DENVER — Mesa Airlines, one of the primary air-commuter carriers of Denver International Airport, has filed notice it will suspend service to nine Rocky Mountain communities unless it receives help from the federal government under the Essential Air Service program.Mesa, which operates United Express from the Denver hub, filed its 90-day notice of suspension of service with the federal Department of Transportation on Oct. 1 but hopes to continue service to the nine communities in three states, said Sarah Pitcher, Mesa˜s vice president for corporate communications at headquarters in Farmington, N.M.
"This basically is the first step we need to take for the DOT to take a look at those markets and decide if they are eligible for Essential Air Service funds," Pitcher said. "Really, our hope is that we will be able to secure Essential Air Service funds for some of these markets and continue flying in those markets."
Mesa˜s action has already prompted a strong response from Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer, who has advised federal officials that suspension of service to five Wyoming communities would be "unacceptable in Wyoming."
The nine communities are Alamosa and Pueblo in Colorado, North Platte and Scottsbluff in Nebraska and Laramie, Cody, Riverton, Rock Springs and Worland in Wyoming. Worland currently qualifies for EAS funding, but it isn˜t enough. Pitcher said. Mesa currently serves 26 markets in seven states.
Mesa also suspended service to Fort Collins/Loveland Airport at the end of October, but that was a different circumstance and was based on a decision that it was a short-haul, low-yield market that "just was not making economic sense," she said. However, Fort Collins/Loveland passengers will be able to check in at the airport, check their baggage and then ride an Airport Express shuttle bus to DIA, she said
"We˜re hoping that we don˜t leave these communities high and dry but that there˜s a system in place that will continue to serve them," Pitcher said.