Newly-sworn in Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy experienced an extremely challenging week following his swearing-in as Secretary, last week, the day Duffy took his Oath. The terrible tragedies of the Army Blackhawk/ American Airlines mid-air collision killing 67 souls over Reagan National airport in DC and the air ambulance crash in Philadelphia, killing seven, occurred. The shock and grief following the new Secretary starting his new job was overwhelming.
Not lost between these tragedies was the awarding of a $19.4 million, four year Alternate Essential Air Service Grant to the Del Norte County Regional Airport (CEC).
A long time supporter of Essential Air Service, then-Congressman Sean Duffy serving the constituents of the 7th Congressional Wisconsin District, shuttled between the EAS airport in Rhinelander to and from the District of Columbia.
The funding increase for CEC is fully 10 percent higher than the benefit to Advanced Air, last budget cycle guaranteeing continued service. Including the addition of one more flight to the existing two flights per week from CEC to Oakland and Hawthorne, respectively.
Airport Director Ryan Cooley called the award a “major victory for the airport, providing reliable service and increased capacity.”
Cooley, continued, “The contract provides a huge economic impact to the County. 2024 was our largest EAS contact since the pre-Covid era of 2019. A total of eight thousand enplanements at approximately 60 percent occupied seats were filled, last year.
Next week, Advanced Air will arrive in Crescent City acknowledge and celebrate the one year anniversary of the Inauguration of service out of CEC.