BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Ninety Day Notice of 

MESABA AVIATION, INC. and 

PINNACLE AIRLINES, INC. 

of termination of service 

at Watertown, SD 

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 323 

Docket OST-2001-10644 

NINETY-DAY NOTICE OF 

TERMINATION OF SERVICE

Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to: 

Megan Rae Rosia 

Vice President, Government Affairs 

PINNACLE AIRLINES CORP. 

1689 Nonconnah Blvd., Suite 111 

Memphis, TN 38132 

(202) 965-4889 

mrosia@pncl.com

Maximillian T. Shemesh 

General Counsel 

MESABA AIRLINES, INC. 

1000 Blue Gentian Road, Suite 200 

Eagan, MN 55121 

(651) 637-5218 

Max.Shemesh@mesaba.com 

Dated: July 15, 2011 

Note: Objections to this Notice are due on August 4, 2011.

 
BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Ninety Day Notice of 

MESABA AVIATION, INC. and 

PINNACLE AIRLINES, INC. 

of termination of service 

at Watertown, SD 

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 323 

Docket OST-2001-10644 

NINETY-DAY NOTICE OF 

TERMINATION OF SERVICE

 Pursuant to Part 323 of the Department of Transportation’s Regulations (14 

C.F.R. Part 323), Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (“Mesaba”), and Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. 

(“Pinnacle”), each a certificated carrier, hereby give notice of intent to discontinue the 

current service provided at Watertown, SD, effective October 13, 2011. 

 Mesaba and/or Pinnacle provide service to the community, operating on a feefor-service basis as “Delta Connection” carriers. Delta has notified Mesaba and 

Pinnacle that Delta can no longer economically continue this service. Delta is in the 

process of retiring all turboprop and numerous small jet aircraft operated by Mesaba and 

Pinnacle. All of the Saab 340 aircraft operated by Mesaba for Delta Connection will be 

retired by year end. Delta has notified Mesaba and Pinnacle that high fuel costs and low 

passenger demand further necessitate the filing of this notice. 

 Mesaba and Pinnacle are commonly owned by Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The 

carriers are jointly filing this notice because, as Mesaba’s Saab aircraft are retired, some 
Ninety Day Notice 

Page 2 

markets may need to be back-filled by Pinnacle-operated regional jets until a 

replacement carrier is selected. With the Department’s permission, Pinnacle is currently 

providing substitute service in select Mesaba EAS markets. This notice is intended to 

cover all Pinnacle/Mesaba service at Watertown, regardless of which carrier may be 

providing service during the transition period. In the event the Department requires a 

hold-in, the carriers request that Mesaba and/or Pinnacle be authorized to provide the 

service, and that the Department set reasonable and fully compensatory rates based on 

the use of CRJ aircraft, which are the only aircraft available to provide continued service. 

The discontinuation of service will cause service to drop below the EAS 

guarantee levels established by the Department. Mesaba and/or Pinnacle is the only 

carrier providing service. Complete schedules including routes, arrival and departure 

times, equipment types, and operating carrier(s) are as follows: 

Watertown (ATY) 

Marketing 

Airline 

Operating 

Airline Org Dst Flight Equip

Departure 

Time 

Arrival 

Time 

Op 

days 

DL XJ MSP ATY 2551 SF3 1130 1254 1234567

DL XJ MSP ATY 2557 SF3 1935 2053 1234567

 

 

Marketing 

Airline 

Operating 

Airline Org Dst Flight Equip

Departure 

Time 

Arrival 

Time 

Op 

days 

DL XJ ATY MSP 2548 SF3 0645 0758 1234567

DL XJ ATY MSP 2551 SF3 1314 1425 1234567

 

 
Ninety Day Notice 

Page 3 

 Respectfully Submitted, 

 

 ____________________________ 

 Megan Rae Rosia 

 Vice President, Government Affairs 

 Pinnacle Airlines Corp. 

 

_______________________ 

Maximillian T. Shemesh 

General Counsel 

Mesaba Airlines, Inc. 

 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

 I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing Ninety-Day Notice of Termination of 

Service has been served this 15th day of July, 2011, upon the following persons via 

certified mail:

The Honorable Gary Williams 

Mayor 

City of Watertown 

23 Second Street NE 

Watertown, SD 57201 

Mr. Erick Dahl 

Airport Director 

Watertown Regional Airport 

2416 Boeing Avenue 

Watertown, SD 57201 

South Dakota Department of 

Transportation 

Bruce Lindholm 

Local Transportation Program Manager 

Division of Finance and Management 

700 E. Broadway Ave. 

Becker-Hansen Building 

Pierre, SD 57501 

U.S. Postal Service 

475 L’Enfant Plaza S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20260 

ATTN: Assistant General Counsel – 

Transportation 

 

 

_______________________ 

Maximillian T. Shemesh