Cape Air Looking at Ocean City Company

Cape Air in talks with company to take over the Ocean City to Baltimore shuttle. Hopefully they are in talks with ORH about summer shuttles to the Islands.


OCEAN CITY -- Officials from one of the country's largest independent regional airlines confirmed Wednesday they are negotiating a partnership with Simmons Air, the struggling low-rate air shuttle based in the resort's airport.
Executives from Cape Air have met several times in recent weeks with Wayne Simmons, president of Simmons Air, according to Cape Air spokeswoman Michelle Haynes, who said discussions are in preliminary stages. Simmons alluded to a possible partnership with "a major scheduled air carrier" earlier this month after denying rumors the airline operating between Ocean City and Baltimore had temporarily shut down.

"We are in talks with them," Haynes said. "Nothing is final and nothing is concrete by any means, but (Ocean City) is an extraordinary area and it certainly fits the destinations we fly to."
Haynes said Cape Air could be supplying aircraft and pilots to the airline, similar to an agreement between Simmons and Hinson Corporate Flight Services before the parties severed ties in November.

Simmons, who did not return a phone call Wednesday, said in the past he is relying on expensive chartered flights since his split with Hinson until he finds new pilots. The startup company has struggled since its September debut, and Simmons has paid expenses -- including overnight hotel stays and van rides for passengers -- out of his own pockets.

Airport manager George Goodrow said a Simmons flight has not left the municipal airport in several weeks. He said Cape Air officials toured the airport last week and were "pleased" with the facilities but discussed problems with maintenance capabilities that would need to be resolved before an agreement could be reached.