Port of Seattle Incentives Help Spur New Small Community Air Service From Sea-Tac Airport To Port Angeles and Moses Lake

 Incentives approved by The Port of Seattle earlier this year helped spur today’s announcement from SeaPort Airlines for new small community air service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Port Angeles and Moses Lake starting March 1, 2016. SeaPort Airlines’ announcement creates the first daily service from Sea-Tac to Moses Lake since 2010 and to Port Angeles since 2009.

“In running Sea-Tac Airport, we strive to serve our entire region,” said Tom Albro, Port of Seattle Commissioner. “We know air service provides a critical economic link and that some Pacific Northwest communities are struggling to attract viable air service. We are extremely pleased that this new service will reestablish a vital connection for Port Angeles and create much needed jobs there and in the surrounding community.”

The Port Commission in March approved an enhanced incentive program for new commercial air service to small communities in Washington, Oregon and Idaho as a means to stimulate the critical links between small communities and Sea-Tac Airport. The program provides a two year waiver of landing fees and certain facility charges, as well as joint promotional support designed to assist the establishment of the new services. Depending on the level of service, annual benefits to airlines could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“As a Pacific Northwest-based company, SeaPort Airlines is very pleased to announce service to Port Angeles, Moses Lake, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport next spring,” said SeaPort Airlines President and CEO, Robert McKinney. “With our focus on serving smaller communities, we believe SeaPort is a great match for Moses Lake and Port Angeles. We’re looking forward to working with these communities, as well as staff at Sea-Tac, to successfully restore this needed air service.”

At Moses Lake, SeaPort will offer three roundtrips to Sea-Tac each weekday along with one roundtrip to Portland International Airport. Port Angeles will be provided with five roundtrips to Sea-Tac each weekday. Reduced flight frequencies will be offered on weekends. All SeaPort Airlines flights are operated with 9-passenger Cessna Caravan turboprop aircraft.

More Historical Details on Sea-Tac Small Community Air Service
Air service to Sea-Tac is a critical link to the global transportation network. However, such service from smaller Washington airports has steadily declined in recent years. In 2000, there were nearly 42,000 annual scheduled passenger departures to eleven Washington airports; by 2005, the number had halved to just over 20,000 departures to eight Washington airports. In 2015, the number decreased to less than 15,000 scheduled departures to seven Washington airports. Airports such as Port Angeles and Moses Lake are among those who previously did not have service to Sea-Tac Airport.

Smaller airports nationwide have faced challenges attracting air service due to fundamental shifts in airline economics over the past two decades. Most major U.S. carriers are removing smaller, inefficient 37-50 seat aircraft from their fleets entirely, those traditionally used in small community service. A Small Community Air Service Incentive Program has existed with the Port of Seattle since 2007, however, no airlines took advantage of the program until the increased incentives were approved in March.

Flight Schedule Details
SeaPort’s flight schedule is shown below for both Moses Lake and Port Angeles beginning on March 1, 2016. Tickets may be purchased beginning November 15, 2015 at www.SeaPortAirlines.com or by calling 1-888-573-2767.

The new Port Angeles flight schedule is as follows:

PORT ANGELES (CLM) >> SEATTLE (SEA)
K5 3701    Dep CLM at 6:00 am    Arr SEA at 6:40 am    Except Sunday
K5 3703    Dep CLM at 9:15 am    Arr SEA at 9:55 am    Except Sunday
K5 3705    Dep CLM at 11:45 am    Arr SEA at 12:25 pm    Except Saturday
K5 3707    Dep CLM at 2:10 pm    Arr SEA at 2:50 pm    Except Saturday
K5 3709    Dep CLM at 6:00 pm    Arr SEA at 6:40 pm    Except Saturday

SEATTLE (SEA) >> PORT ANGELES (CLM)
K5 3702    Dep SEA at 8:00 am    Arr CLM at 8:40 am    Except Sunday
K5 3704    Dep SEA at 10:30 am    Arr CLM at 11:10 am    Except Sunday
K5 3706    Dep SEA at 1:00 pm    Arr CLM at 1:40 pm    Except Saturday
K5 3708    Dep SEA at 5:00 pm    Arr CLM at 5:40 pm    Except Saturday
K5 3710    Dep SEA at 7:30 pm    Arr CLM at 8:10 pm    Except Saturday

The new Moses Lake flight schedule is as follows:

MOSES LAKE (MWH) >> SEATTLE (SEA)
K5 3500    Dep MWH at 6:30 am    Arr SEA at 7:30 am    Except Sunday
K5 3504    Dep MWH at 3:15 pm    Arr SEA at 4:15 pm    Except Saturday
K5 3506    Dep MWH at 5:00 pm    Arr SEA at 6:00 pm    Except Saturday

SEATTLE (SEA) >> MOSES LAKE (MWH)
K5 3501    Dep SEA at 8:15 am    Arr MWH at 9:15 am    Except Sunday
K5 3505    Dep SEA at 3:30 pm    Arr MWH at 4:30 pm    Except Saturday
K5 3508    Dep SEA at 6:30 pm    Arr MWH at 7:30 pm    Except Saturday