BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Ninety Day Notice of 

MESABA AVIATION, INC. and 

PINNACLE AIRLINES, INC. 

of termination of service 

at Thief River Falls, MN 

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 323 

Docket OST-2001-10642 

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 Thief River Falls, MN 

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 323 

Docket OST-2001-10642 

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 Thief River Falls, MN, 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 Thief River Falls, 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: 

Thief River Falls (TVF) 

Marketing 

Airline 

Operating 

Airline Org Dst Flight Equip

Departure 

Time 

Arrival 

Time 

Op 

days 

DL XJ MSP HIB 2653 SF3 1305 1414 1234567

DL XJ HIB TVF 2653 SF3 1429 1526 12345.7 

 

DL XJ MSP HIB 2477 SF3 2200 2309 1234567

DL XJ HIB TVF 2477 SF3 2324 0017 12345.7 

 

Marketing 

Airline 

Operating 

Airline Org Dst Flight Equip

Departure 

Time 

Arrival 

Time 

Op 

days 

DL XJ TVF HIB 2610 SF3 0603 0659 123456 

DL XJ HIB MSP 2610 SF3 0714 0825 1234567

 

DL XJ TVF HIB 2654 SF3 1551 1646 12345.7 

DL XJ HIB MSP 2654 SF3 1701 1808 12345.7 

 
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 Steve Nordhagen

Mayor 

City Hall 

405 Third Street East 

P.O. Box 528 

Thief River Falls, MN 56701 

Mark Borseth 

Engineering Services Director 

City of Thief River Falls 

P.O. Box 528 

405 Third Street East 

Thief River Falls, MN 56701 

Minnesota Office of Aeronautics 

Chris Roy, Director 

Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics 

Mail Stop 410 

222 East Plato Boulevard 

St. Paul, MN 55107-1618 

U.S. Postal Service 

475 L’Enfant Plaza S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20260 

ATTN: Assistant General Counsel – 

Transportation 

 

 

_______________________ 

Maximillian T. Shemesh