Airline eyes city, Tweed for locations
Mark Zaretsky, Register Staff May 17, 2002
NEW HAVEN Commuter airline Shuttle America an independent contract operator for US Airways Express is considering moving its headquarters to New Haven and part of its maintenance operations to Tweed-New Haven Airport.
The move hinges upon how US Airways' financial troubles are resolved, though.
If the move happens, it would include the resumption of US Airways Express service to Reagan National Airport in Washington DC. Shuttle America might also assume some of the existing US Airways Express routes to Philadelphia and might add service to Pittsburgh at some point in the future, Shuttle America and airport officials said Thursday.
Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority Chairman Lawrence DeNardis said that Tweed which straddles the New Haven-East Haven border is competing with Ft. Wayne, Ind.
"I think the chances are not great, but it's not over until it's over," DeNardis said.
Shuttle America Vice President for Marketing Mark Cestari, a former New Haven tourism official, said if DeNardis can handicap the outcome, "maybe he's got a better oddsmaker than I do. This thing is very much in play."
Cestari was president of the Greater New Haven Convention & Visitors' Bureau from 1990 to 1992. He emphasized that the future of US Airways which is contemplating bankruptcy as a result of steep losses will greatly affect Shuttle America's decision.
US Airways currently is the only commercial airline serving Tweed. Two other contract operators currently fly US Airways Express routes between New Haven and Philadephia.
DeNardis said the authority has been talking with Shuttle America for a couple of months.
If Shuttle America chooses New Haven, it would move its headquarters into the former Starter Corp. headquarters on James Street in Fair Haven, said Cestari, who grew up near the airport. Cestari's father, Ernie, was principal at East Haven High School.
"It's a fabulous, fabulous building," Cestari said of the former Starter building, which is visible from Interstate 91.
Shuttle America emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy last October. It is now headquartered near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.
Its maintenance facility is located at Hanscom Airport in Bedford, Mass., a Boston suburb.
Since coming out of bankruptcy, Shuttle America has grown from three turboprop planes in December to a planned fleet of 18 33-seat Saab 340 turboprops by July, Cestari said.
"The thing, obviously, that we like about New Haven is we would be able to retain a high percentage of our workforce from Windsor Locks," he said. Shuttle America employs 300 people.
Other sources said, however, that Shuttle America's parent company Greenwich-based Wexford Capital LLC owns a hangar at the Ft. Wayne airport.
East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo, who opposes Tweed's proposed runway extension, said he's all in favor of bringing in airlines like Shuttle America if they can operate within the airport's existing constraints.
"I'm always in favor of expanding the tax base," Maturo said. "Most of the people in East Haven are not opposed to increased flights at the airport. They're against expansion."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
Mark Zaretsky can be reached at mzaretsky@nhregister.com , or 789- 5722. ©New
Haven Register 2002
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Take the Yahoo! Groups survey for a chance to win $1,000. Your opinion is very
important to us! http://us.click.yahoo.com/NOFBfD/uAJEAA/Ey.GAA/xbTolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
AviationWatch is a service provided by the ALLIANCE OF RESIDENTS CONCERNING O'HARE. AReCO is an organization dedicated to protecting the health, safety and welfare of individuals and communities that are affected by the air transport industry.
For more information see: http://www.areco.org
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/