TheDepartment of Transportation announced its re-selection of SeaPort Airlines to continue essential air service to the Salina area for another four years. Although typical EAS contracts are awarded for two years, SeaPort proposed an option for a four-year term providing three daily flights, six days a week for an annual subsidy of $1,490,479.
Letters recieved by the DOT from Samantha Angell, Mayor of Salina and Tim Rogers, A.A.E., Salina Airport Authority Executive Director expressed community support for the proposal and optimism that the continuation of SeaPort’s dependable service would restore community confidence in local passenger air service.
Rogers said that SeaPort has proven time and again they are willing to go above and beyond to meet the needs of Salina. They have added flights, held flights, sent flights early and turned a plane around on the taxiway to benefit their customers and according to Rogers, they have offered tremendous community support in the way of donations and special events and have worked hand in hand with local organizations to market their service.
SeaPort will continue to provide service through March 31, 2016. The airline is a scheduled commuter airline, operating more than 100 total daily scheduled flights within Tennessee, Arkansas, Oregon, Washington, Kansas, Missouri, and Alaska.
