Last Friday, the federal Department of Transportation issued a regulation to eliminate Essential Air Service to three airports in our region.
That could effectively shut down commercial traffic at airports in DuBois, Altoona and Johnstown.
Dozens of politicians and business leaders learned about this today at the DuBois Regional Airport.
We have more on the order and how it could affect those three airports.
The regulation says it’s “tentatively terminating eligibility for air service,” and the affected airports are scrambling to get a waiver to stay open while contracts are still in play.
For every passenger like Willie Lewis of Seattle, Wash., the government says it’s paying an extra ticket price of $324, according to DOT figures.
“This last time coming in, most of the people got off at Johnstown and then I think 2 or 3 of us came to DuBois,” says Lewis, a Punxsutawney native.
Now, this Chamber of Commerce mixer group at the airport on Thursday learned that the DOT just issued a regulation Friday, to eliminate essential air service to 30 airports including DuBois, Altoona, and Johnstown.
“A request is being made for a waiver. I anticipate that the waiver will be given because we’ve asked for assistance from Congressman Thompson,” says Clearfield County Commissioner John Sobel.
DOT figures say it costs $2.2 million a year for the current airline contract here, with nearly 7,000 passengers in one year. Round-trippers are counted twice.
As for the airport itself, the manager says Jefferson County nearly doubled support to $155,000 this year, while Clearfield County balked at their pleas, cutting to $70,000 from $80,000.
“Is it important that it’s going down? That’s detrimental to the survival of the airport,” says Clearfield-Jefferson Airport Authority member Joe Varacallo.
“They’ve made a decision for what’s been budgeted this year and we’re trying to make do,” says Airport Authority chairman Rick Wise.
“If we gave the $80,000 that they asked for, that would be an automatic tax increase, and Clearfield County right now has some more immediate needs,” says Sobel.
Meantime, Silver Airways’ two-year contract is running out.
“If they are the selected bidder, a new contract will occur October 1,” says Varacallo.
Lewis hopes they get their waiver so he can keep visiting his relatives.
“It would be a problem for me because I would have to find something else to do and I hate flying in and out of Pittsburgh because it’s an extra 70 miles,” says Lewis.
Regarding contract negotiations, Sobel says the authority is meeting with Silver Airways on Friday.
Johnstown is also served by Silver and also has a contract until the fall. Blair County Airport’s contract with SunAir is up on Oct. 31.