Durbin Calls On DOT To Prevent Cape Air From Terminating Passenger Flights To Quincy
In a letter to Secretary Buttigieg, Durbin reiterates the importance of air service to the Quincy community
SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to ensure that Quincy Regional Airport maintains passenger air service through the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The letter follows Cape Air’s recent filing with DOT notifying that the airline plans to halt passenger flights to Quincy Regional Airport. In his letter, Durbin emphasizes the ripple effect the decision will have on the community and Western Illinois as the Quincy Regional Airport serves as a connection to Chicago O’Hare International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
“I was disappointed to learn of Cape Air Airline’s recent filing notifying the Department of Transportation (DOT) that it intends to terminate passenger air service to Quincy, Illinois, through DOT’s Essential Air Service (EAS) program. Quincy Regional Airport offers critical connections for residents and businesses in Quincy, and any interruption in air service will have a significant impact on the community and its economy,” Durbin wrote.
As Durbin makes clear in his letter, under the EAS program, which was established to ensure that smaller communities were serviced by certified airlines, DOT is required to ensure eligible communities, including Quincy, with air service access to the National Air Transportation system.
Durbin’s letter continued, “Because Quincy is an eligible community under the EAS program, DOT has an obligation to ensure that this level of service is maintained. The decision to award an EAS contract to Cape Air for service to Quincy was supported by the community, and similar support will be essential for the success of the next EAS contract.”
“Quincy joins Decatur, Illinois, and dozens of other small communities around the country whose EAS guaranteed passenger service is threatened by what regional airlines are calling a pilot shortage. As passenger air travel rebounds from the impacts of the pandemic, I urge DOT to engage with the airlines, labor, and EAS communities to address this issue and ensure EAS passenger service is protected in Illinois and around the country,” Durbin’s letter concluded.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
May 13, 2022
Dear Secretary Buttigieg,
I was disappointed to learn of Cape Air Airline’s recent filing notifying the Department of Transportation (DOT) that it intends to terminate passenger air service to Quincy, Illinois, through DOT’s Essential Air Service (EAS) program. Quincy Regional Airport offers critical connections for residents and businesses in Quincy, and any interruption in air service will have a significant impact on the community and its economy. I urge DOT to issue an order prohibiting Cape Air from terminating service to Quincy until DOT is able to provide comparable passenger air service through a new or revised EAS contract that has the full support of the community.
Quincy Airport plays a vital role in connecting Western Illinois to the rest of the nation through daily flights to both Chicago O’Hare International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport. And because Quincy is an eligible community under the EAS program, DOT has an obligation to ensure that this level of service is maintained. The decision to award an EAS contract to Cape Air for service to Quincy was supported by the community, and similar support will be essential for the success of the next EAS contract. I encourage DOT to continue its consultations with Quincy throughout the rebidding process.
Quincy joins Decatur, Illinois, and dozens of other small communities around the country whose EAS guaranteed passenger service is threatened by what regional airlines are calling a pilot shortage. As passenger air travel rebounds from the impacts of the pandemic, I urge DOT to engage with the airlines, labor, and EAS communities to address this issue and ensure EAS passenger service is protected in Illinois and around the country.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
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