Order 2012

- 5

- 5 Served: May 2, 2012 

### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.
Issued by the Department of Transportation on the 2 nd day of May , 201 2 Essential Air Service at
Muscle Shoals/Florence/Sheffield/

Tuscumbia, Alabama Alpena, Michigan Escanaba, Michigan Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan Bemidji, Minnesota Brainerd, Minnesota International Falls, Minnesota Thief River Falls, Minnesota Greenville, Mississippi Laurel/Hattiesburg, Mississippi Tupelo, Mississippi , and Aberd een, South Dakota
under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq

. Docket DOT
- OST
- 2000
- 7856
Docket DOT
- OST
- 2009
- 0300 Docket DOT
- OST
- 2003
- 15128 Docket DOT
- OST
- 1999
- 5175 Docket DOT
- OST
- 2011
- 0134 Docket DOT
- OST
- 2011
- 0135 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
- 0137

ORDER EXTENDING SERVICE OBLIGATIO N Summary B y this O rder, w e extend the Essential A ir S ervice 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 12 communities listed below for 30 days, through , June 9 , 201 2

.Communities 3-Ltr. State Communities 3-Ltr. State 1 Aberdeen ABR South Dakota 7 Hattiesburg PIB Mississippi 2 Alpena APN Michigan 8 International Falls INL Minnesota 3 Bemidji BJI Minnesota 9 Iron Mountain IMT Michigan 4 Brainerd BRD Minnesota 10 Muscle Shoals MSL Alabama 5 Escanaba ESC Michigan 11 Thief River Falls TVF Minnesota 6 Greenville GLH Mississippi 12 Tupelo TUP Mississippi Background O n July 15, 2011, Mesaba and Pinnacle filed notice s to terminate their service at the above 12 communities. By Order 2011

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- 5, issued on September 13, 2011, we prohibited the air carriers from suspending service at the communities. The notices at all of 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 5 0

- 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 propos als and comments regarding service at the above

- captioned communities . However, replacement service may not commence before May 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 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 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 June 9 , 2012, or until replacement service actually begins, whichever occurs first ; 1
2. We direct Mesaba Aviation, Inc. and Pinnacle Airlines to retain all book s , 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 so ld 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 O rder.
3

. These Dockets will remain open until further O rder of the Department; and

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.4. The Department will serve a copy of this O rder on the mayors and airport managers of ; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Alpena, Escanaba, and Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan; Bemidji, Brainerd, International Falls, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota; Greenville, Lau rel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi; and Aberdeen, South Dakota ; and on the carriers in our service list. 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