A Sight No More: PenAir in the Pacific Northwest

In September 2015, Anchorage-based regional carrier PenAir came to the Pacific Northwest, establishing a hub at Portland International Airport with the intent of serving several under-served routes in the region as well as fulfill an Essential Air Service (EAS) contract with service to to Del Norte County Regional Airport in Crescent City, California. After getting the Portland-Crescent City route underway, PenAir expanded their Pacific Northwest network out of Portland starting in 2016 with flights to additional California destinations including Arcata-Eureka and Redding along with two Oregon destination for intrastate services including North Bend/Coos Bay and Klamath Falls.

However on August 7, 2017, PenAir filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and made the decision to end all flights out of Portland and their recently-established Denver hubs; routes in California and Oregon that weren't part of Essential Air Service were terminated within days. The terms of the Essential Air Service contract required that PenAir continue to operate those routes until a new airline could be awarded the contract, and in the case of the Pacific Northwest, the only route that remained until today was between Portland and Crescent City. PenAir operated their last flights between Portland and Crescent City today, ending a two-year long presence in the Pacific Northwest.

We have seen in recent months and years how the airline industry can have an ugly side. The world of Essential Air Service flying and any short regional flying like what PenAir does can be filled with uncertainty, especially for dedicated employees who get dragged through the mud in such a mess. PenAir brought a little variety into Portland with their Saab turboprops, and they will be sorely missed. If they survive, let's hope they'll find an opportunity to return to the markets they've left.

Here's a montage of all the PenAir aircraft I managed to photographed in Portland during the two years they served:

Saab 340B/Plus (N410XJ)

Saab 340B (N677PA)

Saab 340B (N365PX) "Spirit of Unalakleet"

Saab 340B/Plus (N404XJ) "Spirit of Unalaska"

Saab 340B (N685PA)

Saab 340B/Plus (N331AG)

Best wishes to all the PenAir employees who have been affected by the bankruptcy and the subsequent shutdowns of their domiciles, which have dislocated them. And best of luck to the company with the bankruptcy proceedings and the hope that the airline will continue to serve communities they're committed to for years to come.