Cape Air's new service takes off Tuesday

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

BURLINGTON - About seven passengers got on board an 18-month-old Tecnam Italian aircraft headed to Chicago out of the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport in Burlington early Tuesday morning.

With the sun just starting to peak over the eastern horizon the white-and-blue 9-passenger Cape Air craft lifted gently into the southern skies above Burlington and quickly banked to the east as dignitaries of the small market airline were on hand to watch the inaugural flight.

The aircraft, and another one in the hangar on the airport property, were both on hand for flights out of the Burlington airport.

Cape Air was awarded the service in a competitive bidding period in 2021, after failing to get the award for Burlington through the Department of Transportation four years ago.

Brian Callahan, Cape Air's regional Trainer and Safety Auditor out of Billings, Mont, said the company has in the past 20 years expanded into what is called Essential Air Service contracts where the federal government subsidizes flights from about 140 smaller communities in the lower 48 states, such as Burlington and Quincy.

Southeast Iowa Regional Airport's Sara Sandburg, far left, board member John Schulz, Cape Air's Andrew Bonney and board member Charlie Walsh talk on the tarmac after watching the inaugural flight of the new service to Chicago Tuesday morning. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

"Before 1977 every single route by an airline was ruled by the Civil Aeronautics Board, so if you wanted to fly from here or Quincy you applied to the CAB. They bid for competitors and they determined the flights and rates," Callahan said.

President Carter deregulated the industry in 1977 allowing for competitive bidding that forced larger airlines from smaller communities. Callahan said that move caused the creation of the Essential Air Service Act or EAS and that provided protection of service for smaller communities.

Cape Air won the bid for Burlington in 2021 for the next four years, and were re-selected for another four years in Quincy. Cape Air has about 104 aircraft in the United States. They specialize in small market subsidized flights, as well as unsubsidized flights in specific markets on the east coast and in certain island groupings.

Callahan, said the company has Essential Service operations in the Montana region, the Midwest, half of New England and one route in Puerto Rico. They also operate flights on the open market.

John Schulz, a 10-year-board member at Southeast Iowa Regional Airport, said one of the big selling points for Cape Air was codeshare and baggage agreements, in addition to comparable rates to former supplier AirChoiceOne.

"We can check our suitcases here and if we're going to Florida we don't worry about them until we get there," he said. "We don't want to overlook that because that's what the deciding factor was. Plus they have a really good reputation and they got the new planes and plan on growing like crazy."

The first Cape Air flight out of Burlington takes off over the trees near the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Tuesday morning at 7:15 a.m. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

Midwest Marketing Manager Stacy Schuchardt, said the company was thrilled to be in Burlington and allows the company to have a presence along the Mississippi River.

"We had bid on Burlington four years ago and it was awarded to AirChoiceOne, and when it was bid again, we all came up here in August and presented," she said.

Schuchardt said she's originally from Illinois and graduated from Western Illinois University and was happy to see service start in Burlington.

"I really want to come back up here and spend a few days. It really fits well, we have service in Quincy just down the way so we can move between St. Louis, Quincy and Burlington. It makes good sense to go to St. Louis and Chicago to provide service."

'I love the history of the Mississippi and the history of these communities for trading, economy and those things."

Schuchardt said those wanting to book flights with St. Louis or Chicago as layovers should book direct with American or United for a single booking. If they just want to go to Chicago or St. Louis and back they should book direct at Cape Air.

The company has direct partnerships with American and United Airlines and on a smaller scale, Delta.

Erin Hatzell, Managing Director for Marketing and Public Relations said the marketable differences in Cape Air over AirChoice was the partner airline agreements and baggage agreements.

Southeast Iowa Regional Airport board member John Schulz sits in the new Tecnam 11-seat aircraft that now flies out of the Burlington Airport. The planes hold nine passengers, a co-pilot and a pilot. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

"Having that is key for communities like this. EAS is here to connect communities like Burlington to the national air transportation system. For us it's ease of travel, comfort, and the peace of mind knowing that checked bags here and it will end up in Tokyo, LA ,or Texas - wherever you're going to go," she said

The caveat is that flyers have to book a single itinerary. If you fly United out of Chicago or St. Louis you have to book on United, or through an OTA, Online Travel Agency, such as Orbitz, Travelocity, etc, she said.

Andrew Bonney, Senior Vice President of Planning said Cape Air started near Cape Cod, Mass., in 1989 and Boston. with a single route.

He said the company basically did Cape Cod and island routes for the first 10 years and then went to the Caribbean and Florida to connect communities. But it wasn't until 2002 until Cape Air entered Essential Air Service sector.

That year Cape Air worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation to take over two contracts for service in Puerto Rico, and then in 2007 Cape Air was asked to do some EAS flights in Vermont.

"Now today we are the second largest carrier in the EAS program. We have 18 contracts and about half of Cape Air is inside the EAS system, and half is outside," Bonney said. "We still have a very robust island business, but we also serve a number of small communities like Burlington and connect them with major hub airports."

Cape Air flies to St. Louis for $39 each way daily, and to Chicago O'Hare for $49 each way daily. More information can be obtained at www.capeair.com.

Burlington, business news, Cape Air, Chicago, fares, flight, fort madison, iowa, Iowa News, Pen City Current, service, Southeast Iowa Regional Airport, St. Louis

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