The United States Department of Transportation issued an order prohibiting SkyWest Airlines, Inc., d/b/a Delta Connection from suspending service at Mason City Airport. The order also requests proposals for carriers to take Delta’s place.
From City Administrator Brent Trout:
“Information produced reference air service to Mason City Airport. This is good news and continues to provide a good level of service until the proposals are submitted for a permanent replacement for our Delta carrier.”
Summary:
By this order, the Department prohibits SkyWest Airlines, Inc., d/b/a Delta Connection, (SkyWest) from terminating service at Butte, Montana. At Pierre, South Dakota, we will permit the two wholly owned subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation — Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (Mesaba) and Pinnacle Airlines (Pinnacle), d/b/a Delta Connection — to terminate their service at the end of the 90-day notice period, and rely on the remaining, subsidy-free service of Great Lakes Aviation, Inc. We prohibit Mesaba and Pinnacle from suspending the service that they jointly provide at the 22 remaining communities (which Mason City airport is a part of) for 30 days beyond the end of the 90-day notice period, i.e., November 12.
Background:
On July 15, 2011, SkyWest filed notice of its intent to terminate its subsidy-free service at Butte, Montana, effective October 13, 2011. Likewise, on July 15, 2011, Mesaba and Pinnacle filed notices to terminate their subsidy-free service at seven communities: Aberdeen and Pierre, South Dakota; Bemidji and Brainerd, Minnesota; Sioux City and Waterloo, Iowa; and Pellston, Michigan. Mesaba and Pinnacle also filed notice to suspend their currently subsidized service at sixteen communities: Muscle Shoals/Florence/Sheffield/Tuscumbia (Muscle Shoals), Alabama; Fort Dodge and Mason City, Iowa; Alpena, Escanaba, Iron Mountain/Kingsford (Iron Mountain), and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Chisholm/Hibbing (Hibbing), International Falls, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota; Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg (Hattiesburg), and Tupelo, Mississippi; Devils Lake and Jamestown, North Dakota; and Watertown, South Dakota.
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