FAA releases commercial flights study
Horizon no longer interested in flying out of Paine Field EVERETT - The Federal Aviation Administration released a revised environmental assessment regarding the potential of adding commercial flights at Paine Field on Friday, Sept. 14.
The report is available online at www.painefield.com/airserviceea.html and can be read at many local libraries including the Mukilteo Library and both Everett branches.
The FAA is accepting written comments on the new material in the report through Sunday, Oct. 14.
The FAA adjusted a draft environmental assessment it produced in 2009 with new estimates on anticipated noise impacts, air quality assumptions and vehicle traffic impacts commercial flights at Paine Field would create based on public response that these items were too short-sighted, the FAA writes.
The 2009 assessment generated more than 900 comments.
Horizon Air and Allegiant Air wanted to operate regional jet flights from Everett’s Paine Field. Horizon, though, is no longer interested, according to a media report. In the report, the FAA declares its preferred alternative is to allow commercial flights because Paine Field can handle the additional flights.
The FAA is beholden to commercial airlines, and it must consider Paine Field in part because of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. Because of the act, if an airline wants to start commercial service at a public airport, and the airport is safe enough to fly from, the airline gets what it wants, the FAA basically states.
A final determination from the FAA allowing commercial flights at Paine Field is yet to be decided.
