Three regional airlines will fill the service void left in 12 small and medium-size communities in six states by the March 9 closure of Smyrna, Tenn.-based Regions-Air. Great Lakes Aviation has emerged as the big winner of the trio, drawing half the cities in a new contract with American Airlines that calls for the Cheyenne, Wyo.-based regional to fly from St. Louis to Marion, Quincy, Decatur and Springfield, Ill.; Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; and Burlington, Iowa. All but Springfield involve EAS subsidies.
Fellow Beech 1900 operator Big Sky Airlines split the remaining six former RegionsAir cities with Pinnacle Airlines subsidiary Colgan Air. Manassas, Va.-based Colgan on May 1 began flying from Pittsburgh to Clarksburg/Fairmont, Morgantown and Parkersburg, W.Va., with Saab 340s, after winning an EAS bid in February to replace RegionsAir Continental Connection service from Cleveland. Billings, Mont.-based Big Sky, the chief beneficiary of Delta Air Lines’ recent moves to expand regional service to upstate New York and the surrounding region from Boston, will see its Delta Connection deal expand again with EAS service from Cincinnati to Jackson, Tenn.; Cape Girardeau, Mo.; and Owensboro, Ky., starting June 1.
