The plan to bring commercial air service to Everett's Paine Field appears to be back on track.
A draft of the supplemental environmental assessment report shows the Federal Aviation Administration did not find any significant issues with the proposal to have up to 24 daily flights out of the airport.
Service was expected to begin in the fall once the new two-gate passenger terminal was finished. However, after it was announced the terminal was doubling the number of daily flights, the FAA launched a new study to determine the impacts. The previous study that approved passenger service was done in 2012 when fewer airlines were involved and 12 daily flights were proposed.
The public now has until Nov. 2 to review and comment on the FAA's findings. After that, the FAA will either approve the report or require further study.
When the supplemental environmental study was announced, a spokesperson for Paine Field said passenger service will begin by late 2018. That timeline appears to have been pushed back. The FAA's assessment stats the service is "proposed to commence in early 2019."
The new study didn't delay construction on the new terminal, however. Earlier this month, Propeller Airports CEO Brett Smith said the terminal will be complete in the coming weeks.
Alaska Airlines, United, and Southwest have all announced daily flights out of Everett. Destinations include Las Vegas, San Francisco, Portland, and several cities in southern California.
Propeller expects around 600,000 to 700,000 passengers processed each year.
