Boston-Maine Airways drops plans for flights from Hanscom
By Davis Bushnell, Globe Correspondent, 4/14/2002

BEDFORD - Boston-Maine Airways has again shelved plans for serving Hanscom Field, rejecting requests for certain documents by the Massachusetts Port Authority, owner-operator of the airfield.

The small carrier, based in Portsmouth, N.H., and which had expressed interest in launching service this summer from Bedford to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, will now concentrate on its Florida and Maryland routes, said John Nadolny, general counsel.

Two months ago, Boston-Maine said Hanscom was off its radar screen, contending that it shouldn't have to conduct an environmental impact study requested by Massport. The authority said the study was necessary because daily operations at Hanscom are nearing 48, a limit set in 1995.

Massport is now conducting its own environmental review, with findings expected to be released by the end of this year.

In mid-March, David A. Fink, president of Boston-Maine, wrote Thomas J. Kinton Jr., Massport's acting executive director, asserting that Massport's board of directors in June approved the airline's ''request for 14 daily departures from Hanscom,'' pending final certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. The certification was granted in December.

In his April 3 response to Fink's letter, Kinton said the environmental-study requirement still stands. If Boston-Maine wants to do business at Hanscom, it also must submit copies of operations specifications approved by the FAA and certificates of insurance, Kinton said.

Nadolny said Kinton's letter ''really doesn't address the issues we want addressed'' or what he maintains is the commitment Massport made to the airline last June.

''So, we'll be going to other locations,'' Nadolny said, noting that service is on tap for Orlando, Sanford, and Naples, Fla. It currently runs 14 flights a day between three cities in Maryland.

Massport spokesman Richard Walsh said, ''Hanscom is not a slotted airport, so we can't offer any slots.'' He was referring to Boston-Maine's contention that it had been promised 14 daily departures from Hanscom.

However, if at any time Boston-Maine ''wants to comply with our requirements for serving Hanscom, we would welcome them with open arms,'' Walsh added.

Meanwhile, Shuttle America will begin service tomorrow to Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., with five round-trips a day, said its spokesman, Mark Cestari.

That airline, which is based in Windsor Locks, Conn., and operates as US Airways Express, also plans to introduce service May 24 between Hanscom and Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The airline has said it will have one flight a day Thursday and Friday nights and two flights each Saturday and Sunday.

This story ran on page N4 of the Boston Globe on 4/14/2002.
© Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.
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