Airline choice is surprising

4 years ago

To the editor:

Silver Airways thanks Presque Isle, Aroostook County and nearby northern Maine for supporting Silver’s bid to provide nonstop air service between Boston and Presque Isle. We were surprised that the clear preference for Boston service by Presque Isle residents and the surrounding communities was not given more weight by the Airport Advisory Board and certain members of the Presque Isle City Council. We encourage northern Mainers to reach out directly to the U.S. Department of Transportation and to lobby the Presque Isle City Council to change its votes.

Silver’s Boston flights would provide hundreds of domestic and international convenient connections via our codeshare and interline ticketing partners, including full access to JetBlue’s vast presence at Boston.  Silver will have seamless connections to JetBlue in Boston and frequent well-timed connections to the locales Northern Mainers most want to visit.  

Silver Airways has implemented an operational, fleet and customer service transformation over the past two years with a focus on providing the highest level of safe, reliable and customer-friendly service.  Our operational performance has dramatically improved and Silver is now among the top tier of regional airlines in the United States. DOT statistics show clearly that Boston has fewer delays than Newark. Boston is Presque Isle’s historical and most logical hub and connecting point with significant local travel for visiting friends and family, work, and to access Boston’s renowned medical resources.  

Silver is Maine’s highest performing airline.  Silver has gone two consecutive years in our Bar Harbor EAS operation to/from Boston without a single cancellation attributable to Silver.  Silver has dramatically grown enplanements at Bar Harbor to record levels with great service, competitive pricing and a commitment to the local community. Silver was recommended strongly by BHB’s airport manager.

  It was a great privilege for my Silver Airways colleagues and I to visit Presque Isle recently and we were greeted enthusiastically by local travelers wanting Silver to be the carrier serving PQI. We encourage you to continue supporting Silver Airways’ efforts to bring you the air service you need and desire. We urge the community to vocalize your support by writing to the DOT at Michael.F.Martin@dot.gov and to ask the City Council to re-vote reflecting the needs and strong preference of the community. 

Thank you for your confidence in Silver Airways and our hardworking aviation professionals committed to our mission to be “America’s Leading Regional Airline.”  We look forward to the U.S. DOT selecting Silver Airways to service Presque Isle and the surrounding region.

Steven A. Rossum

CEO, Silver Airways