BostonHerald.com
Friday, June 22, 2001

Massport OKs flights at Hanscom
by Doug Hanchett

Massport directors yesterday approved controversial flights from Hanscom
Field to Cape Cod by Boston/Maine Airways, an affiliate of Pan-Am Corp.

The operating agreement calls for up to seven round-trips a day by 19-seat
turboprop planes flying between the Bedford airport and Hyannis, Martha's
Vineyard and Nantucket.

``Whether we start out with that many, we'll have to see,'' said David Fink,
Pan-Am's president. ``We're going to test the (market) and see what really
makes the most sense.''

Boston/Maine can't begin the flights, though, until it gets a license from
the Federal Aviation Administration that will allow it to fly more than
seven passengers per trip. Fink said the flights could be running about two
weeks after getting federal approval.

``We're hopeful in the next month or so we'll have it,'' Fink said. ``Heck,
I'm hoping it's tomorrow.''

Virginia Buckingham, Massport's executive director, said the move is another
key step in the agency's regionalization strategy.

``Massport is committed to providing passengers with alternatives to Logan
Airport,'' she said in a statement.

But the move was blasted by critics of Massport's plans. They had urged
Massport to do an environmental analysis before approving the year-round
service.

``Clearly they're on a mission to prove what they're doing is real
regionalization,'' said Anna Winter, executive director of Save Our
Heritage. ``Which is unfortunate because it's so far from the truth. They're
attacking this piecemeal and giving lip service . . . (while) their energies
are going toward building a new runway (at Logan Airport).''

Winter and other critics contend that increased commercial service at
Hanscom will destroy Minute Man National Historic Park, Walden Pond and
other popular historical sites in the area.

``It's always disappointing to see the lack of vision on the part of the
Massport board,'' Winter said. ``However, we are very optimistic that . . .
Massport will come to the realization that you can't build a commercial
airport in the middle of a national park.''


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