Essential Air Service at Hagerstown, Maryland

Order 2006-7-24
OST-2006-25228

Issued July , 2006 | Served August 1, 2006

Order Prohibiting Suspension of Service and Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department prohibits Mesa Air Group, Inc., d/b/a Air Midwest from suspending its service at Hagerstown, Maryland, and requests proposals from carriers interested in providing replacement essential air service through September 30, 2007, with or without subsidy .

Since Air Midwest is the only carrier providing scheduled air service at Hagerstown, its proposed termination would eliminate all air service to the community. Thus, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 41734, we must prohibit the carrier from suspending service as it intends for an initial 30 days beyond the end of the 90-day notice period and request proposals for replacement service. We will require Air Midwest to continue to provide its current level of service, consisting of three nonstop round trips a day to Pittsburgh, for an initial 30-day period, through October 23, 2006, or until suitable replacement service actually begins, whichever occurs first.

We will extend Air Midwest's service obligation for successive 30-day periods, as necessary, until suitable replacement service actually begins.

We would note that, before preparing their proposals, interested carriers should take into consideration that, under current law, Hagerstown’s subsidy eligibility terminates effective September 30, 2007. Therefore, carriers should prepare proposals with the expectation that subsidy will be terminated effective October 1, 2007.

Specifically for Hagerstown, we request proposals for service consisting of two or three round trips a day to Pittsburgh, or any other suitable hub, with two-pilot, twin-engine aircraft with at least 15 passenger seats.

By: Michael Reynolds