Mukilteo City Council Votes To Fight Commercial Flights At The Airport

The Mukilteo, WA, City Council plans to appeal a decision by the FAA to allow commercial flights to operate to and from Paine Field in Everett, WA. The council voted Monday night to file an appeal in Federal Court.

Television Station KING reports that Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine has been a vocal opponent to the onset of commercial flights at Paine Field for several years, even though the airport does not fall under the city's purview. The Council allocated $250,000 in 2007 to fight the establishment of commercial flights at the airport, and retained a law firm the following year. That firm will file the appeal in Federal Court, though it is not known when that filing might occur.

Mayor Marine said the commercial activity could curtail important aerospace development at Paine Field, which is Boeing's home airport. He says that it could be detrimental to one of the county's main economic engines.

While both Allegiant and Horizon airlines have proposed commercial operations at the airport, which could eventually amount to about 160 flights per week, the FAA's blessing is just one of the hurdles that needed to be cleared before the flights could begin. Snohomish County would still need to complete a separate environmental study and approve the flights, and a two-gate terminal would need to be funded and built.

FMI: www.ci.mukilteo.wa.us