Alutiiq Air ends Kenai service; airport eyes Fox Air contract

Alutiiq Air has stopped flying into Kenai. Airport Manager Mary Bondurant told the Airport Commission on Thursday that the airline sent an email ending service.

Grant Aviation is now the only scheduled carrier at the airport. The Kenai City Council has directed staff to pursue a contract with Fox Air to restore service levels, Council Member Sonnart said.

A citizen complaint against Fox Air has delayed the contract. The council told staff to investigate the allegations first. Sonnart declined to detail the complaint.

"There has been a citizen complaint lodged against Fox Air, and so we have tasked the administration with moving forward toward a contract with the caveat that some questions are asked and these allegations are asked about and laid to rest one way or the other," Sonnart said.

The airport closed its main runway Thursday night at 11 p.m. for three weeks of milling and resurfacing. Operations shifted to a temporary runway.

The Federal Aviation Administration must approve two documents before the tower can issue full landing and departure clearances on the temporary runway. The first authorizes takeoffs and landings under visual flight rules during daylight. The second enables instrument approaches in poor weather.

Until both documents are signed, pilots can use the runway at their own risk without tower clearance.

The commission approved special use permits for Rock River Outdoors and Crowley Fuels. The Crowley permit covers apron space where planes park while fueling north of the terminal.

The terminal cafe closes May 23. Bondurant said she submitted a request for proposals to City Hall. She hopes a new operator will open by July 1.