to terminate all of its subsidy-free service at Visalia, effective March 15, 2005. The carrier stated that it generated a 6 percent load factor at Visalia. SkyWest serves the market with 30-seat Brasilias, and noted that the market would be better served with smaller aircraft and a different service pattern.

Visalia is located 173 miles north of Los Angeles, 188 miles southeast of San Francisco, and 35 miles south of Fresno. SkyWest currently provides two round trips a day over a Visalia-FresnoLos Angeles routing with 30-seat Brasilia aircraft.

By: Karan Bhatia