Williamsport Regional Airport “blindsided” by Southern Airways suspension
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For more than six months, Southern Airways Express says it flew passengers despite unpaid invoices but those at the Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority dispute this and claim to be surprised after hearing in the media the carrier had suspended flights.
Those unpaid invoices began in February and have grown since, but the air carrier kept to its schedule and delivered reliable air service for customers at the Williamsport Regional Airport, who were traveling to and from Dulles International near Washington, D.C., according to a Southern Airways Express corporate statement.
Southern Airways Express stopped operations at Williamsport as of Aug. 1, and on Monday the Williamsport Regional Airport officials in the authority responded asserting in a statement they have begun to explore bringing in another carrier.
Southern Airways Express, however, said it actually extended payment terms to give the authority additional flexibility, reduced the schedule to better match actual demand, and updated cost structures, all while the outstanding balance continued to grow.
The company, furthermore, said it stayed in close communication, provided formal notice, held multiple meetings, and received repeated assurances that payment was forthcoming from the authority governing operations at the airport in Montoursville.
In its response, the airport authority issued a statement. It said the public announcement via social media and print outlets from Southern Airways Express came as a complete surprise to the airport authority. The authority was in constant, hour-by-hour communication with Southern's leadership, advising them not to suspend service and offering to work through arbitrary invoice payment issues and specific billing inaccuracies that cropped up over the past few months, according to the authority.
"These issues arose after the initial 24-month contract ended and the authority issued a month-to-month
service continuum specifically to avoid regional travel disruptions.
"To say that the authority has worked diligently in good faith is an understatement; the authority
previously maintained consistent payments to Southern even when government shutdowns temporarily
suspended incoming payments to the authority itself," the authority stated.
"Furthermore, at the exact same time Southern
enacted the immediate suspension, they issued a 30-day termination notice for Aug. 30, which
the authority has yet to contractually review.
“The airport and authority have extended every courtesy possible to Southern to keep costs contained
and keep them flying, but to abruptly quit without a 30-day notice is just ludicrous,” stated Eric McKitish, IPT executive director.
“A real partnership is a two-way street. We were totally blindsided, especially given that I was personally communicating with them hour by hour. "Had they given us the proper
timeframe, I could have brought this to the authority board to find a resolution. Instead, by terminating service immediately, they have caused irreparable harm to our flying public. It is not right. We take
servicing the public very seriously in every aspect – from managing delays, cancellations, and
reschedules to tracking misrouted or lost bags. This is paramount in our industry.”
The immediate suspension is particularly sharp given the community’s strong backing.
The regional
market embraced this carrier wholeheartedly, with high average utilization numbers both inbound and
outbound, according to the authority statement. Over the course of the 26-month relationship, the authority said it has paid Southern millions of
dollars to support its operations in Williamsport.
While Southern has flown Essential Air Service (EAS) routes in Pennsylvania like Altoona, Bradford, DuBois, Johnstown, and Lancaster, and operated under a Small Community Air Service Development
Program (SCASDP) Grant at IPT, the air carrier has recently been losing these awards and exiting these
other regional airports across the Commonwealth.
The authority maintains that the decision to abruptly walk away from its contractual obligations was absurd, avoidable, and premature.
"Our immediate priority remains the well-being of the passengers, families, and businesses in and around Lycoming County who rely on our airport," the statement said.
"We expect Southern Airways Express to fully honor its public
commitment to issue prompt, comprehensive refunds and to seamlessly arrange alternate
transportation for all affected travelers."
"The authority remains fiercely committed to providing reliable
commercial air connectivity for our community and region. "We are already actively engaging with
alternative airline partners to restore vital hub access as quickly as possible."
The authority noted how it appreciates the
continued patience and support of its regional travelers during this transition.
Nevertheless, the air service said there were extended periods during which the authority was largely unresponsive to emails, phone calls, and written outreach despite repeated efforts to engage and resolve the matter, according to the carrier’s statement.
Southern Airways Express outreach has included numerous emails, telephone calls, formal written correspondence, and multiple in-person meetings in an effort to resolve the outstanding balances, according to the statement.
Not only was suspending service a last-resort decision made only after months of non-payment, extended accommodations, and repeated attempts to reach a resolution, Southern stated.
As of this week, Southern's team is working directly with any travelers who may be stranded to help arrange alternate transportation.
For more than six months, Southern said it did everything in its power to keep reliable air service available for the people of Williamsport.
It continued operating every scheduled flight even after invoices went unpaid beginning in February, the statement said.
Southern extended payment terms to give the (Williamsport Municipal) Airport Authority additional flexibility, reduced the schedule to better match actual demand, and updated cost structures, all while the outstanding balance continued to grow.
Throughout this period Southern stayed in close communication, provided formal notice, held multiple meetings, and received repeated assurances that payment was forthcoming. There were extended periods during which the airport authority was largely unresponsive to emails, phone calls, and written outreach despite Southern’s repeated efforts to engage and resolve the matter, Southern asserts.
As recently as July 30, the airport authority advised Southern that payment would be made on July 31. On July 31, Southern was informed that the promised payment could not be made.
As a result, Southern had to suspend scheduled service effective Aug. 1 ... as it continues working to resolve these issues with the authority.
Southern’s immediate focus remains the passengers affected by this disruption, the statement said.
Every customer whose flight is cancelled will receive a full refund, the company said.
Southern's team is already working directly with any travelers who may be stranded to help arrange alternate transportation, the statement said.
The people of Williamsport deserve reliable air service ... and the air carrier said it has done everything possible to deliver it and remain ready to resume service as soon as these issues are resolved, the company said.