The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a show cause order tentatively certifying Kenmore Air Express, a subsidiary of Kenmore Air (M5, Kenmore), to provide scheduled passenger operations as a commuter air carrier.
Kenmore Air Express (Kenmore) currently operates as a Part 135 carrier using three Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravans based out of Seattle Boeing Field. It operates intrastate scheduled services with wheel-equipped aircraft complimenting the seaplane-based operations of its parent.
The airline plans to operate 10 daily scheduled flights from Boeing Field to San Juan Island and Orcas Islands, an archipelago nestled between the US mainland and the Vancouver Island in Canada. Kenmore Air Express said that its proposed operations would be based on its existing flights under the current intrastate Part 135 authority.
The DOT proposed to limit the authority granted to Kenmore Air Express to aircraft operated under the Part 135 authority, i.e. seating up to nine passengers. The airline would have to be assessed anew should it want to expand the authority to Part 121 operations in the future.
Kenmore Air Express currently operates intrastate Part 135 flights from Boeing Field to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Island and Eastsound in the Orcas Island. Its parent operates scheduled seaplane services mainly out of Seattle Lake Union to destinations in the state of Washington and in Canada. The airline also operates charter and scenic flights using float-equipped DHC-2, DHC-2, DHC-6, Cessna (single piston) C180, and Piper Cub aircraft.
