Becomes third carrier in two weeks to express interest in area airport
By Matthew Brelis, Globe Staff, 5/2/2001
US Airways Express yesterday became the third commercial airline in two
weeks to express interest in flying to and from Hanscom Field, the suburban
airport next to the Minute Man National Historical Park.
The airline told officials from the Massachusetts Port Authority, which owns
and operates Boston's Logan International Airport and Hanscom, that it would
like to begin three daily flights to and from Philadelphia, a US Airways
hub.
Hanscom is bounded by the affluent communities of Bedford, Concord,
Lexington, and Lincoln, and the main access road to the airport travels
through the national park.
''This confirms that the Hanscom Field area is a lucrative market,'' said
Massport spokesman Jose Juves. ''Our analysis shows 400 people a day from
[the Hanscom communities] drive to Logan to catch a flight. This is
obviously a much more convenient and cost-effective alternative and that is
what regionalization is all about.''
Massport is trying to win permission to build a controversial 5,000-foot
runway for Logan that airport officials say would reduce delays at the
Boston airport. Opponents claim there are more effective ways to reduce
delays, and the runway would only serve to enhance capacity at Logan.
As part of Massport's efforts to get the runway, the state agency has tried
to promote other regional airports, both in Massachusetts as well as in
other New England states.
The addition of a third airline wanting to fly from Hanscom was met with
anger from area groups opposed to the use of the airport by commercial
carriers. Such incremental growth was precisely what they feared would occur
when Shuttle America began flying from Hanscom with four daily flights
nearly two years ago, opponents said.
''What we are seeing is the realization of our fears,'' said Nancy Nelson,
superintendent of Minute Man park. ''There is a real danger of significant
incremental growth at the airport which could result in grievous harm to a
national park without any discussion about how to protect it.''
Anna Winter, executive director of Save Our Heritage, said, ''Massport is a
machine. It has no heart, no soul and apparently no brain ... If they were
really interested in regionalization working, they would find ways to
connect airports with rail and investigate alternative transportation.''
Opponents are concerned that there is no known level of commercial activity
at Hanscom that would necessitate an environmental impact study.
A generic environmental study done by Massport in 1995 found no impact with
a level of 48 commercial flights a day from Hanscom. Massport officials have
said in the past more analysis would be done if commercial flight levels
approached that number, but that review would not have the scope of a full
impact study.
Shuttle America, a Connecticut-based regional airline, filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy proceedings two weeks ago. At that time, both Midway and Boston
Maine Airways, which is owned by Pan American Airlines, the New
Hampshire-based discount carrier, said they wanted to begin commercial
service from Hanscom. Midway has said it would use 50-seat regional jets to
fly to its hub in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and Boston Maine Airways would use
19-seat Jetstream 31s to fly to the Cape and Islands from Hanscom.
Cape Air, the Hyannis-based airline, is also studying flying from Hanscom to
the Cape, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. A spokeswoman said yesterday that
the airline would make a decision this month whether to try and begin
service this summer.
Despite Shuttle America's financial woes, the interest by other carriers
indicates they believe Hanscom to be a viable commercial market.
''A market exists and it is potentially a good market. Served with the right
type of aircraft, it could be mutally beneficial,'' said Richard Weintraub,
a US Airways spokesman. ''We are looking at service out of Bedford to
Philadelphia, which is our closest hub to the Boston area and our primary
international gateway.''
US Airways would fly 37-seat Dash-8 aircraft on the route, officials said.
The start of that service, which must receive Massport board approval, would
point a dagger at the heart of Shuttle America's bread and butter route to
Trenton, N.J.
Shuttle America has lost money on its flights to and from LaGuardia and now
has one daily flight from Hanscom to New York. But it has done better with
its service to Trenton, about 30 miles from Philadelphia.
''We continue to work on our restructuring and bookings remain very strong
at Hanscom,'' said Shuttle America spokesman Mark Cestari. He said the
airline welcomed additional carriers to Hanscom: ''We are not afraid to
compete.''
This story ran on page C01 of the Boston Globe on 5/2/2001.
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