Boutique Air to take over commercial flight services at Johnstown airport

JOHNSTOWN, Pa - A new airline will be taking over commercial flights at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport starting in October.

The U.S. Department of Transportation approved Boutique Airlines to provide commercial flights.

The decision means Johnstown airport will no longer be served by Southern Airways, which has provided service since 2016.

"The decision to replace Southern Airway's successful and rapidly growing service at Johnstown with one that will offer fewer flights per week, fewer seats per flight, less baggage capacity and a higher cost to both local flyers and taxpayers seems dubious, at best, " said Southern Airways CCO Mark Cestari.

"However, we thank our many loyal Johnstown customer and community partners and look forward to welcoming them on board our Southern Airways flights at nearby Altoona and Dubois Airports."

Under the new agreement, Boutique will provide 18 round-trip flights a week to Pittsburgh and 12 to Baltimore, with Boutique receiving $3,163,097 annually for providing the flights from the US DOT.

According to the order, the decision was after airport manager Thomas Keyes cited concerns about Southern's many flight cancellations in 2017.

He said although service improved in 2018, the damage has been done and the only way to rebuild the market was with a new airline.

Keyes said that Boutique was noted for having a positive reputation turning around struggling markets.

The new contract with Boutique start Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2020.

Earlier this year, Johnstown airport was one of three in the area in danger of losing their commercial service.

However, all the airports received extensions to continue their services by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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