Order 2014-10-10

Served: October 15, 2014

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 15th of October, 2014

Essential Air Service at

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

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

DOCKET DOT-OST-2002-11450

ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN

Summary

By this Order, the Department is approving the request of Sun Air Express, LLC (Sun Air) to 

alter the pattern of its Essential Air Service (EAS) at Lancaster, Pennsylvania (LNS), by 

allowing service to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), in addition to its current service to 

Washington-Dulles (IAD).

Background

By Order 2012-8-9 (August 3, 2012), the Department selected Sun Air to provide subsidized 

Essential Air Service at Lancaster for an annual subsidy of $2,504,174. By that Order, Sun Air

was selected to provide 30 weekly nonstop round trips to IAD using a 9-seat Piper Chieftain

aircraft through September 30, 2015. 

Carrier Proposal

On October 2, 2014, the Department received a request from Sun Air to establish PIT as an 

approved destination for its Lancaster EAS service. The carrier cites community interest in 

having service to PIT and the carrier believes such service would be viable, given that the 

number of communities in Eastern Pennsylvania that have lost nonstop service to PIT. Sun Air 

believes the LNS-PIT service “has the potential to fill at least a portion of that void.” Sun Air 

plans to transition service in the late October/early November time frame. Sun Air is not 

requesting any change to the per-departure subsidy.
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Community Comments

On October 10, 2014, we received comments from the Lancaster Airport Authority supporting 

Sun Air’s request to shift its service to PIT. The Authority states that there has been significant 

interest in the community in having PIT service and believes such service will provide easy 

connections between western Pennsylvania and the Lancaster-Harrisburg region.

Decision

We will approve Sun Air’s request, which meets the three conditions necessary for approval 

under authority assigned under 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3) of the Department’s Regulations: (1) the 

alternate service pattern is equal to or greater than that determined to be essential; (2) the 

community does not object to the alternate service pattern; and (3) the alternate service pattern 

will not increase Sun Air’s subsidy.

Because we are simply allowing the alternate service pattern and not requiring it, Sun Air may 

revert to the original service pattern at any time.

This order is issued under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.25a (b) and re-delegated to the 

Director, Office of Aviation Analysis.

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We approve the alternate service pattern requested by Sun Air Express, LLC, allowing 

Pittsburgh International Airport as an approved destination for Sun Air’s Essential Air Service at

Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

2. Sun Air’s service at Lancaster will continue at the service and subsidy levels set forth in 

Appendix C of Order 2012-8-9;

3. This docket will remain open until further order of the Department; and
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4. The Department will serve a copy of this Order on the mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the 

director of Lancaster Airport, and Sun Air Express, LLC.

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

Regulations, 14 CFR Part 385.31, must file such petitions within seven (7) 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 at

www.regulations.gov