To the Editor:
I have written to the DOT and to our legislators urging continued support of the Presque Isle flight destination PenAir to Boston vs United to Newark. I have lived in the County 37 years and have witnessed the coming and going of many different airlines out of Presque Isle. All of them had a Boston destination and some included flights to Bangor and Augusta and Portland. I have survived the loss of all three Maine destinations, but losing Boston will be fatal.
Boston is not only a hub to other locations, but for Mainers, Boston is the center of the New England universe with medical centers, sports teams, cultural offerings and education. In addition, Maine was once part of Massachusetts though I am not old enough to remember that. Logan is a familiar airport and most of us have mastered the shuttle, the subway system and the quick service feature at airport eateries.
Surprisingly, Newark has never been a dream destination for a northern Mainer. There are few redeeming features to Newark and sending unsuspecting Mainers there will not improve it. When I first heard this announcement I laughed, but now I believe this is a cruel joke on an innocent rural community. For what are we being punished?
I was astounded when I learned that the Presque Isle City Council approved the change. As a resident of Caribou, I could only scratch my head. I remember the headlines from last April, “United Airlines passenger dragged off overbooked flight,” “United passenger dragged off flight suffers concussion.” How about the latest ticket fiasco in which a passenger in Colorado was mistakenly ripped out of her seat on the plane, forced to drive 1,000 miles for a last visit with her dying mother who of course died before she got there. United is THE airline with no understanding of customer service, no compassion, no common sense.
However PenAir flight attendants, pilots and service agents have gone above and beyond to be of assistance and I have never witnessed the abuse and lack of courtesy that plague other airlines. Also, United admits that they intend to squeeze more people on the same size plane that PenAir flies out of Presque Isle. That means 28 inches of leg room. The minimum. Contrast that to PenAir who has removed seats to provide more leg room for taller passengers. This is critical for me and my family in which my progeny are 6’4”, 6’5”and 6’7 ½”.
If this scheme to deport Mainers to Newark on United comes to fruition, my options include, after height reduction surgery, flying from Canada — you can’t go wrong with polite Canadians — or driving 3 hours to Bangor.
Presque Isle airport may fulfill its destiny as a potato storage facility. And good luck to Newark.
Dale J Gordon
Caribou
