It finally happened: Wednesday marked the inaugural day of operations for inbound and outbound PenAir flights from the Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport to PDX, and the long awaited event was met with jubilance by passengers of Flight 170, the first flight on PenAir’s 340 Saab turboprop aircraft. Passengers were the first to travel the new route.

“To have it right here is outstanding,” said Jim Rockholt, who traveled on the first flight Wednesday with his mother, Darlene Shults.

City Councilwoman Trish Seiler agreed.

“It’s a catalyst for change, for helping us turn the corner,” Seiler said. “It’s important that the community support the airport as an economic driver, which means, buy tickets.”

And people are buying tickets.

2,000-plus bookings

There have been more than 2,000 flight bookings covering the first 150 days of air service in the Klamath Basin, according to Missy Roberts, director of marketing for PenAir, during a special ceremony before the 6:40 a.m. flight.

“The community – they have come out in full force,” Roberts said.

“That’s the largest we have ever had for any single new route that we’ve had.”

Roughly 30 of those ticketholders, including Airport Manager John Barsalou, Mayor Todd Kellstrom, City Manager Nathan Cherpeski, Commander Jeff Smith of the 173rd Fighter Wing, and more arrived bright and early at the airport to fill seats on the first flight out Wednesday.

New-to-Klamath

Also among the group of passengers was U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), eager to check out the new-to-Klamath Falls airline.

 “This is the dawn of a new era for possibilities for the Basin,” Wyden said early on Wednesday morning, following a small gathering of passengers, airport and Transportation Security Administration officials.

“Having these kinds of flights is going to be a huge economic multiplier for the community.”

The morning flight arrived in Portland with a warm welcome by Port of Portland officials, who hosted a reception for passengers and shared in the celebration of a new service to Klamath Falls.

“We’ve had a lot of new flight announcements, both domestically and internationally,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director of the Port of Portland. “But I have to say none of them have been as satisfying as this one, because it connects two very important points in Oregon.”

Joining the celebration

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined the celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Portland International Airport before flying with the group on the return flight to Klamath Falls that arrived just before 3 p.m. for an additional ceremony in Klamath Falls.

Sen. Merkley praised local leaders for their efforts to pursue a solution to air service and a legitimate security screening option.

“It’s hard to imagine how you can sustain an economy if the folks that you’re trying to recruit have to fly in to another city and take a fairly long, windy road to get to you,” Merkley said, speaking of routes between Klamath Falls and the Rogue Valley.

“They won’t come if there’s not an easy way to get there.”

TSA Fairness Act

Merkley shared an update on legislation sponsored by both sides of the political aisle, and from legislators in other states.

“Congressman (Greg) Walden played an instrumental role,” Merkley said. “He and I lobbied other members of the House and eventually the House passed a bill and the Senate passed the bill that’s part of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization.”

The legislation is known as the TSA Fairness Act.

The bill has not been signed into law, but TSA has since refederalized security screening in Klamath Falls, which spurred the start of air service this month.

“A big thank you to TSA for jumping in even before the ink was fully on the legislation,” Merkley said.

“A big thank you to everyone.”

Welcome home

Local leaders returned to Klamath Fall Wednesday afternoon to a terminal building swelling with pride and hope for a future with commercial air service.

“It’s been two years of working with a lot of people involved,” Seiler said. “All of our efforts have finally come together.”

For more information about PenAir, visit penair.com.

To read this article and others on the H&N website, please refer to the link below:

‘Dawn of a New Era’ for City (Herald and News)