Boutique Air (4B, San Francisco) has secured an Essential Air Services (EAS) contract to provide scheduled passenger services to Greenville, MS with effect from October 1, 2015, through to September 30, 2017.
In its adjudication, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said the Californian carrier would operate eighteen weekly return flights to Nashville International using a PC-12 turboprop. The route's annual subsidy amounts to USD2,097,960 or USD4,195,920 for the two years.
Boutique Air said in its proposal that it may substitute one daily Nashville round trip with one daily direct flight to Dallas/Fort Worth.
Other contenders for the contract included Air Choice One (St. Louis Lambert International), Southern Airways Express (9X, Memphis International), and ViaAir (Orlando International) though Southern Airways Express subsequently withdrew its proposal from final consideration.
Air Choice One had offered 18 weekly round trips to St. Louis Lambert International using a Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravan for an annual subsidy of USD2,511,899 for a 2-year term, or USD2,486,779 for a 3- or 4- year term.
ViaAir had offered to provide 18 weekly nonstop round trips to Memphis International using a Piper (twin piston) Chieftain for an annual subsidy of USD2,992,77.
Following a call for comments, the DOT eventually settled on Boutique Air given its support from the Greenville municipality. In a letter to the DOT, the mayor of Greenville John H. Cox III advocated for Boutique Air given its lower subsidy requirement as compared to Air Choice One’s, the proposed service to Nashville and Dallas, and the use of PC-12 aircraft.
Greenville was previously served by SeaPort Airlines (Portland International).
