By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – Two of three Dash Air Shuttle airplanes have made the trip across the country and landed at their new home at Fairchild Airport in Port Angeles. The third is due next week.
Company President Clint Ostler says employees are working hard to meet their goal of shuttling passengers to and from SeaTac beginning August 26.
In the meantime, he says they’ll begin interviewing pilots in about two weeks while the operations team work on the paperwork they’ll need to submit to the FAA as part of the certification process before they can open for business.
“Once we hear back from the FAA, we’re hoping that’s just a few weeks, from that point we’re hoping to go on sale and still targeting an August 26th, start date. Obviously it’s contingent upon, you know, the timing it takes for the FAA to get back with the official approval.”
Ostler says they hope to start selling advance tickets in the next two or three weeks. The target pricing range for a one-way fare may start as low as $79 and go as high as $159, depending on flight times and other factors. But Ostler says they’re working on a special deal for Peninsula locals only.
“We’re hoping to even be able to provide a exclusive local-only travel account where they buy tickets in bulk. So more details on that will come as we get closer to going out for sale.”
Also in the works is getting the terminal ready for customers. That’s where Fairchild’s Development Manager Dan Gase comes in.
We talked to Gase to get a better idea of what we can expect when we arrive at the airport for a Dash Air flight.
“We want all the passengers to have an extraordinarily positive experience for their flight. From the moment they pull up into the freshly striped parking lot for their free parking experience, all the way through the process of check in and taking the flight over the SeaTac.”
Crews are painting, building a new ticket and check-in counter, and otherwise putting a shine on the terminal. There will be free wi-fi while you wait, and they’re working on getting the restaurant re-opened.
As for TSA security, Gase says that will all happen in SeaTac, for now.
“We hope that that will change down the road a ways. It’s going to take baby steps to get to that point, but we’re going to work towards that direction.”
Things are moving fast. To keep up with the latest go to flydashair.com or check them out on Facebook.
(Dash Air photo)