Pan Am expands; airplanes, employees to move from N.H.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – Pan American Airways is expanding again, and preparing to ship some planes and employees from New Hampshire to other airports.

Company president and co-owner David Fink said Pan Am will move 150 to 200 of its employees, and three planes from Pease International Tradeport to airports around the country over the next two months.

The move comes as Pan Am announced it will begin flights between Worcester, Mass., and Sanford, Fla., in February, and add smaller regional jets to carry passengers between Worcester and Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Pan Am employs about 500 people at Pease.

Fink said it would move at least three aircraft to Sanford and Gary, Ind. He said he plans to move four six-person flight crews per plane, along with maintenance personnel.

In addition to the new flights aboard the 727s from Worcester, Pan Am’s affiliate, Boston & Maine Airways, eventually will offer service between Worcester and the Cape and islands.

Boston & Maine, which is awaiting Federal Aviation Administration certification for scheduled passenger service, owns 10 Jetstream turboprop aircraft.

Pan Am will start one round-trip flight daily between Sanford and Worcester on Feb. 6.

John Nadolny, Pan Am vice president and general counsel, said passenger information shows many Worcester-area residents fly to Florida from Logan Airport in Boston.

He said beginning service at Worcester fits Pan Am’s strategy of providing service to less crowded airports near metro areas.