PORT ANGELES — Proposed legislation that would require the federal Transportation Security Administration to provide airport screening could be helpful to the Port of Port Angeles in its attempt to find a way to resume commercial passenger air service, a port official said.
Having TSA screening at William R. Fairchild International Airport would allow travelers from the North Olympic Peninsula to check bags and be screened in Port Angeles and then continue through to other destinations beyond Seattle without going through the process again, noted Jerry Ludke, airport and marina manager for the Port of Port Angeles.
That would make provision of the service more attractive to air companies and to customers.
The Port of Port Angeles is working to find a commercial airline to replace Kenmore Air, which abandoned service to Fairchild in November 2014.
U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer cosponsored the legislation last week.
It is designed to help bring commercial airline service to smaller airports like Fairchild International, he said.
TSA Fairness Act
The legislation, the TSA Fairness Act, would require the Transportation Security Administration to provide passenger and baggage screening to any airport that lost airline service after Jan. 1, 2013.
The airport also would be required to have a commitment of service from a commercial airline.
“It’s time to bring commercial flights back to William R. Fairchild International Airport,” said Kilmer, a Gig Harbor Democrat who represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties.
“Restoring the service would give folks an easy way to get to Seattle and other parts of the country while boosting tourism by bringing new visitors to the Olympic Peninsula,” Kilmer said in a news release.
“This legislation would help ensure our airport has the capacity to handle folks flying in and out.”
The last time Fairchild offered that kind of service, Ludke said, was around the time Horizon Air ended its air service in 2003.
Horizon abandoned service to Fairchild in 2003 after carrying more than 22,000 passengers to and from Port Angeles in 2002.
If the Kilmer bill is successful, the general TSA screening layout is still in place in Port Angeles, Ludke said. TSA would need to install new screening equipment.
According to Ludke, port officials have looked at the possibility of hiring a private firm to conduct security screening at Fairchild if TSA can’t provide it.
Bigger planes
Ludke said he had been told that it is not worthwhile for TSA to provide screenings for flights with small aircraft.
TSA wanted to see aircraft that hold at least 30 passengers, he said.
The port had an agreement with SeaPort Airlines to start commercial service to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on March 1, but those plans folded when the company announced in January it would give up many of its routes as the result of a pilot shortage.
The company announced it was filing for Chapter 11 reorganization last week, at the same time announcing the resignation of its chief executive officer, Rob McKinney.
The Cessna C-208 Grand Caravans that SeaPort had proposed using and that Kenmore had flown to Port Angeles hold 8-10 passengers.
Ludke said the port is looking at a number of possible airlines that could provide service from Fairchild to SeaTac.
Ben Munson of Forecast Inc., the port’s planning consultant, is talking to two airlines currently, he added.
Oregon situation
The TSA legislation was introduced Thursday by the Oregon congressional delegation — Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Reps. Greg Walden and Peter DeFazio.
The Oregon delegation is seeking the restoration of commercial air service to the Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport by bringing back federal TSA screening at the airport.
The Klamath Falls airport has a commitment from Alaska-based carrier PenAir to bring back commercial service with daily flights to Portland.
The airport has been working to resume service since carrier SkyWest left the airport in June 2014. The TSA stopped providing screening services at the airport after SkyWest’s departure.
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Assistant Managing Editor Mark Swanson can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5054, or mswanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
