Airline Service to Salem?

Well, sort of. SeaPort Airlines is not exactly Delta but it wants to fly to/from Salem and Portland and Newport. The airline already flies Portland/Newport and isn't attracting stellar loads, so Salem is viewed as an intermediate "filler" in both directions.  Is it a good fit? We'll see.

SeaPort has been earning its lunch money by flying subsidized routes here in the Northwest and several places back East. When they money runs out, they do too, Astoria being the latest example.

Salem is not going to be a subsidized service other than landing fees waived for 6 months ((~$2000) and some PR paid for by the city. It will offer connecting service to other SeaPort flights to Boeing Field in Seattle and also Pendleton, which provides a new alternative for Salem area business and personal travelers. The upside is that hopefully demand to Seattle will quickly justify nonstops to Seattle. The downside is that Seaport does not offer interline baggage to other airlines, Seattle flights use Boeing Field and not SEA-TAC, and Portland flights use the private FBO terminal instead of the commercial terminal, so Salem won't be connected into the national or international airline grid as it was with Delta. Beggars can't be choosers however, and right now Salem has its tin cup out. If the service is successful, then perhaps a bigger carrier will show some interest and we can once again avoid the trek up I-5 to PDX.