ALBANY**COUNTY·~** PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S OFFICE 525 Grand Ave., Suite 100" WY

.. Fax 307-721"2554

July.2, 2012

Michael··Martin Transportation Industry Analy8t Office ofAviation Analysis US DepartmentofTransportation 400 Seventh Street, S.W. Washington, D.C

.. 20590


### RB: USDOTEssential Air Service Bids ibr Laramie, Wyoming

Dear Mr. Martin., 

### J>

I was very plea$ed and exCited tq recently learn that Albany County has attother option to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) to our area as an alternative to 

### th;eat Lakes Airlines.·. I am in my third term. as Albany CountyAttorney, and have considerable experience flying out ofthe Laramie Airp()rt, both 

### in my**oftici~l** capacity and for personal**~vet** I have reviewed the EAS proposals ofboth SkyWest and Great LakesAirlines and t am quite familiar with the woefully inadequate pa$! service proyided by Great Lakes Airlines, I strongly ilrge you to award the new EAS contractto SkyWest Airlines.
As a result ofthe conthluing decline in the qu8lity ofservice provided by Great tllkes Airlines over the years, I have been**for~** to drive thousands ofmiles, often in inclement weather and with poorroad conditions, to Denver lnternatipnal Ail'J)ort toutili:ze air transportation. I have had to drive other family members to DIA as well forthe same**r~on.** · This is nota Choice Qf**co~venienc~ ~s**  the drive is**~.and·~ ho~**  on a good.day wtth no traffic, then one has 

### to pay for additionally for**parking~** negotiate shuttle buses, etc.,just to reach the gate. On the other hand, it has simplybecome a losing propdsitton to book a flight out QfLaramie with**Gre~t** Lakes Airlines ifone has to connect to any,. other flights in Denver. · · My most recentexperiences 

### were, 

### mote ojten titan not,·that my connections were missed· due to the inability ofGreat Lakes to deliver as promised. I ¢ann9t even estimate the thousands ofdollars I have lostbecause I had purchased .a {veryexpensive) ticket t9 fly out ofLaramie to Denver for aoonnection, only to arrive atthe**Lar~ie** Airport and be told the Great Lakes flight Wa$ delayed or**can~;:elled** and nwonly chance to make my trip
was to leave immediately and drlveto DIA; Not once have lever been offered a refund
on myticket or even a voucherfor a**differeti~** flight. Because ofthis dismal situation l resolved over: 

## a year ago to never fly on Great Lakes. Airlines f.\gain.

As a taxpayer, lhave been disgusted at the number ofovertimebours paid 

### to tbeTSA personnel that spend long idle hours waiting for Great Lal<es ·Airlines to 

## get their act together produce planes for regularly scheduled flights that never occur or happen hours l*

. Smder'se-.ml!illi!dress roooling@oo.albany. wy.us**~---'--:..__**_______ .......... ______ 1 ••Michael Martin US Department ofTransportation July2,2012. Page2of2
As an elected official, I have often struggled With the fact that economic development of
our local region Will always be stymied by the current situation as any company · exploring relocation to the Laramie area will quickly change its mind ifhas a need for employees to travel by air. I personally know 

### atleast 6 weekly**~r** travelers who used to fly out ofLaramie but now drive to Denvettoinitiate their domestic or international air travel. Great Lakes Airlines**hav~** an obsolete fleet ofair¢taft, tnany ofwhich are missing interior parts that ate no longer available and 

### appear onthe brink offailure. "the fleet.of available planes is not adequate 

### to support the number 

### of routes they have**acquired~** 

### · contributingto the degradation in service and constant diversion ofscheduleQ, craft to other routes. The local agents at the**~amie** Airport ftequentlyhave no ideawhat the true status oftheir scheduled flights really is. The situation truly resembles Hooterville Station ofthe long·ago Green Acres television show to 

### any potentialbusiness recruit, 

### with the result being they quickly look elsewhere.

The dramatic declinein the nw:nber of**peopl~** flying out ofLar¥e cannot beblamed on the economy, the fault lies directly:with t4e currerit BAS serviceiprovider andthe situation must be rectified with this oppOrtunityifprospects for reversing this trend are to have any chance. · ·
Thank you in advance for your consideration ofrn:y .comments.

'chard C. Bohling Albany County & Prosecuting Attorney
RB/ej
Copies to: Laramie Regional Airport Board Albany County Conunissioners

Sender's e-mail addfll!i1< t'bolillng@co.all:lru\y

..wy.us 

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