Boutique Air (4B, San Francisco) has been awarded Essential Air Service (EAS) contracts for Carlsbad, NM and Show Low, Arizona by the US Department of Transportation (DOT).
Concerning the former, the DOT said it had selected Boutique Air to provide Carlsbad, New Mexico with six weekly, nonstop return flights to Albuquerque International and six weekly, nonstop return flights to Dallas/Fort Worth, using PC-12 single-prop aircraft.
The two-year contract, with an annual subsidy of USD2,410,695, will run from June 1, 2015, through to May 31, 2017. Incumbent operator, New Mexico Airlines (Albuquerque International), is set to end its EAS services to Albuquerque on May 31, 2015. This is New Mexico Airlines' last scheduled route.
Concerning the latter, the DOT said Boutique Air would provide Show Low, Arizona with a direct flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor also using Pilatus Aircraft. For an annual subsidy of USD1,243,255, return flights will operate 12x weekly during the off-peak months (January-April), and 18x weekly during the peak months (May-December).
The two-year contract is scheduled to run from May 1, 2015 through to April 30, 2017. Incumbent operator Great Lakes Airlines (Cheyenne) has been instructed by the Department to continue to serve Show Low for 30 days beyond its 90-day termination notice - through July 16, 2015 - or until Boutique commences service, whichever comes first.