Order : 2011-11-33

 Served: November 30, 2011

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 30th day of November , 2011

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

Devils Lake, North Dakota

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-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 December 12, 2011. 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 22 remaining 

communities for 30 days, through, January 11, 2012. 

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

1 Aberdeen ABR South Dakota 13 Iron Mountain IMT Michigan

2 Alpena APN Michigan 14 Jamestown JMS North Dakota

3 Bemidji BJI Minnesota 15 Mason City MCW Iowa

4 Brainerd BRD Minnesota 16 Muscle Shoals MSL Alabama

5 Butte BTM Montana 17 Pellston PLN Michigan

6 Devils Lake DVL North Dakota 18 Sault St. Marie CIU Michigan

7 Escanaba ESC Michigan 19 Sioux City SUX Iowa

8 Fort Dodge FOD Iowa 20 Thief River Falls TVF Minnesota

9 Greenville GLH Mississippi 21 Tupelo TUP Mississippi

10 Hattiesburg PIB Mississippi 22 Waterloo ALO Iowa

11 Hibbing HIB Minnesota 23 Watertown ATY South Dakota

12 International Falls INL Minnesota

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 eight communities: Aberdeen and Pierre, South 

Dakota;1 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. 

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

communities, and have selected Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd., to provide service at Fort Dodge and

Mason City, Iowa, Iron Mountain, Michigan, Brainerd and Thief River Falls, Minnesota, and 

Watertown, South Dakota; however, service will not commence before the end of the current 

hold-in period. Additionally, we will not have completed the carrier-selection case for the 

remaining communities by December 12, 2011, the end of the current hold-in period. In 

accordance with 49 U.S.C. 41734(c), we must extend SkyWest, Mesaba and Pinnacle’s service 

 1 We are addressing Pierre’s EAS in a separate order. 
obligation for an additional 30 days, or until replacement service actually begins, whichever 

occurs first. 

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 maintain its current level of service at the 23 

above-captioned communities, as prescribed in Order 2011-9-5, issued September 13, 2011.2 

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; Fort Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, and 

Waterloo, Iowa; Alpena, Escanaba, Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Pellston, and Sault Ste. Marie, 

Michigan; Bemidji, Brainerd, Chisholm/Hibbing, International Falls, and Thief River Falls, 

Minnesota; Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi; Butte, Montana; Devils 

Lake and Jamestown, North Dakota; Aberdeen, Pierre, and Watertown, 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

 2 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.