Maine’s two largest airports will retain direct flights to Washington, D.C., following the merger of U.S. Airways and American Airlines, according to a statement by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins Wednesday.
“I am very pleased that the newly formed American Airlines will continue these essential flights between our nation’s capital and Portland and Bangor, two of Maine’s largest cities,” said Collins. She is a ranking member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. “These flights are not only in high demand from consumers, but are also essential to business development and attraction and to Maine’s critical tourism industry.”
In November, Collins, along with Sen. Angus King, sent a letter to the CEOs of U.S. Airways and American Airlines that expressed concerns about how a service reduction could hurt Maine.
Bangor has three daily round-trip U.S. Airways flights between Bangor and Washington, D.C., but that number can dip to one or two in off seasons based on the popularity of the flights, Bangor International Airport Director Tony Caruso told the Bangor Daily News. Portland currently runs four daily round-trip flights.
