Carrier Had Requested End Of Service Next Month, Ended The Route Last Week

The U.S. Department of Transportation has said that SeaPort Airlines must continue to serve Tupelo, MS through December 28th in order to not leave the city with no scheduled air carrier service.

The Portland, OR-based carrier had sent a letter to the DOT on August 27 requesting that the agency allow it to discontinue service to Tupelo by November 13, and television station WTVA reports that the small carrier cancelled flights to the city last week.

But that is in violation of SeaPort's Essential Air Services contract with the DOT, according to the agency. An order sent to SeaPort on September 26 said "SeaPort's proposed termination of service at Muscle Shoals and Tupelo would leave the communities with no scheduled air service. Thus, the Department must prohibit the airline from terminating such service for 30 days beyond the end of the 90-day notice period, i.e. through Dec. 28, 2015."

A spokesperson for the DOT said that the early cancellation of the flights is a breach of contract, but did not say what kind of enforcement action might be taken.

The DOT is currently accepting proposals from other air carriers to take over the contract.

FMI: http://seaportair.com, www.dot.gov