Order: 2012-1-32

 Served: January 31, 2012

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

 on the 31st day of January, 2012

Essential Air Service at

Muscle Shoals/Florence/Sheffield/

 Tuscumbia, Alabama

Fort Dodge, Iowa

Mason City, Iowa

Sioux City, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa

Alpena, Michigan

Escanaba, Michigan

Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan

Pellston, Michigan

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Bemidji, Minnesota

Brainerd, Minnesota

Chisholm/Hibbing, Minnesota

International Falls, Minnesota

Thief River Falls, Minnesota

Greenville, Mississippi

Laurel/Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Tupelo, Mississippi

Butte, Montana

Jamestown, North Dakota

Aberdeen, South Dakota, and

Watertown, South Dakota

under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq. 

Docket DOT-OST-2000-7856 

Docket DOT-OST-2001-10682

Docket DOT-OST-2001-10684 

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0131

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0132

Docket DOT-OST-2009-0300

Docket DOT-OST-2003-15128

Docket DOT-OST-1999-5175

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0133

Docket DOT-OST-2009-0303

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0134

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0135

Docket DOT-OST-2003-15796 

Docket DOT-OST-2009-0304

Docket DOT-OST-2001-10642

Docket DOT-OST-2008-0209

Docket DOT-OST-2001-10685

Docket DOT-OST-2009-0305

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0136

Docket DOT-OST-1997-2785

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0137

Docket DOT-OST-2001-10644
ORDER EXTENDING SERVICE OBLIGATION

Summary

By this Order, the Department extends the essential air service (“EAS”) obligation of SkyWest 

Airlines, Inc., d/b/a Delta Connection, (“SkyWest”) at Butte, Montana, for an additional 30 days, 

through March 11, 2012. Additionally by this Order, we extend the EAS obligation of the two 

wholly owned subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation -- Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (“Mesaba”) 

and Pinnacle Airlines (“Pinnacle”), d/b/a Delta Connection at the 21 remaining communities for 

30 days, through, March 11, 2012. 

Communities 3-Ltr. State Communities 3-Ltr. State

1 Aberdeen ABR South Dakota 12 Iron Mountain IMT Michigan

2 Alpena APN Michigan 13 Jamestown JMS North Dakota

3 Bemidji BJI Minnesota 14 Mason City MCW Iowa

4 Brainerd BRD Minnesota 15 Muscle Shoals MSL Alabama

5 Butte BTM Montana 16 Pellston PLN Michigan

6 Escanaba ESC Michigan 17 Sault St. Marie CIU Michigan

7 Fort Dodge FOD Iowa 18 Sioux City SUX Iowa

8 Greenville GLH Mississippi 19 Thief River Falls TVF Minnesota

9 Hattiesburg PIB Mississippi 20 Tupelo TUP Mississippi

10 Hibbing HIB Minnesota 21 Waterloo ALO Iowa

11 International Falls INL Minnesota 22 Watertown ATY South Dakota

Background

On July 15, 2011, SkyWest filed notice of its intent to terminate its service at Butte, Montana, 

effective October 13, 2011. Likewise, on July 15, 2011, Mesaba and Pinnacle filed notices to 

terminate their service at 23 communities. By Order 2011-9-5, issued on September 13, 2011, 

we prohibited the air carriers from suspending service at the communities. 

The notices at all of these communities except Butte were triggered by Mesaba/Pinnacle’s 

retirement of its fleet of 34-seat Saab 340 aircraft. All of the service is now provided with 50-

seat regional jets. As a result of the larger jet aircraft replacing the smaller Saab 340 aircraft, we 

will require the statutory frequency requirement of two round trips a day, six days a week, i.e., 

twelve round trips a week. 

We have received proposals and comments regarding service at the above-captioned 

communities. However, replacement service will not commence before February 10, 2012, the 

end of the current hold-in period. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 41734(c), we must extend the 

service obligations of SkyWest, Mesaba and Pinnacle for an additional 30 days, or until 

replacement service actually begins, whichever occurs first. 

This Order is issued under the authority assigned in 14 CFR 385.12(k)(5). 
ACCORDINGLY,

1. We require SkyWest Airlines, Inc., d/b/a Delta Connection and Mesaba Aviation, Inc. and 

Pinnacle Airlines, d/b/a Delta Connection, to provide 12 round trips a week to a medium or large 

hub airport at the above-captioned communities for an additional 30 days, through 

March 11, 2012, or until replacement service actually begins, whichever occurs first;1 

2. We direct SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesaba Aviation, Inc. and Pinnacle Airlines to retain all 

books, records, and other source and summary documentation to support subsidy claims for 

payment, and to preserve and maintain such documentation in a manner that readily permits its 

audit and examination by representatives of the Department. Such documentation shall be 

retained for seven years or until the Department indicates that the records may be destroyed, 

whichever comes first. Copies of flight logs for aircraft sold or disposed of must be retained. 

The carrier may forfeit its compensation for any claim that is not supported under the terms of 

this Order. 

3. These Dockets will remain open until further order of the Department; and 

4. The Department will serve a copy of this order on the mayors and airport managers of Muscle 

Shoals/Florence/Sheffield/Tuscumbia, Alabama; Sioux City, and Waterloo, Iowa; Alpena, 

Escanaba, Pellston, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Bemidji, Chisholm/Hibbing, and 

International Falls, Minnesota; Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi; Butte, 

Montana; Jamestown, North Dakota; and Aberdeen, South Dakota; and on the carriers in our 

service list.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this Order under the Department’s 

Aviation Economic Regulations, 14 CFR 385.50, must file such petitions within ten (10) days 

after the date of service of this Order.

This Order will be effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for review shall not 

preclude its effectiveness. 

By:

TODD M. HOMAN

Director

Office of Aviation Analysis

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at

http://www.regulations.gov

 1 In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 41734(c), we will extend Delta Connection’s service obligation for successive 30-

day periods as necessary until replacement service actually begins.