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Peninsula Airways, operated as PenAir, was a U.S.-based regional
airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...
headquartered in
Anchorage Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolita ...
,
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
. It was Alaska's second-largest
commuter airline A regional airline is a general classification of airline which typically operates scheduled passenger air service, using regional airliner, regional aircraft, between communities lacking sufficient demand or infrastructure to attract Mainline ...
operating scheduled passenger service, as well as charter and
medevac Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to patients requiring evacuation or transport using medically equipped air ambulances, helicopters an ...
services throughout the state. Its main base was
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a major airport in the U.S. state of Alaska, located southwest of downtown Anchorage. The airport is named for Ted Stevens, who served as a senator of Alaska from 1968 to 2009. It is included in ...
. PenAir had a
code sharing A codeshare agreement, also known simply as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their own airline designator and flight number (the "airli ...
agreement in place with
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...
with its flights operated in the state of
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
.


History

Peninsula Airways was founded by Orin Seybert in 1955. Seybert was 19 years old, living in Pilot Point, Alaska, and owned a 1946 two-seat Taylorcraft. In 1956, a four-seat Piper Tri-Pacer was added. On March 1, 1965, Peninsula Airways became incorporated and purchased the fixed base operation ( FBO) in
King Salmon The Chinook salmon (''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'') is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon. Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other vernacular names for the species include king salmon, quinnat salmon, spr ...
. In 1967, Peninsula Airways became a full-time subcontractor to
Reeve Aleutian Airways Reeve Aleutian Airways was an airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It ceased operations on December 5, 2000. Reeve Aleutian was named, possibly as a pun on the word revolution, by combining founder Rober ...
, meeting Reeve's certificate obligations to Chignik, Perryville and Ivanoff Bay. In 1969, Peninsula Airways acquired all assets of Tibbetts-Herre Airmotive, which had operated from Naknek since 1950. By 1973, regular service was provided between King Salmon and the Pribilof Island communities,
St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...
and
St. George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
. Charter service was also extended into the
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands ( ; ; , "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before Alaska Purchase, 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain ...
,
Dutch Harbor Dutch Harbor is a harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska, Alaska. It was the location of the Battle of Dutch Harbor in June, 1942 when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked it just seven months after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. To this day, ...
, Atka and Adak with
Grumman G-44 Widgeon The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a five-person, twin-engined, amphibious aircraft. It was designated J4F by the United States Navy and Coast Guard and OA-14 by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Army Air Forces. Design and developmen ...
amphibious aircraft An amphibious aircraft, or amphibian, is an aircraft that can Takeoff, take off and Landing, land on both solid ground and water. These aircraft are typically Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing, though Amphibious helicopter, amphibious helicopte ...
. In 1977, two
Grumman Goose The Grumman G-21 Goose is an amphibious flying boat designed by Grumman to serve as an eight-seat "commuter" aircraft for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman's first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and ...
amphibious aircraft An amphibious aircraft, or amphibian, is an aircraft that can Takeoff, take off and Landing, land on both solid ground and water. These aircraft are typically Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing, though Amphibious helicopter, amphibious helicopte ...
were purchased from Reeve Aleutian Airways, and the sub-contract was expanded to cover all locations certificated to Reeve throughout the
Alaskan Peninsula The Alaska Peninsula (also called Aleut Peninsula or Aleutian Peninsula, ; Sugpiaq: ''Aluuwiq'', ''Al'uwiq'') is a peninsula extending about to the southwest from the mainland of Alaska and ending in the Aleutian Islands. The peninsula separ ...
and Aleutian Islands. This required setting up an operating base at
Cold Bay Cold Bay (,; Sugpiaq: ''Pualu'') is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 108, but at the 2020 census this had reduced to 50. Cold Bay is one of the main commercial centers of t ...
, with hangars, offices and employee housing. In 1980, the
Civil Aeronautics Board The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1940 from a split of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and abolished in 1985, that regulated aviation services (including scheduled passe ...
awarded a Part 401
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity A certificate of public convenience and necessity or certificate of public convenience is a type of regulatory compliance certification for public service industries. Private companies wishing to provide essential public services in certain countr ...
to Peninsula Airways, and all aircraft operations were conducted under Part 135 of the Federal Air Regulations. In 1983, Peninsula Airways acquired its first
turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...
: a
Cessna Conquest The Cessna 441 Conquest II is the first turboprop powered aircraft designed by Cessna and was meant to fill the gap between their jets and piston-engined aircraft. It was developed in November 1974, with the first aircraft delivered in Septemb ...
operated out of Cold Bay. Peninsula Airways was the first Alaskan air carrier to qualify for CAB Part 419 subsidy, allowing the airline to operate
Essential Air Service Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintain commercial service. Its aim is ...
(EAS) routes to Atka, St. George and Kodiak Island. In 1985, Peninsula Airways acquired all assets of Air Transport Services, Inc., based in Kodiak. Included in the deal was a hangar and office facility with approximately six aircraft and scheduled year-round service to all points on the Island. A base was established in Anchorage with two Cessna Conquest turboprops offering charter service from Anchorage to the Pribilof Islands. Scheduled service from Anchorage to King Salmon and Dillingham was added a year later. The first
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (previously the Swearingen Metro and later Fairchild Aerospace Metro) is a 19-seat, Cabin pressurization, pressurized, twin-turboprop airliner first produced by Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation, Swearingen ...
propjet was placed into service in 1987 and Metro aircraft remained in the fleet until 2011. In 1988, several bush operators in Dillingham had their certificates revoked by the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
(FAA), prompting Peninsula Airways to set up an operation there. A hangar and aircraft were purchased and service to the surrounding communities began. In 1989, Peninsula Airways was contracted by Exxon to support the ''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill cleanup. At the same time, a contract was awarded to Peninsula Airways by Alaska Regional Hospital to provide 24-hour medevac service. Peninsula Airways' operations were inspected and approved by
Exxon Corporation Exxon Mobil Corporation ( ) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Founded as the largest direct successor of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, the modern company was form ...
,
U.S. Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources. It also administers programs relating t ...
Office of Aviation Services (OAS),
U.S. Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, t ...
, and two ( FAA) NASIP "white glove" inspections. In 1991, Peninsula Airways began doing business as PenAir and became a
code sharing A codeshare agreement, also known simply as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their own airline designator and flight number (the "airli ...
and Mileage Plan partner with
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...
. PenAir transitioned to FAA Part 121 regulations in 1996, operating under both Part 135 and 121. PenAir was the first
regional airline A regional airline is a general classification of airline which typically operates scheduled passenger air service, using regional aircraft, between communities lacking sufficient demand or infrastructure to attract mainline flights. In North ...
in the United States to make the 10-19 seat required conversion, including a dispatch department. In 1997, PenAir acquired two
Saab 340 The Saab 340 is a Swedish twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by Saab AB and Fairchild Aircraft. It is designed to seat 30–36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 differen ...
B aircraft and, in 1998, moved its headquarters into a new hangar/office complex in
Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...
. In 2007 the airline revealed its plan, for a 25-year plan for Unalaska's airport planned by Alaska Department of Transportation, to consider the introduction of Bombardier Q400 by year 2016 to replace the Saab 340B for Unalaska, and it had even looked into using
Saab 2000 The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and able to cruise at a maximum speed of . Production took place in Linköping, Sweden. It ...
but this aircraft type isn't used anywhere else in the United States at that moment meaning that the airline would have had to undertake the costly process of getting the aircraft certified with the FAA; while in 2015 PenAir's president mentioned the leasing of
Saab 2000 The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and able to cruise at a maximum speed of . Production took place in Linköping, Sweden. It ...
for the Unalaska-to-Anchorage route, and adding that larger planes like the Bombardier Q400 wouldn't have been economical on the route. Meanwhile, the airline expanded its operations outside of Alaska in 2012 after bidding on and being awarded
Essential Air Service Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintain commercial service. Its aim is ...
routes in the
Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
. It established a hub at Boston's
Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport — also known as Boston Logan International Airport — is an international airport located mostly in East Boston and partially in Winthrop, Massachusetts, United States. Covering , it has ...
and started operating service to
Presque Isle, Maine Presque Isle ( ) is the commercial center and largest city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,797 at the 2020 Census. The city is home to the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College, ...
and
Plattsburgh, New York Plattsburgh is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. The population of the sur ...
, with additional seasonal service to
Bar Harbor, Maine Bar Harbor () is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. The town is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory, and MDI Biological Laborat ...
. PenAir's presence in the continental United States greatly expanded in 2016 when the airline was awarded multiple Essential Air Service routes in the
Midwestern The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
and
Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. As American settlement i ...
. The airline established its third and fourth hubs at
Denver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to by locals as DIA, is an international airport in the Western United States, primarily serving metropolitan Denver, Colorado, as well as the greater Front Range Urban Corridor. At , Effective Ju ...
and
Portland International Airport Portland International Airport is a joint civil–military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of the state's passenger air travel and more than 95% of its air cargo. It is within Portland's city li ...
. From Denver, PenAir operated service to
Dodge City Dodge City is a city in and the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. It was named after nearby Fort Dodge, which was named in honor of Grenville Dodge. The city ...
and Liberal, Kansas and Kearney, North Platte, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska. From Portland, PenAir operated Essential Air Service to
Crescent City, California Crescent City ( Tolowa: ''Taa-’at-dvn''; Yurok: ''Kohpey''; Wiyot: ''Daluwagh'') is the only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California, of which it is also the county seat. The city is on the North Coast of California and had a tota ...
and also began service to Arcata/Eureka and Redding, California and
Klamath Falls Klamath Falls ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The city was originally called ''Linkville'' when George Nurse founded the town in 1867. It was named after the Link River, on whose falls the city wa ...
and North Bend/Coos Bay, Oregon. On August 7, 2017, PenAir filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...
. PenAir made the decision to end all flights out of its Denver and Portland hubs. Routes in California and Oregon that were not funded by Essential Air Service subsidies 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, a process expected to be completed within 90 days. On August 30, 2017, PenAir announced it would cease all Denver operations effective after September 10, 2017 due to a mass resignation involving 17 crew members. On November 30, 2017, PenAir announced it would end its service to Crescent City, California as of December 15. The city has chosen
Contour Airlines Contour Airlines is an independent regional airline headquartered at Smyrna Airport in Smyrna, Tennessee, United States. Contour Airlines is set up as a public charter operator for regulatory purposes and does not directly operate aircraft. Co ...
to operate the Essential Air Service route, but PenAir stated it would be unable to continue the service until Contour begins operating. On May 30, 2018, PenAir cancelled service via Boston to and from Plattsburgh, Bar Harbor and Presque Isle a month early, citing staffing issues, breaking their Essential Air Services contract with the Department of Transportation. On June 1, 2019, PenAir ceased direct ticket sales under its own brand. From that day, all PenAir flights are marketed and sold using
Ravn Alaska New Pacific Airlines, Inc., d.b.a. Ravn Alaska, is an Alaskan airline that specializes in serving small communities in the US state of Alaska. The airline is headquartered in Anchorage, which is also home to its primary hub, Ted Stevens Ancho ...
(7H) flight numbers.


Fleet

the PenAir fleet consisted of the following aircraft: PenAir was the only air carrier in the U.S. operating the
Saab 2000 The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and able to cruise at a maximum speed of . Production took place in Linköping, Sweden. It ...
regional turboprop in scheduled passenger airline service. PenAir was among the last airlines in the world to operate the Grumman G-21A Goose seaplane on scheduled flights. This piston-powered
amphibious aircraft An amphibious aircraft, or amphibian, is an aircraft that can Takeoff, take off and Landing, land on both solid ground and water. These aircraft are typically Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing, though Amphibious helicopter, amphibious helicopte ...
was used to resupply remote coastal locations where no land-based airstrip existed. On December 21, 2012, the Grumman Goose made its final commercial flight from
Unalaska The City of Unalaska (; ) is the main population center in the Aleutian Islands. The city is in the Aleutians West Census Area, a regional component of the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Unalaska is located on Unalaska Isl ...
to Anchorage. PenAir also previously operated another piston-powered amphibious aircraft type being the
Grumman G-44 Widgeon The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a five-person, twin-engined, amphibious aircraft. It was designated J4F by the United States Navy and Coast Guard and OA-14 by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Army Air Forces. Design and developmen ...
. The airline also previously operated several turboprop-powered aircraft types including the
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargoma ...
, Cessna 441 Conquest, as well as the Metro II, Metro III and Metro 23 variants of the
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (previously the Swearingen Metro and later Fairchild Aerospace Metro) is a 19-seat, Cabin pressurization, pressurized, twin-turboprop airliner first produced by Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation, Swearingen ...
. Previously operated piston-powered landplane aircraft included the
Piper Navajo Chieftain The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of twin-engined low-wing tricycle gear utility aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for small cargo and feeder airlines, and as a corporate aircraft. Production ran from 1967 to 1984. It was licens ...
and
Piper Saratoga The Piper PA-32R is a six-seat (or seven-seat), high-performance, single engine, all-metal, fixed-wing aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft of Vero Beach, Florida. The design began life as the Piper Lance, a retractable-gear version of the Piper C ...
. According to the July 1, 2016
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...
system timetable, PenAir was then operating all of its
code sharing A codeshare agreement, also known simply as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their own airline designator and flight number (the "airli ...
flights in the state of
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
on behalf of Alaska Airlines with
Saab 340B The Saab 340 is a Swedish twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by Saab AB and Fairchild Aircraft. It is designed to seat 30–36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 different ...
and
Saab 2000 The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and able to cruise at a maximum speed of . Production took place in Linköping, Sweden. It ...
turboprop aircraft. The Saab 2000 is a larger, high-speed version of the Saab 340B. All Alaska Airlines code sharing flights in the lower 48 states in the U.S. were operated by PenAir with the Saab 340B. Alaska Airlines Downloadable Timetable
/ref>


Destinations

Using
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a major airport in the U.S. state of Alaska, located southwest of downtown Anchorage. The airport is named for Ted Stevens, who served as a senator of Alaska from 1968 to 2009. It is included in ...
as an operating base, PenAir operated scheduled service to the following destinations in Alaska as of June 2019. #
Anchorage Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolita ...
(ANC) –
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a major airport in the U.S. state of Alaska, located southwest of downtown Anchorage. The airport is named for Ted Stevens, who served as a senator of Alaska from 1968 to 2009. It is included in ...
(to Cold Bay, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor, King Salmon, Kodiak, Fairbanks, and Sand Point) #
Cold Bay Cold Bay (,; Sugpiaq: ''Pualu'') is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 108, but at the 2020 census this had reduced to 50. Cold Bay is one of the main commercial centers of t ...
(CDB) –
Cold Bay Airport Cold Bay Airport is a state owned, public use airport located in Cold Bay, a city in the Aleutians East Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. First built as a United States Army Air Forces airfield during World War II, it is one of the main a ...
(to Anchorage) # Dillingham (DLG) –
Dillingham Airport Dillingham Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles (4  km) west of the central business district of Dillingham, a city in the Dillingham Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. Scheduled passenger ser ...
(to Anchorage) #
Dutch Harbor Dutch Harbor is a harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska, Alaska. It was the location of the Battle of Dutch Harbor in June, 1942 when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked it just seven months after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. To this day, ...
/
Unalaska The City of Unalaska (; ) is the main population center in the Aleutian Islands. The city is in the Aleutians West Census Area, a regional component of the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Unalaska is located on Unalaska Isl ...
(DUT) –
Unalaska Airport Tom Madsen (Dutch Harbor) Airport is a state-owned public-use airport in City of Unalaska, on Amaknak Island in the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located near the Bering Sea coast of Unalaska Island, southw ...
(to Anchorage) ''(marketed and sold by Alaska Airlines)'' #
King Salmon The Chinook salmon (''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'') is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon. Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other vernacular names for the species include king salmon, quinnat salmon, spr ...
(AKN) –
King Salmon Airport King Salmon Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located just southeast of King Salmon, in the Bristol Bay Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. It was formerly the Naknek Air Force Base, named for its location near the Naknek River. ...
(to Anchorage) # Kodiak (ADQ) –
Kodiak Airport Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport is a public and military use airport located four nautical miles (5  mi, 7  km) southwest of the central business district of Kodiak, a city on Kodiak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska. The ai ...
(to Anchorage) # Fairbanks (FAI) –
Fairbanks International Airport Fairbanks International Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located three miles (5 km) southwest of the central business district of Fairbanks, a city in the Fairbanks North Star Borough of the United States state of Alaska. It i ...
(to Anchorage) # Sand Point (SDP) – Sand Point Airport (to Anchorage) All flights in the state of Alaska were operated as
code sharing A codeshare agreement, also known simply as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their own airline designator and flight number (the "airli ...
service with
Ravn Alaska New Pacific Airlines, Inc., d.b.a. Ravn Alaska, is an Alaskan airline that specializes in serving small communities in the US state of Alaska. The airline is headquartered in Anchorage, which is also home to its primary hub, Ted Stevens Ancho ...
, with the exception of service to
Dutch Harbor Dutch Harbor is a harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska, Alaska. It was the location of the Battle of Dutch Harbor in June, 1942 when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked it just seven months after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. To this day, ...
/
Unalaska The City of Unalaska (; ) is the main population center in the Aleutian Islands. The city is in the Aleutians West Census Area, a regional component of the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Unalaska is located on Unalaska Isl ...
which was operated under a capacity purchase agreement, where flights were marketed and sold by
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...
and operated by PenAir.


Community awareness

PenAir, along with Bering Air, Frontier Flying Service,
Grant Aviation Grant Aviation is a regional airline that serves the town of Kenai, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Bristol Bay, and the Aleutian Chain in Alaska, United States. The airline was formed in 1971 as Delta Air Services based in Emmonak. The current owners ...
,
Northern Air Cargo Northern Air Cargo, LLC (NAC) is an American cargo airline based in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. NAC operates a small fleet of Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-400 and Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft within the state of Alaska as well as widebody ...
, and
Ryan Air Services Ryan Air, Inc., is an American airline that serves over 70 villages in The Bush (Alaska), Bush Alaska out of hubs in Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage, Aniak, Alaska, Aniak, Bethel, Alaska, Bethel, Emmonak, Alaska, Emmonak, Kotzebue, Alaska, Ko ...
all participate in the Flying Can service, which allows rural Alaskan communities to recycle aluminum cans and number 1
PET A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive/ cute appearances, inte ...
bottles in cooperation with Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling.


Accidents and incidents

* On December 15, 1968, a
Grumman G-44 Widgeon The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a five-person, twin-engined, amphibious aircraft. It was designated J4F by the United States Navy and Coast Guard and OA-14 by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Army Air Forces. Design and developmen ...
registered N148M struck the shore and crashed while taking off from
Sanak Island Sanak Island () is an island in the Fox Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located at . Sanak Island and Caton Island are the largest islands in the Sanak Islands subgroup of the Fox Islands. Travel to the ...
, Alaska, injuring all four people on board. * On January 23, 1981, a Grumman G-21A Goose registered N95468 crashed into the sea off Dutch Harbour, killing the two occupants. * On February 14, 1985, a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo registered N63719 crashed into the side of a mountain in
Port Heiden Port Heiden (Alutiiq: ) is a city in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 100, slightly down from 102 in 2010. Geography and climate Port Heiden is located at (56.948949, -15 ...
, Alaska. The pilot, the only occupant of the plane, was killed. * On February 17, 1990, a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo registered N27328 crashed into a mountain during snow squall in
Cold Bay, Alaska Cold Bay (,; Sugpiaq: ''Pualu'') is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 108, but at the 2020 census this had reduced to 50. Cold Bay is one of the main commercial centers of the ...
, killing the sole occupant of the plane, the pilot. * On May 3, 1996, a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III registered N670PA crashed during landing at St. George Island Airport, Alaska, injuring all 13 people on board. * On August 11, 1996, a Grumman G-21A Goose registered N660PA crashed into the sea off Dutch Harbour, killing the two occupants. * On January 30, 1998, a Cessna 208 Caravan I registered N9316F crashed near Port Heiden Airport, Alaska, after stalling due to
atmospheric icing Atmospheric icing occurs in the atmosphere when water droplets suspended in air freeze on objects they come in contact with. It is not the same as freezing rain, which is caused directly by precipitation. Atmospheric icing occurs on aircraft, ...
, injuring the pilot. * On October 10, 2001, Peninsula Airways (PenAir) Flight 350, a Cessna 208 Caravan (N9530F) on a scheduled flight from Dillingham, Alaska to
King Salmon, Alaska King Salmon is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bristol Bay Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is southwest of Anchorage. As of the 2020 census the population was 307, down from 374 in 2010. It is home to Katmai National Park and Prese ...
, crashed shortly after takeoff from
Dillingham Airport Dillingham Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles (4  km) west of the central business district of Dillingham, a city in the Dillingham Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. Scheduled passenger ser ...
. The pilot and all nine passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed on impact. There was no fire. * On October 17, 2019, PenAir Flight 3296, a Saab 2000 (N686PA) on a scheduled flight from
Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...
to Unalaska, Alaska, went off the runway after landing at the
Unalaska Airport Tom Madsen (Dutch Harbor) Airport is a state-owned public-use airport in City of Unalaska, on Amaknak Island in the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located near the Bering Sea coast of Unalaska Island, southw ...
, teetering over a bank toward a nearby body of water. The left propeller was destroyed and at least part of one blade entered the passenger cabin. An eyewitness reported high winds at the time of the accident. There were 39 passengers, including a high school swim team from Cordova, Alaska, and 3 flight crew aboard the flight. One passenger was fatally injured, two passengers were critically injured, and 10 more received medical care at a local hospital. There was no fire.


See also

* List of seaplane operators


References


External links


PenAir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penair Defunct regional airlines of the United States Airlines established in 1955 Defunct companies based in Alaska Airlines disestablished in 2019 Airlines based in Alaska Former seaplane operators 1955 establishments in Alaska Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 2019 disestablishments in Alaska