Pittsburgh International Airport will lose its flights to DuBois and Bradford after the federal Department of Transportation begins its next round of subsidized flight contracts on Feb. 1.

The carrier, Southern Airways Express, relies heavily on the Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service Program, which subsidizes flights to small communities across the United States.

Southern had operated the DuBois flight since 2017 and Bradford since 2016. Both cities have populations of under 8,000, and their flights utilized 9-seat Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft.

Southern provides DuBois with 38 total weekly round trips, split evenly between Pittsburgh International and Washington Dulles International. It operates 12 weekly round trips from Bradford to Pittsburgh International.

While Southern attempted to keep both of its flights, the Essential Air Service Program’s chosen replacements will connect DuBois and Bradford to larger markets aboard larger aircraft.

Contour Airlines is moving into DuBois with 12 weekly round trips aboard 30-seat ERJ-135 jets: 7 to Atlanta International and 5 to Chicago O’Hare International.

SkyWest is taking over service in Bradford with 12 weekly round trips to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) using 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft.

Southern’s contracts were set to expire at the end of October, but the airline agreed to short-term extensions through at least January to provide a seamless transition.

Considering feedback

The Department of Transportation solicited comments from DuBois and Bradford residents over the summer before selecting the new contracts.

The Clearfield-Jefferson Counties Regional Airport Authority supported Contour’s service to Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta, which it said “would provide substantially greater schedule connectivity and flexibility” compared to other proposals.

DuBois City Manager Joseph T. Fleming added that the new nonstop service would strengthen the regional economy through tourism and workforce development.

Some DuBois residents argued to keep Southern’s Pittsburgh service since it gave them easier access to sports games and was faster than driving into the city. The flight took around 50 minutes, compared with a 2-hour drive.

The Department of Transportation selected Contour to open up easy access to both the Midwest and Southeast for DuBois residents, and for less money than Southern’s proposal to keep service to Pittsburgh. The airline will receive around $27 million in subsidies.

Bradford’s Regional Airport Manager Alicia Dankesreiter backed a SkyWest proposal to service both Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare, writing that Southern’s perceived unreliable service led to “a severe decline in passenger confidence” at the airport.

“As a result, many passengers have elected to endure the long drive to alternate airports offering more reliable service and stronger network connectivity, reducing local utilization and diminishing the overall effectiveness of the Essential Air Service program within our community,” she said.

The Department of Transportation selected SkyWest due to what it deemed widespread community support, also noting that its subsidy request of roughly $24 million for a 50-seat plane was financially similar to Southern’s request for a 9-seater. However, the department “could not justify” approving service to Chicago O’Hare, which would have cost $4 million more over the length of the contract.

Southern disappointed

Louis Saint-Cyr, president of airlines at Southern’s parent company, Surf Air Mobility, said he respected the people of DuBois and Bradford’s decisions but believed the outcome would negatively impact air travel across Pennsylvania.

“With this change, the direct, affordable connections within the state that our service provided will effectively disappear,” he said. “Residents, businesses, and patients who relied on reaching Pittsburgh quickly will now have to route through distant out-of-state hubs.”

Southern is reaching out to customers directly about how its end of service in DuBois and Bradford affects its operations, and is focused on operating “safely and reliably” through its remaining schedule, Saint-Cyr said.

“We are grateful to the people of Bradford and DuBois who flew with us and supported us over the years,” he said.

“Should the communities’ needs change in the future, we would welcome the opportunity to serve them again.”

Pittsburgh International spokesman Bob Kerlik declined a request for comment.