Lowell Sun
Thursday, February 12, 2004

Shuttle America extends service

By Rebecca Lipchitz, Sun Staff

BEDFORD -- Despite plans to stop service at Bedford's Hanscom Field, Shuttle
America announced yesterday an extension of its flight schedule to meet
customer demand.

The airline, operated by U.S. Airways Express, confirmed last week that it
planned to stop service to Trenton, N.J., on April 30. In a press release
yesterday, the airline said it would extend service through May 31, citing
"consumer demand."

Officials from Shuttle America didn't return calls for comment.

Barbara Platt, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Port Authority
(Massport), said there "is no information on whether or not they would stay
beyond that point."

The Hanscom Field airport is run by Massport.

When Shuttle America announced plans to cancel the route, the company cited
a plan to focus on operations out of Pittsburgh. It also stated that the
Bedford-to-Trenton route was profitable.

"There is a strong demand for business and leisure travel (on this route).
There is money to be made here," Platt said.

Shuttle America operates four round trips, or eight operations, between
Trenton and Bedford each day. At its peak about two years ago, the airline
flew 11 round trips, or 22 operations per day, to several destinations in
New York including White Plains, Buffalo, Islip and Laguardia Airport in New
York City, as well as to Trenton and North Carolina.

Massport officials have said that if Shuttle America were to end service at
Hanscom they would seek another airline provider.

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