Says Taos Not Certified For Planes Over Nine Seats

The northern New Mexico town of Taos only has about 5,200 permanent residents... but it's big enough to have an airline interested in providing scheduled service, especially during ski season. It wouldn't be the first time -- Westward Airways and Rio Grande Airlines both served Taos in years past. Both carriers are now out of business.

New Mexico Airlines recently approached the town about flying in with single-engine Cessna Caravans, but it can't -- the FAA says the airport is not adequate for planes having more than nine seats but fewer than 31. New Mexico Airlines' single-engine Caravans carry only nine seats during New Mexico flights, but can hold up to 14.

New Mexico Airlines CEO Greg Kahlstorf calls it surprising. He told the Associated Press, "I've never had the FAA reject an airport."

The FAA ruled last month that Taos Regional Airport (SKX) does not have certification to accommodate the Caravans flown by New Mexico Airlines, a subsidiary of Hawaii-based Pacific Wings. The airline serves Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Carlsbad and Hobbs. Taos was on a planned list of new destinations including Ruidoso, Alamogordo and Midland-Odessa in Texas.

Mark Fratrick, manager of the Taos airport, says he doesn't consider the lack of air service a hardship, just an inconvenience. Still, Kahlstorf said his airline has asked the FAA to reconsider its decision, a request the agency is not bound to honor.

Taos has been without scheduled airline service since June 2005, when Westward Airways stopped flying after less than a year in operation. They followed a path similar to Rio Grande Airlines, which operated flights to Taos for a few years, before folding up shop in June 2004.

FMI: www.taos.org, www.flynma.com