Cessna 402 operator Cape Air plans to launch a seventh destination from its San Juan, Puerto Rico hub once it inaugurates flights to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.
The carrier aims to start the new service this year or the beginning of 2010 at the latest, Cape Air COO Dave Bushy tells ATI. Timing of the launch is contingent on the completion of a runway paving project at Virgin Gorda's airport, he explains, noting that parts of the runway are currently gravel.
Virgin Gorda is a "very good opportunity for us" Bushy says.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Cape Air remains interested in starting Punta Cana, Dominican Republic service. However, additional expansion in the region will likely take a backseat to mainland domestic opportunities as Cape Air has applied to offer Essential Air Service (EAS) from St. Louis, Missouri to Cape Girardeau, Missouri and the Illinois destinations of Marion, Decatur and Quincy.
If the airline receives approval to operate the EAS routes, Cape Air would push back the launch of Punta Canta by one year due to aircraft availability.
Non-EAS seasoanl flights Cape Air launched in May from White Plains, New York to the Massachusetts destinations of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard will now be operated year-round, with weekend-only service during the winter, Bushy says.
As for other non-subsidized operations, Bushy says he would like to inaugurate service from Long Island, New York to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and potentially Provincetown, Massachusetts.
"That's probably further down stream," he says, explaining Cape Air does not forsee launching service from Long Island during the next two years.
In the meantime, Cape Air's contract to operate EAS flights from Baltimore/Washington International airport has been extended by six months for both Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Hagerstown, Maryland service. The initial contract covered operations from this March through 30 September.
Baltimore-Lancaster and Baltimore-Hagerstown are both working quite well as EAS operations, Bushy says, though the goal with all EAS routes is to build up the service enough so that a subsidy is no longer necessary.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
