Colgan Air to Continue Serving Central Pennsylvania

MARTINSBURG -    The future of commercial air passenger service for this   region  has been set.
       Flights from the Blair and Cambria county airports  to the Washington D.C. area will continue at least for the next couple of years.
        In recent months,  four different airlines stepped up and said they would be interested in providing commercial air service to this region  if they could land a big federal subsidy.
        On Wednesday, Federal Officials announced that  Colgan Air will get millions of dollars to continue at least  its current level of service.

     Colgan Air,  operating as United Express, currently provides  18  commercial flights each week between the   Blair County Airport in Martinsburg, the Cambria County Airport near Johnstown, and Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C.
          That service will now continue for at least the next two years  with the help of an annual federal subsidy of more  that $3.3 million.
          The money will come from the Federal Transportation Department's program to provide  what is called " Essential Air  Service."
          Colgan Air landed the federal contract in part based on how that airline has served this region  over  the past couple of years..
     Colgan Air will  continue to use the  34 seat Saab 340 aircraft and  offer multiple flights to and from  Dulles airport each day.
      Competing  airlines proposed using different  aircraft and  flying to  Pittsburgh and  Cleveland as their primary destinations.
      That was why Colgan Air got plenty of support from local officials and many of the people who currently fly in and out of the region.   

CLICK HERE to view the release sent out by the U.S. Department of Transportation.