October the earliest date for air service

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport officials aren't ready to blame Big Sky Airlines for the delay in returning passenger air service to the area.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation, which awarded the contract for air service to Big Sky in March as part of the Essential Air Service program, said Tuesday that the earliest date for the likely resumption of service is October. RegionsAir, the area's previous air carrier, suspended operations in March under orders from the Federal Aviation Administration over maintenance issues.

Last week, Big Sky's president, Fred DeLeeuw, said a lack of qualified pilots is the biggest obstacle to beginning service in Cape Girardeau. Bill Moseley of the U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday the problem of finding pilots is hurting air service throughout the industry.

"I am told it is not unique to Big Sky," Moseley said.

Under normal circumstances, when the contract for subsidized service is switched to a new company, the previous contract holder continues service until the new carrier can become established, Moseley said. Big Sky, based in Billings, Mont., has told the transportation agency that "their best projection is October," Moseley said.

The contract is to pay Big Sky $3.2 million annually to provide service from Cape Girardeau, Owensboro, Ky., and Jackson, Tenn., to Cincinnati.

The contract doesn't require that service start by a specific date, Moseley said. "We urge them, obviously, to start as soon as possible, but we administer the law as it is."

However, under the contract's terms, the airline doesn't get paid until it starts hauling passengers, he noted. "That is the incentive. They don't get paid until they fly."

The delays in restarting air service are frustrating, but RegionsAir should have been able to provide a bridge from their contract to the new carrier, said Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager Bruce Loy. At the same time RegionsAir suspended service here, Loy noted, Cape Girardeau wasn't the only city where service was reduced or eliminated.

Great Lakes Airlines of Cheyenne, Wyo., won the contract for Burlington, Iowa, Marion, Ill., and Kirksville, Mo., to replace RegionsAir and has yet to begin service to any of those cities. Loy said he's willing to give Big Sky up to six months from the start of the contract to begin service before considering whether to ask for the contract to be awarded to another carrier.

"It is RegionsAir that has caused all this problem," Loy said. "Considering the situation, I won't put on the skids. But if Great Lakes is started up in August, we will likely have a major issue here."

Airport advisory board member J. Fred Waltz said he agrees with Loy that any blame for the lack of air service lies with RegionsAir.

"If I am frustrated at anybody, it is RegionsAir," Waltz said. "They are the people to blame. You don't just get any kind of provider up and running in 90 days."

Several factors play into the pilot shortage, said Tim Bradshaw, airport manager in Owensboro, Ky. AirTran, a low-cost carrier running on major routes, is hiring a lot of pilots, Bradshaw said. Many other qualified pilots who are members of the National Guard or the reserves have been called to active duty with the military in Iraq, he said.

"It is harder for the commuter guys to compete," Bradshaw said. "That is all it really boils down to."

Both Loy and Bradshaw said the lack of air service will make it difficult to attract passengers back to their airports. "Big Sky and the airports are going to have to get together to offer some major incentives," Bradshaw said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126