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As of Oct. 2, travelers may have to go somewhere other than the Williamsport Regional Airport to catch a flight to Philadelphia and beyond.

US Airways, the airport's lone commercial carrier, Monday gave notice that it will end air service at the airport in 90 days, according to Mark Murawski, airport authority chairman.

The airline offers five daily round trips between Williamsport and Philadelphia.

Several years ago, the airline canceled round-trip flights between Williamsport and Pittsburgh, which left the airport without a western connection.

Despite the bad news, airport officials said they are optimistic air service will continue at the airport.

"This is bad news, but it may not be as bleak as it appears on the surface," Murawski said.

The federal Essential Air Services Act of 1978, assures smaller cities that scheduled air carrier service will continue at eligible airports, using subsidized service, if necessary, according to airport executive director Thomas Hart.

The Williamsport airport is considered an essential air service airport, although it never has had to seek federal subsidies to retain air service, Hart said.

"This may be the first time," Murawski said.

US Airways announced in mid June that it planned to cut 1,700 jobs and reduce its fleet.

Between 15 and 17 full- and part-time employees work for the airline in Williamsport, Hart said.

Hart said it was unclear how the airline's departure would impact two vehicle rental companies and a travel agency located at the airport.

A call to the US Airway's corporate headquarters late Monday afternoon was not returned.

"This is part of a systemwide cost-cutting that (US Airways) is doing at a lot of small- and medium-sized airports," Murawski said.

Word of the airline's plans was received via a letter from Piedmont Airlines Inc., the company operating under the name US Airways Express through an agreement with US Airways Inc.

The company blamed high fuel prices for the cutbacks.

The fact that US Airways and other airlines are reeling from high fuel prices comes as no surprise, Murawski said.

Airlines planned operating budgets around $60 to $70 per barrel oil prices. Now, oil costs more than $140 per barrel, he said.

Hart agreed.

"In view of the serious issue with fuel prices throughout the industry, the action was not unexpected," Hart said.

The cost of fuel is especially damaging to airlines such as US Airways that recently have emerged from bankruptcy and are operating with slim profit margins, Murawski said.

The airline emerged from bankruptcy in October 2005, at the same time merging with Phoenix-based carrier America West.

The company since has been on solid financial footing, though fuel prices have stricken airlines nationwide and forced several small carriers into bankruptcy or out of business.

Federal law requiring airlines to give 90 days notice before terminating service to a particular airport gives airport officials breathing room to decide what to do, Murawski said.

The authority plans to spend the next three months looking for a way to keep the airline in Williamsport, or seek service from another airline, Murawski said.

A factor that could influence an airline's decision is the influx of natural gas drilling company employees to Lycoming County and the surrounding region served by the airport, he said.

There are indications that gas drilling companies will need air service to the region on a long-term basis, he said.

Although the airline gave the notice required by law, that does not mean the airline will completely terminate service, Hart said.

The airline is making sure it is on sound legal footing should it decide to go through with the service termination, he said. It could, however, remain at the airport with a scaled-back schedule to Philadelphia, he said.

"There are options available that we need to explore over the next 90 days that could mean continuing our relationship with US Airways or a new company," Murawski said. "They could discontinue service, they may decide to scale back to two or three flights instead of five, or approach the U.S. Department of Transportation to get a government subsidy to provide service."

There are no plans to close the airport, Murawski said.

"We're not going to close the airport under any circumstances," he said.

Hart said the worst thing that could happen is for customers to stop using the airport. A reduction in commercial air service customers will only ensure US Airways' departure and make other potential carriers wary of setting up service here, he said.

"The worst thing that could happen is the community falling off the map," he said.

"If we just give up on the airport now and everybody stops using it, that's just a self-fulfilling prophecy," Murawski said.

The airport is in the midst of a multi-million dollar capital improvement program that includes lengthening of the airport's main runway and taxiway. The airport also is a major general aviation center.