Essential Air Service - Support Alaska Airlines

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>We would like to thank the Chamber of Commerce and all residents that submitted letters of support for the reauthorization of the Essential Air Service contract to Alaska Airlines.&nbsp; We submitted over 600 letters in support.</p>

<p>The Essential Air Service (EAS) a program of the U. S. Department of Transportation,&nbsp;&nbsp;was put into place to guarantee that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before deregulation maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service. The Department&rsquo;s mandate is to provide the EAS communities with access to the national air transportation system usually by subsidizing air service. The Department currently subsidizes airlines to serve approximately 163 rural communities across the country that otherwise would not receive any scheduled air service.</p>

<p>Alaska Airlines is requesting&nbsp;&nbsp;a letter of support from communities, organizations,&nbsp;and individuals to support their application to continue to provide air service to our community. Their EAS application will cover Cordova, Yakutat, Gustavus, Petersburg, and Wrangell.</p>

<p>For those individuals and organizations not in these communities, a letter of support from your area is still very helpful, especially if you can tailor your letter to talk about the relationship these communities play in supporting the greater Southeast community.</p>

<p>Please address letters of support to:</p>

<p>Mr. Dennis DeVany, Chief, EAS and Domestic Analysis<br />
Office of Aviation Analysis<br />
U.S. Department of Transportation<br />
1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.<br />
Washington D.C. 20590</p>

<p>Docket OST-1998-4899</p>

<p>Letters should be sent <u>no later </u>then Monday, January 28. PLEASE fax or email a copy of letters mailed to Alaska Airlines also, so that they can include them as part of their application. Letters can be:</p>

<p>emailed to&nbsp; <a href="mailto:tim.thompson@alaskaair.com?subject=Essential%20Air%20Service%20-%...@alaskaair.com</a>&nbsp; or faxed to 907-266-7729.&nbsp; You can also drop them off at City Hall and we will make sure they get to Alaska Airlines.</p>

<p>Talking Points in your letter could include:</p>

<ul>
<li>The importance of Alaska Airlines flights to Cordova and Yakutat provide single-plane service to both Anchorage and Juneau; similarly, Alaska&rsquo;s Wrangell and Petersburg flights provide single-plane service to Juneau, Ketchikan and Seattle.</li>
<li>Through plane service from Southeast communities to hubs in Anchorage, Juneau and Seattle provide easy access to Alaska Airlines extensive route network linking Southeast to the West and East coasts.</li>
<li>The importance of having significant cargo carrying capability to benefit these Southeast communities&rsquo; efforts to increase shipments of seafood products from their locations.</li>
<li>The importance of Alaska Airlines investment in required navigation performance (RNP) flight technology allows continued access to airports in Southeast Alaska during periods of inclement weather. Alaska is the only carrier certified for such instrument flight approaches in the state of Alaska.</li>
<li>The importance and convenience of Alaska Airlines serving multiple destinations through Southeast Alaska and how this benefits customers when flights are unable to land in a particular EAS community due to weather. The availability of other nearby airports served by Alaska Airlines enables re-accommodation of affected passengers.</li>
<li>The importance of Alaska Airlines service, particularly for maintaining a high level of tourism access to these communities.</li>
<li>The reliability and long history of Alaska Airlines&rsquo; service to Southeast Alaska.</li>
</ul>

<p>A draft sample letter is attached below.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>