Order 2011

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- 25 Served: December 29, 2011 

### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C. Issued by the Department of Transportation on th e 29 th day of December , 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 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 DO T - OST - 2011 - 0136 Docket DOT - OST - 1997 - 2785 Docket DOT - OST - 2011 - 0137 Docket DOT - OST - 2001 - 10644- 2

- ORDER EXTENDING SERVICE OBLIGATION Summary By this O rder, 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 February 1 0 , 2012. Additionally by this O rder, 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 remaining c ommunities for 30 days, through February 10, 2012. Background On July 1 5 , 20 11 , Sk yWest 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

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- 5, September 13, 2011, we prohibited the carriers from suspending service at the communities. 1 The notices at all of these communities except Butte were triggered by Mesaba/Pinnacle ’s retiring its fleet of 34

- seat Saab 340 aircraft. A ll 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 w ill not commence before January 12, 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 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 ; 2 2

. We direct SkyW est 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 from the service date of this O rder or until the Department indicates that the records may be destroyed, whichever comes first. Copies o f flight logs for aircraft sold or

1 A separate order addresses the 30

- day hold in at Pierre, South Dakota. 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.- 3

- disposed of must be retained. The carrier may forfeit its compensation for any claim that is not supported under the terms of this O rder. 3

. These Dockets will remain open until further order of the Department; and 4

. The Depart ment will serve a copy of this O rder on the M ayors and A irport M anagers of Muscle Shoals/Florence/Sheffield/Tuscumbia, Alabama; Fort Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, and Waterloo, Iowa; Alpena, Escanaba, Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Pellston, and Sa ult Ste. Marie, Michigan; Bemidji, Brainerd, Chisholm/Hibbing, International Falls, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota; Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi; Butte, Montana; Jamestown, North Dakota; Aberdeen and Watertown, South Dakota; an d SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesaba Aviation, Inc., Pinnacle Airlines Corporation, and on Delta Airlines, Inc.. Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this O rder under the Department’s Aviation Economic Regulations, 14 CFR 385.3 0, must fil e such petitions within ten (10) days after the date of service of this O rder. This O rder will be effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for review shall not preclude its effectiveness. By:

TODD M. HOMAN Director Office of A viation Analysis (SEAL) An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.regulations.gov