Boston Herald
February 4, 2004

Hanscom loses Shuttle America
Some cheer, but new carrier may come

By Greg Gatlin

Commercial flights from Bedford's Hanscom Field will end, at least
temporarily, on April 30, when Shuttle America Corp. will stop flying from
the suburban air base.

Opponents of scheduled commercial flights from Hanscom cheered the
news, claiming Shuttle America's planned bailout as a major win.

``It's certainly a victory,'' said Anna Winter, executive director of
Save Our Heritage, which has battled airlines and Massport, which runs
Hanscom's civilian operations, arguing increased flights would harm the
area's many historical treasures, including Minute Man National Historical
Park. Hanscom remains an active U.S. Air Force base.

``It took four long years of countless volunteer hours, pickets, court
cases and national outreach,'' Winter said. ``But we believe we've finally
gotten through to the business community and the traveling public that
commercial aviation never belonged at Hanscom and never will.''

Massport remains unconvinced. Spokesman Jose Juves said the authority
will keep marketing Hanscom to airlines. The field straddles Lexington,
Concord and Lincoln.

The airport still will serve chartered flights, corporate jets and
general aviation, but for now, it won't have scheduled air service.

Shuttle America, an affiliate of US Airways, has operated a dwindling
number of flights from the field. It flies from Bedford to Trenton, N.J.,
five times a day; at one time it served New York, Buffalo, N.Y., and other
markets.

Connecticut-based Wexford Capital LLC bought Shuttle America out of
bankruptcy-court protection in 2001. It moved the carrier's headquarters to
Indiana.

Scott Durgin, Shuttle America's chief executive, said the airline needs
to pull its turbo-prop aircraft out of Bedford to serve US Airways routes
out of Pittsburgh.

``It's a very painful decision for me to make,'' Durgin said.
``However, supporting and maintaining our relationship with US Airways is
important for Shuttle America's long-term survival.''

The carrier is ending Trenton service. Durgin said the airline will
also stop serving Williamsport, Pa., Hagerstown, Md., and Lynchburg, Va.,
because those markets were not performing well.

``The decision on Bedford and Trenton was not an economic rationale,''
Durgin said, adding that the route was profitable.

Activists battling Hanscom expansion have succeeded in getting key
distinctions for the surrounding historic area.

Last year, The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Minute
Man National Historical Park one of America's 11 most endangered sites.
``The bottom line is Save Our Heritage no longer stands alone,'' Winter
said.

Boston-Maine Airways had flown out of Hanscom before ending that
service. Other airlines have eyed serving Hanscom.

Juves couldn't say whether a federal grant of about $1 million for
development of the airport would be jeopardized by the lack of commercial
service.

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