Order: 2014-10-1

Served: October 3, 2014

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 3rd day of October, 2014

Essential Air Service at

LAUREL/HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI

MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI

TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI

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

Docket DOT-OST-2001-10685

Docket DOT-OST-2008-0112

Docket DOT-OST-2009-0305

ORDER EXTENDING SERVICE OBLIGATION

Summary

By this Order, the Department extends the Essential Air Service (EAS) obligation of Silver 

Airways Corp. (Silver), at Laurel/Hattiesburg, Meridian, and Tupelo, Mississippi, for an 

additional 30 days, through November 4, 2014.

Background

On April 9, 2014, Silver filed a 90-day notice with the Department of its intent to terminate its 

subsidized EAS at the above-mentioned communities, effective July 8, 2014. By 

Order 2014-4-24 (April 22, 2014), the Department prohibited Silver from suspending service 

through August 6, 2014, and requested proposals from air carriers interested in providing 

replacement service. Several carriers filed proposals. Refer to each community’s docket on 

www.regulations.gov for carrier proposals.

By Order 2014-7-12 (July 14, 2014), the Department selected ExpressJet Airlines to provide 

EAS at Laurel/Hattiesburg and Meridian starting November 1, 2014.1 

By Order 2014-8-2 (August 6, 2014) the Department extended Silver’s service obligation at 

Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, Meridian, and Tupelo for an 

additional 30 days through September 5, 2014, and once again for an additional 30 days through 

October 5, 2014, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 41734(c).

 1 ExpressJet tentatively plans to begin service at Laurel/Hattiesburg and Meridian on November 6, 2014.
2

By Order 2014-8-19 (August 27, 2014) the Department selected SeaPort Airlines, Inc. to 

provide EAS at Tupelo starting October 1, 2014, and is scheduled to begin service on 

October 28,2014.2

Since new air carriers will not replace Silver’s service at Laurel/Hattiesburg, Meridian, and 

Tupelo before the October 5 hold-in date, we must extend Silver’s service obligation for an 

additional 30 days, or until replacement service begins, whichever occurs first, in accordance 

with 49 U.S.C. § 41734(c).

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

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We require Silver Airways Corp. to provide the level of service at Laurel/Hattiesburg, 

Meridian, and Tupelo, Mississippi, as set forth in Order 2014-4-24, for an additional 30-day 

period through November 4, 2014, or until an air carrier capable of providing reliable EAS 

actually begins service, whichever is first;3

2. We direct Silver Airways Corp. 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 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 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

 2 By that same Order, the Department deferred action at Muscle Shoals and Greenville until further Order from the 

Department. A selection order for both communities will be forthcoming.

3 In accordance with 49 U.S.C. §41734(c), we will extend Silver’s service obligation for successive 30-day periods 

as necessary until replacement service actually begins at Tupelo, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Meridian. See the 

previous page for discussion of Muscle Shoals and Greenville.
3

4. The Department will service a copy of this Order on the mayors of Laurel, Hattiesburg, 

Meridian, and Tupelo the airport managers at Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport, Meridian 

Regional Airport, and Tupelo Regional Airport, Silver Airways Corp., SeaPort Airlines, and 

ExpressJet Airlines.

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

Aviation Economic Regulations, 14 CFR 385.31(a), 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
APPENDIX A

Essential Air Service to be Maintained at Laurel/Hattiesburg, Meridian, and Tupelo, 

Mississippi

Effective Period: October 6, 2014, through November 4, 2014

Hub: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Scheduled Service: 12 weekly nonstop round trips to Laurel/Hattiesburg

12 or 13 weekly nonstop round trips to Meridian

12 weekly nonstop round trips to Tupelo

Aircraft: 34-passenger Saab 340