3 carriers vie to run local air service

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March 12, 2010

By RANDY GRIFFITH The Tribune-Democrat Fri Mar 12, 2010, 11:35 PM EST

JOHNSTOWN — At least three airlines are wooing local officials for a chance to run commuter air service from Johnstown.

Gulfstream International Airlines of Orlando, Fla., and Charter Air Transport of Cleveland will meet with leaders Tuesday prior to Johnstown-Cambria County Airport Authority’s monthly meeting.

Gulfstream is kicking around an idea that could make Johnstown part of the Pittsburgh Connector at Pittsburgh International Airport, while Charter Air would use the commuter service in connection with charter flights to Atlantic City, N.J.

Currently, the United Airways Express flights to Washington’s Dulles International Airport are run by Colgan Air of Manassas, Va.

But Colgan’s $2.3 million federally subsidized Essential Air Service Contract to provide service in Johnstown and Altoona runs out June 30, so the government is asking for new proposals.

Colgan hopes to continue the business, and will submit its own proposal, said Joe Williams of Colgan’s parent company, Pinnacle Airlines Corp.

“We are prepping the bid for the market, and we look forward to the continued support of the airport authority and the Johnstown community,” Williams said in an e-mailed statement.

Colgan has served the two local airports since December 2002, when it won the federal contract after Chautauqua Air of Indianapolis terminated its contract. Chautauqua cited declining ridership after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Colgan prevailed over two previous competitors for the contract, beating out Shuttle America Corp. of Windsor Locks, Conn., in 2002, and Gulfstream in 2007.

Johnstown’s airport authority supported Colgan in both contracts because of what members saw as shortcomings in the competition. Gulfstream planned to use 19-passenger aircraft instead of the 30-passenger planes Colgan introduced. In 2005, there was little interest in Gulfstream’s idea to send flights to Cleveland.

But with Pittsburgh back in the mix, members could be more receptive.

Despite access to substantially more connecting flights from Dulles, many people in Johnstown seem to prefer a Pittsburgh connection, manager Scott Voelker said from John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport.

“We will be discussing a couple of different things,” said Mickey Bowman, Gulfstream vice president for corporate development.

“We will be discussing service to Cleveland, but we will talk about an option to Pittsburgh,” Bowman said.

Gulfstream gained support in November from Pittsburgh government leaders when it proposed a Pittsburgh Connector service to bring back nonstop service to smaller cities in Pennsylvania, including Harrisburg, and surrounding states. Those local flights virtually disappeared after US Airways moved its hub out of Pittsburgh.

“They are trying to bring connector routes back into Pittsburgh,” Bowman said. “It’s one of those things that is a no-brainer for us. We have a maintenance base in DuBois. It’s not that hard to add cities like Johnstown and Altoona. There are economies of scale.”

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