U.S. bars SkyWest from ending service to 29 communities pending review (updated)
14/03/2022 21:30
(Adds SkyWest statement, some of the targeted communities,
background)
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation
Department on Monday barred regional carrier SkyWest Inc
SKYW.O from ending service to 29 locales until replacement
carriers can be found under the government's subsidy program to
provide air service to smaller communities.
SkyWest provides regional service for key airlines such as
United Airlines UAL.O , Alaska Airlines ALK.N , Delta Air
Lines DAL.N and American Airlines AAL.O . SkyWest operates
the 29 routes under the United Express name providing regional
service for United Airlines.
SkyWest last week announced plans to end service to the 29
communities under the Essential Air Service subsidies program
effective on June 8, saying "the pilot staffing challenges
across the airline industry preclude" the carrier from
continuing service.
The Transportation Department said SkyWest cannot terminate
service through July 8 "and for additional 30-day periods as
necessary" in the event federal officials do not secure another
air carrier to provide service under the program at any of the
29 communities.
Some of the communities with United Express flights operated
by SkyWest being cut include: Cape Girardeau, Joplin and Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri; Decatur, Illinois; Clarksburg and
Greenbrier/Lewisburg, West Virginia; and Fort Dodge, Mason City
and Sioux City, Iowa. Some others include: Muskegon and
Houghton/Hancock, Michigan; Hattiesburg/Laurel, Mississippi;
Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Kearney, Scottsbluff and North Platte,
Nebraska; Salina, Liberal, Hays and Dodge City, Kansas; Eau
Claire, Wisconsin; and Victoria, Texas.
Each route typically has a separate contract. Such
contracts. Each contract generally has around $3 million in
annual government subsidies.
SkyWest said it is "eager to work with officials toward
solutions that would enable us to reconnect these communities to
the National Air Transportation System in the future, and we are
committed to remaining flexible and adjusting our plans if the
situation improves more quickly than currently expected."
The Transportation Department said it wants other carriers
to file proposals no later than April 11 to offer flights to
replace the canceled service.
United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby told Congress in
December the airline had nearly 100 regional airplanes
effectively grounded "because there's not enough pilots to fly
them. ... The country is going to need thousands of pilots."
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Will Dunham)
((David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 202 898 8324))