Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 J U N E 1 1 , 2 0 1 8 For more information contact Donna Brassard at 761.8379 x327 or dbrassard@mainebiz.biz Are you a Maine company? Are you a company looking to relocate or expand in Maine? Learn about the resources and stats of doing business in Maine SP ONSORED BY RE S E RVE YOUR S PACE BY JU N E 22 / IS S UE PUBLIS HE D JU LY 30 A list of municipal, state and federal financing and incentive programs for businesses. Data on Maine's workforce. An overview of Maine's infrastructure on how businesses can get their products to market. Stories of innovation and R&D. Info about the factors that make the quality of life here in Maine so desirable. Lists of business resources. Interviews with Maine CEOs about why they choose to do business in Maine. Listings of facilities to help guide companies who host business meetings and events. FAC T BOOK 2018 F E AT U R E S Maine's cities, towns and regions have an opportunity to showcase the economic development opportunities they offer via a special section of economic development profiles. Market your business to a targeted audience that is vested in economic growth of Maine. HOW TO PA R TIC IPATE Pilot shortage forces early departure of PenAir at two airports B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f PenAir suspended its fl ights to and from Bar Harbor and Presque Isle a month earlier than planned, citing a pilot shortage. The suspension, which was announced May 31 on the airline's website, left passengers without another option. "We know that a number of businesses and individuals depend on the air service here for transportation and not having fl ights for one month will certainly affect us in terms of revenue. But thankfully we do not have to wait longer than July 1," Scott Wardwell, director of the Northern Maine Regional Airport, told the Fiddlehead Focus. Pen Air's contract was set to leave Presque Isle on June 30 and it withdrew service from Bar Harbor. On July 1, United Airlines will take over service to Presque Isle, connecting with Newark, N.J., while Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Silver Airways will connect Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport with Boston's Logan International Airport. PenAir also suspended its fl ights to and from Plattsburgh, N.Y., saying East Coast operations were ceased "due to loss of mechanics and pilots, who have accepted positions at other airlines after the U.S. DOT awarded all of the essen- tial air service routes to other carriers." PenAir, one of the largest regional airlines in Alaska and the Northeast, started operating between the markets of Boston and Presque Isle, Bar Harbor and Plattsburgh in June of 2012 under the Essential Air Service Program with the U.S. DOT. But in the most recent bidding process for the continuation of service at those communities, the U.S. DOT announced on March 20 it was awarding United Airlines a federally subsidized contract to serve Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle with fl ights to Newark, N.J. In making that award, the U.S. DOT stated that United's bid to serve the Presque Isle airport at a $4.7 million annual subsidy was the lowest of six bids and estimated the airline would serve more than 31,000 annual round-trip passengers. By comparison, PenAir sought a $6 million annual subsidy and estimated it would have served 28,710 round-trip passengers. Shortly after, PenAir said it could not afford to service Bar Harbor without the addi- tional Presque Isle route. B R I E F Penobscot Community Health Care announced its state-of-the-art infusion center, which will provide a comprehen- sive spectrum of non-oncology infusion therapy at Penobscot Community Health Center in Bangor, is scheduled to open by July 23. Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor will offer Certifi ed Nursing Assis- tant courses this summer. The 180-hour program will consist of 90 classroom hours and 90 clinical hours at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Presque Isle Bar Harbor Boston Plattsburgh PenAir has suspended its fl ights to and from Presque Isle and Bar Harbor and Plattsburgh, N.Y.

• Cover