Essential Air Service at Chisana, Alaska

Order 2006-4-13
OST-1998-4574

Issued April 11, 2006 | Served April 14, 2006

Order Prohibiting Termination of Service and Requesting Proposals

On February 7, 2006, 40-Mile Air filed a 90-day notice with the Department of its intent to terminate its unsubsidized service at Chisana, Alaska, on or before April 25, 2006.1 40-Mile Air currently provides two round trips per week, on Monday and Thursday, in the Chisana-Tok market, with small aircraft, pursuant to a direct air-taxi contract with the United States Postal Service. Chisana's essential air service definition requires a minimum of one scheduled round trip per week to Cordova year round. With the approval of the community, 40-Mile Air has operated service to and from Tok as an alternate hub to Cordova. 40-Mile Air has, for the last several years, provided unsubsidized passenger service to Chisana and was able to do so because of its contract with the Postal Service. 40-Mile Air now states that it anticipates having little or no room for passengers because the majority of its flights are full of mail. The Postal Service has indicated that its current direct air-taxi contract with 40-Mile Air for Chisana expires in May 2006, and that the new contract will not allow cargo or passengers on the mail flights.

By: Todd Homan