ADI responds to objections

By Kalea Hall

khall@vindy.com

VIENNA

Aerodynamics Inc. once again fought off objections made against the airline providing service between Youngstown and Chicago.

ADI, which recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation, called for the department to dismiss the objections because they do not undermine “the department’s findings that ADI is fit and should be issued a certificate” to provide the service.

ADI continually claims in its Feb. 9 filing against the objections that it is a separate company from SeaPort Airlines. The two airlines have the same owner, but operate different aircraft and provide different service – SeaPort offers scheduled service and ADI offers charter service.

The first objection from JA Flight Services contends SeaPort failed to make payments on aircraft leases covering certain aircraft.

“It wrongly claims that ADI will operate inconsistent with the public interest,” ADI’s filing reads.

ADI’s filing notes that the basis of JA Flight Services’ objection “is really about, namely, a private commercial contract dispute” between JA Flight Services and SeaPort.

SeaPort recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which ADI says is the appropriate forum for objectors such as JA Flight Services.

The other objection, from Sun Air Express claims SeaPort abandoned a route without notices and expressed concern for the communities that received the service.

“Sun Air seeks to delay or derail ADI’s receipt of effective certificate authority to protect it from competition from ADI,” ADI’s filing reads.

ADI plans to offer its daily service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport from the Mahoning Valley’s Vienna airport starting in late April or early May.