SeaPort Airlines
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| Commenced operations | June 5, 2008 | ||||||
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| Ceased operations | September 20, 2016 | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Fleet size | 5 | ||||||
| Destinations | 7 | ||||||
| Parent company | SeaPort Airlines, Inc. | ||||||
| Headquarters | Portland International Airport (Portland, Oregon) | ||||||
| Key people |
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| Website | http://www.seaportair.com | ||||||
SeaPort Airlines was a US-based regional airline with its headquarters located at Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon.[2]
It operated scheduled service from its bases at Portland International Airport (PDX) (Pacific Northwest region) and Memphis International Airport (MEM) (Mid-South region). From 2013 to January 2016 it also operated a Southwest region from San Diego International Airport (SAN).
SeaPort Airlines used the callsign "Sasquatch"[1] to communicate with air traffic controllers. The carrier played off this in early 2013 when it introduced "Roger, The SeaPort Airlines Sasquatch" as the airline's mascot.
As of November 2013 SeaPort Airlines received $13,879,930 in annual Federal subsidies for Essential Air Services that they provided to rural airports in the U.S.[3]
On February 5, 2016 it was announced by the airline it had filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy after being forced to reduce its route network.[4] Normal day-to-day operations were set to continue during the company reorganization.[5]
As of September 20th 2016, the company is no longer in business after its Chapter 11 bankruptcy was converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation.[6]
Fleet
| Aircraft | In service | Orders |
|---|---|---|
| Cessna 208 Caravan | 5 | 0 |
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a single turboprop engine aircraft.
Regional operations
SeaPort Airlines operated scheduled commuter service in two distinct geographical areas connecting rural communities to the national transportation network: the Pacific Northwest with destinations in Portland and Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton, Oregon and the Mid-South including South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field in El Dorado, Boone County Airport in Harrison, and Memorial Field Airport in Hot Springs, Arkansas as well as George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas.
Until January 2016 the airline also had a Southwest region with destinations in California and Mexico.
Pacific Northwest service
SeaPort's Pacific Northwest Service at its Portland International Airport (PDX) hub was historically targeted at commuters between Seattle and Portland wishing to avoid congestion at the larger Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the main commercial terminal at Portland International Airport. In late 2011, SeaPort began to reinvent its business model and the carrier ended its namesake route between Seattle (Boeing Field) and Portland on January 27, 2012.
As part of this business shift, on January 15, 2012 SeaPort Airlines began nonstop flights between Portland International Airport and North Bend/Coos Bay utilizing Cessna 208 Caravan single turboprop engine aircraft.
On October 21, 2008, SeaPort Airlines was awarded a two-year government grant to provide commercial service from Portland to Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton beginning December 1, 2008, replacing subsidized service by Horizon Air.[7]
On March 20, 2016, SeaPort Airlines ceased service to North Bend/Coos Bay,[8] and PenAir began service on March 21.[9]
Mid-South service
The entirety of SeaPort's Mid-South service based at Memphis International Airport was federally subsidized under the Essential Air Service.
On March 12, 2010, SeaPort won a two-year Essential Air Service contract to provide three daily flights Sunday through Friday between Salina, Kansas and Kansas City International Airport.[10] As part of this growth SeaPort secured Department of Transportation approval to add daily flights between Kansas City International Airport and Harrison, Arkansas.[11] In July 2011, SeaPort began service to Dallas Love Field from El Dorado and Hot Springs. However, the airline no longer serves Dallas.[12]
In February 2013, SeaPort Airlines announced that its contract to provide Essential Air Service ("EAS") at McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport in Jackson, TN had been extended by the US Department of Transportation through January 31, 2014. The carrier had been awarded a one-year, rather than the typical two-year contract, due to the low number of passengers that used the flights operated by the previous carrier providing EAS, which had put Jackson’s continued eligibility for subsidized air service at risk. However, the airline no longer serves Jackson.[12]
On January 16, 2016, SeaPort ceased service to Salina, Great Bend, and Kansas City, citing a nationwide shortage of regional airline pilots.[13]
Southwest service
On May 1, 2013, the airline began service connecting Imperial/El Centro to San Diego and Burbank. The EAS contract was awarded to SeaPort in January 2013, replacing incumbent carrier SkyWest Airlines, which linked Imperial to Los Angeles.
In July, 2014, SeaPort Airlines announced it would begin nonstop service between Burbank and San Diego on October 1, with four weekday flights each way, and reduced service on weekends.
Later the airline added service to Sacramento and Visalia as well as its first international destination, San Felipe in Mexico.
SeaPort later ceased all operations in California and Mexico on January 15, 2016.[13]
References
- ^ a b "Airlines / Aircraft Operators Database Lookup". Airframes.org.
- ^ Fact Sheet
- ^ http://www.dot.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Subsidized%20EAS%20web%20report%20for%20non-Alaska%20communities-Nov%202013.pdf
- ^ "SeaPort Airlines Chapter 11 Petition" (PDF). PacerMonitor. PacerMonitor. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ http://www.seaportair.com/announcements/947/
- ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (September 21, 2016). "SeaPort Airlines shuts down, faces liquidation". USA Today. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "2008-10-25 Order Reselecting Carrier and Setting Final Subsidy Rates". U.S. Department of Transportation. October 24, 2008.
- ^ "Flights to North Bend/Coos Bay to Cease after March 20" (Press release). SeaPort Airlines. February 3, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
- ^ "PenAir announces service between Portland and North Bend" (Press release). Coos County Airport District. February 15, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
- ^ "Seaport selected for Salina air service". The Salina Journal. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ "SeaPort Airlines may add KC as destination from Harrison". Baxter Bulletin. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
- ^ a b http://seaportair.com, route map
- ^ a b Baskas, Harriet (2016-01-19). "SeaPort Airlines abruptly cancels service in several states". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
- http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-11-16-whyownairline11_CV_N.htm
- http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/02/seaport_airlines_picks_rob_mck.html
