Kenmore Air crash shows fragility of 'lifeline' to San Juans

Kenmore Air’s crash highlights how fragile the “lifeline” of seaplane service is for the San Juan Islands, where air links complement Washington State Ferries. Following Thursday’s floatplane accident, residents and travelers shifted from shock to relief that no one died, while the airline expected to resume regular flights Saturday after a one-day pause. Kenmore Air is the dominant carrier for tourists seeking to avoid ferry lines and for islanders who need fast transfers between Orcas, San Juan, Lopez, and the mainland. Industry figures note the airline flew 90,000 passengers last year, with about one-fifth traveling to or from the San Juans. Kenmore Air, founded in 1946 near Lake Washington, became the U.S.’s largest seaplane airline through scheduled service expansion. The company had only one prior fatal crash, in October 1977 over Stevens Pass.