Jet speed, times two: Second jet flight coming
Jet speed, times two: Second jet flight coming
| CAPTION: Jane Nordberg/Daily Mining Gazette A twin-engine plane sits on the runway at Houghton County Memorial Airport Thursday, awaiting inspection after the pilot of the charter craft made a distress call. |
By JANE NORDBERG, DMG Writer
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP — Passengers flying in and out of Houghton County Memorial Airport can rejoice that one airport’s loss is another’s gain.
As of Tuesday, the 5:30 p.m. flight out of the airport will be served by a Pinnacle 44-seat jet, said Airport Manager Dennis Hext.
Hext had received confirmation late Thursday afternoon that construction at the International Falls, Minn. airport had caused the shortening of that airport’s runway, necessitating the need for a smaller plane for their passengers.
“Essentially, a jet needs more space than a Saab to stop,” Hext explained.
Thus, a logical solution was a plane swap between their jet and our Saab, he said.
During selected dates in August and all of September, the regular 5:44 p.m. flight out of Houghton County Memorial Airport will be served by the jet.
The move will serve a dual purpose, Hext said.
“Obviously, a 44-seat plane moves more people than a 34-seat plane, so we’ve got more people being able to get where they need to go,” he said.
Additionally, a slight change in flight times will also help passengers, he said.
The incoming jet will arrive at 4:35 p.m., departing Houghton County Memorial Airport at 5:20 p.m. and arriving in Minneapolis-St. Paul at 5:25 p.m.
“That 20-minute jump from the 5:44 (p.m.) time to the 5:20 (p.m.) departure time will mean a lot more availability of connecting flights from Minneapolis to the East and West Coast,” he said.
Jet service will be available for the afternoon flight on Aug. 1, 3-4, 7-9, 11, 16, 18, 21-22, 25-26, and 29-31.
The jet may also serve the local airport on additional days if weather in International Falls is inclement.
While Hext said the Saab 340 is “a great plane for our small market,” he has also heard a lot of positive feedback since the airport switched on Jan. 4 to jet service for its incoming 11:30 p.m. flight.
“I hear time and time again about people who could get on an earlier Saab from Minneapolis but they want to wait for that jet,” he said. “I can’t blame them — it’s quieter and faster. People really like that jet.”
The timing is good, he added, because historically speaking, August has been a month of very high passenger travel.
Though the addition is temporary, Hext said he wasn’t ruling it out as a permanent fixture if the community showed its support.
“It’s a big chance for the community to show we can fill this plane up,” he said. “If we can show we can fill two jets up every day, Northwest (Airlines) could take notice and consider keeping them here.”
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com
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