By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – It’s official. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles is going to have passenger service to SeaTac Airport beginning later this year.
Dash Air Shuttle, a new Pacific Northwest-based airline, announced their plan Tuesday after sealing a deal with the Port of Port Angeles Commission that will guarantee federal grant funding and support from the Port itself.
Port Angeles will be Dash Air’s first of what they say will be many affordable, short haul markets across the Pacific Northwest.
We asked company President Clint Ostler: Why Port Angeles?
“We’re looking at markets that are under a hundred miles or so around the Puget Sound area. We’re looking at markets that are relatively difficult to reach. And we wanted to make sure what we were building, or pursuing, it was something that was complimentary to existing commercial air services. Right? Port Angeles is kind of one of those first communities that pops up as fitting that bill. It’s been a long time since you’ve had air service, and it’s definitely a challenge to get in and out of there. I would say, I’ve done the drive now several times, and it’s a very deceptive two-and-a-half hours.”
Ostler says that 2-and-a-half hours will take just 30 minutes, with 4 trips per day to start and a target fare of between $79 and $159, depending on availability, when you book your flight, and other factors.
He says they’re planning to start out with a fleet of 9-passenger Cessna 402C’s, a twin-engine plane with one pilot, and expect to be ready for flights starting sometime this summer or early fall. Within 5 years, Dash intends to transition fully to an electric propulsion fleet with zero emissions and lower fares.
Ostler points out that just as important as getting locals to SeaTac in 30 minutes is the impact the service will have on bringing visitors to the peninsula.
“Your backyard is probably one of the most beautiful national parks in the country and it attracts millions of people every year. And so we very much see that as being a big driver of traffic and, in my experience over the years, airline service is a major economic driver for a community. So if you have a really well-established airline service, it really helps create an economic engine that brings in business and provides higher paying jobs and opens up the door on the tourism side. And so yeah, we see this as being a really awesome win for the community and region as a whole.”
(Photo: Cessna 402C)