Order 2012-11-28

Served: November 21, 2012

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 21st day of November, 2012

Essential Air Service at

Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan;

Brainerd, Minnesota; and

International Falls, Minnesota

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

Docket DOT-OST-1999-5175

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0135

Docket DOT-OST-2009-0304

ORDER EXTENDING SERVICE OBLIGATION

Summary

By this Order, we extend the Essential Air Service (“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 Brainerd and International Falls, Minnesota, and

Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan for 30 days, through January 5, 2013. 

Background

On July 15, 2011, Mesaba and Pinnacle filed notices to terminate their service at the above 

communities. By Order 2011-9-5, issued on September 13, 2011, we prohibited the air carriers 

from suspending service at the communities in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 41734(b). 

The notices at these communities 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 selected replacement carriers at the above-captioned communities, but the transition 

date is scheduled for December 15, 2012, at the earliest. The current hold-in period, established 

by Order 2012-11-10, runs through December 6, 2012. Therefore, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

§ 41734(c), we must extend the service obligations of Mesaba and Pinnacle for an additional 30 

days, or until replacement service actually begins, whichever occurs first. The Department will 

continue to provide compensation to Mesaba and Pinnacle pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 41734(d). 

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

1. We require 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 January 5, 2013, or until replacement service actually begins, 

whichever occurs first;1

2. We direct 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 date of service of this Order, 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 air 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: Iron 

Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan; Brainerd, and International Falls, Minnesota; and on Mesaba 

Aviation, Inc. and Pinnacle Airlines.

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

Aviation Economic Regulations, 14 CFR Part 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), the Department will continue to extend Mesaba and Pinnacle’s service 

obligation for successive 30-day periods as necessary until replacement service actually begins.