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60 0 FOURTH STREE T INTERNATIONA

LFALLS , M

N 5664 9 Telephon e 218/283-948 4 FA X 218/283-359 0 OFFIC EO FMAYO R Shawn Maso n 

### o::i? - Mr . Denni s J . OeVan y Chief , Essentia l Ai rService Divisio n Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysi s U . S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerseyAvenu e S E Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Novenr>ber21,201 1 J ; > _ 

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Dea rMr . DeVany , O n behal f o f th e Cityo f Internationa l fall s an d i n conjunctio n wit h Koochichin g County , ou rairpor t partne ran d co-owner , I woul d lik e t o take thi s opportunit yt o than k yo u fo rallowin g u s t o commen t o n th e proposal s fo rcommercia l ai rservic e offere d fo rFall s Internationa l Airpor t unde rth e auspice s o f th e federa l Essentia l Ai rService program . Befor e addressin g th e specific s o f th e proposals , I woul d lik e t o outlin e wha t w e a s a communit yhav e determine d ar e ou rmos t fundamenta l requirement s fo rai rservice . Thos e critica l point s ar e liste d below . W e als o hav e worke d wit h th e Minnesot a Offic e o f Managemen t an d Budget/Managemen t Analysi s an d Developmen t Divisio n t o complet e a surve yo f communit ystakeholder s an d th e result s ar e include d wit h ou rsubmission . Thos e result s confir m an d greatl yexpan d upo n ou rdiscussio n below . W e hav e Identifie d th e followin g ai rservic e need s a s critica l t o th e socia l an d economi cwell-bein g o f ou r community . I wil l addres s the m i n turn . • Sufficien t summe rcapacity . • Reliabilit yo f service . • Appropriat e scheduling . Sumnrte rcapacit y I t i s wel l known , an d w e certainl yacknowledge , tha t fo rtraveler s comin g fro m outsid e th e region . Internationa l Fall s an d th e large rRain yLak e are a ar e primaril ya summe rdestination . A s a n internationa l por t o f entry , w e als o serv e a s a gatewa yfo rtourist s enterin g an d departin g fro m Canad a fo rsumme r vacatio n travel .Ou rrecord s indicat e tha t averag e dail yboarding s fro m Fall s Internationa l Airpor t a s wel l a s dail y arrivals , betwee n Memoria l Da yan d Labo rDay , equa l o rofte n excee d th e 6 7 dail yseat s allowe d fo r subsidizatio n unde rth e EA S program . Delt a Airline s ha s responde d t o tha t economi creal'rt yb yaddin g a thir d unsubsidize d fligh t durin g summe rmonth s sinc e Jun e 201 0 whe n ou rEA S agreemen t wit h the m was finalized . W e believ e i t i s critica l tha t whateve rcarrie ri s chose n fo rservic e a t IN L hav e th e capacityt o increas e summe roption s a

s neede d t o accommodat e th e requirement s o f ou rloca l touris t economy , a t leas t u p t o th e maximu m seat allowanc e provide d fo runde rth e EA S program . Withou t th e require d numbe rttf ^ seat s t o mee t ou rtraffi cneeds , ou rloca l resor t businesse s wil l suffe rand , alon g wit h them , th e subsidiar ybusinesse s tha t rel yo n summe rtouris m fo rthei rmainstay . W e ar e no t askin g fo rmor e seats tha n w e need . W e as k onl ytha t th e Unite d State s Departmen t o f Transportatio n require s - o ra t leas t allow s fo r- ou rselecte d carrie rt o provid e th e maximu m 6 7 seat s permitted , fo rth e perio d fro m Jun e throug h August , whic h woul d certainl ysee m t o b e a fairl ygoo d fi t fo rou rsumme rnumbers . Nearl yhal f o f ou rannua l enplanement s accru e during ou rshort thre e month s o f summer , W e canno t affor d t o los e 1 0 t o 1 5 percen t o f tha t tota l fo rlac k o f jus t a fe wseats pe rday . (See enclosure. ) Reliabilit yo f servic e I t i s ou runderstandin g that , nationwide , mos t airlin e cancellation s ar e weather-related . W e stan d wit h ever yothe rmembe ro f th e travelin g publi ci n support o f safet yfirs t an d foremost . However , give n ou r geography , w e ar e pron e t o a significan t numbe ro f weathe revents , particularl yi n th e winter , causin g a n occasiona l dela yo rcancellation . I f a les s tha n stella rperformanc e recor d i s combine d wit h ou ralread ychallengin g weathe renvironment , w e are concerne d w e wil l experienc e a significan t leakag e o f traveler s durin g th e winte rmonths . W e hav e a robus t cold-weathe rtestin g operatio n base d a t ou rairport , whic h draw s client s fro m al l ove rth e world . Ou rairpor t als o doe s a fai ramoun t o f busines s i n winte rmofrthsJaterin g t o "snowbirds " an d othe rleisur e traveler s wh o see k a respit e fro m ou row n hars h weather . Everyon e her e understand s abou t weather . Bu t havin g a fligh t no t sho wu p fo rothe rreason s mean s tha t next yea rpeopl e wil l likel ydepar t fro m somewher e else . I t i s to o time-consumin g an d expensiv e t o b e disappointe d i n tha t manner . W e hav e spen t man yyears , decade s actually , buildin g a trustin g relationshi p wit h ou rclient s o n bot h side s o f th e internationa l borde ran d w e fea rbreakin g tha t trus t throug h n o faul t o f ou rown . Ou rairpor t sno wremova l operation s are excellent , a s yo u migh t expect give n ou rlocale . W e wil l pledg e t o ou rcommercia l servic e partne rt o continu e tha t traditio n an d t o provid e impeccabl ysaf e an d reliabl e condition s i n whic h t o operate , an d w e ca n onl yhop e tha t ou rdesignate d carrie rwil l wor k t o matc h ou r leve l o f dedication , i n term s o f thei rreliabilit yo f equipmen t an d maintenanc e an d sufficiencyo f fleet .Appropriat e schedulin g

A s previou s documentatio n wil l show . Fall s Internationa l Airpor t experience d a significan t declin e i n enplanement s betwee n summe ro f 200 9 an d summe ro f 2010 . I n summe ro f 2009 , Delt a Airline s announce d cessatio n o f servic e t o INL , forcin g ou rentr yint o th e E/V S program . Tha t fall . Delt a reduce d ou rdail yfligh t availabilit yan d impose d a fligh t schedul e tha t wa s highl yunfavorabl e t o ou rclientele , wit h a firs t dail yfligh t leavin g afte rth e noo n hou ran d a fina l fligh t leavin g fro m Minneapolis/St . Pau l fo r a retur n t o IN L aroun d 2:3 0 p.m. , a n impossibl ysmal l windo wfo raccess t o an d fro m ou rairport . Delta' s initia l 200 9 EA

S proposa l fo rIN L suppose d a continuatio n o f tha t sam e schedule , whic h ha d cause d a 3 0 percen t di p i n ou renplanemen t rat e almos t immediately . Th e communit yresponde d b y askin g U.S . DO

Tt o rejec t th e Delt a proposa l unles s a mor e reasonabl e schedul e coul d b e agree d upon , an d U.S . DO

Tresponde d favorabl yo n behal f o f th e community.'Sinc e th e curren t EA S contrac t wa s finalize d i n Jun e 2010 , allowin g us a mor e reasonabl e schedul e wit h a n earl ymornin g departur e an d a n evenin g return , ou renplanement s have continue d t o clim b bac k towar d thei rpreviou s levels , despit e th e challengin g economy . W e realiz e an d understan d tha t U.S . DO Tcanno t mandat e a particula rschedul e o f servic e fro m a carrie r whe n i t award s a n EA

S contract . Bu t w e kno wfro m experienc e ho wdevastatin g ~ o rpromisin g ~ a schedul e ca n be , an d w e as k simpl ytha t U.S . DO

Twor k wit h u s t o ascertai n tha t th e reasonabl e schedul e requirement , pe rth e languag e o f th e initia l legislation , i s a specifi cpar t o f ou rultimat e contract . Sovereig n Ai rm A s tothdproposal s tha t have bee n tendere d fo rFall s international , i t i s q^ runderstandin g tha t Sovereig n Ai rdoe s no t have a curren t operatin g certificat e an d therefor e i s no t abl e a t thi s tim e t o fulfil l th e conditions o f th e proposa l i t ha s pu t forwar d fo rINL . Whil e th e aircraf t siz e an d fligh t frequenc yoffere d woul d see m t o b e a goo d fi t fo rou rairport , an d th e financia l requirement s ar e no t ou t o f lin e wit h wha t i s currentl ybein g paid , w % nevertheles s canno t recommen d tha t yo u plac e u s wit h a carrie rno t availabl e fo rservic e a t thi s time . Grea t Lake s Aviatio n W e recogniz e tha t Grea t Lake s Aviatio n (GLA

) has a n establishe d historyo f servin g regiona l airport s simila rt o ou row n an d tha t GL Aappears abl e t o provid e th e leve l o f servic e offere d i n it s proposal . W e therefor e endors e th e selectio n o f GL Aas ou rEA

S carrier . W e d o s o howeve rwit h certai n request s an d caveat s i n keepin g wit h th e point s outline d above . W e woul d appreciat e U.S . DO Tsuppor t i n framin g an ycontrac t wit h GL At o include :

• Assurance s tha t w e wil l hav e a fligh t schedul e deeme d reasonabl e withi n th e inten t o f th e EA S legislation . Privat e conversation s wit h GL Asee m t o indicat e the ypla n t o overnigh t a n*\ . aircraf t a t INL . Ou rcurren t EA S contrac t wit h Delt a stipulate s tha t arrangement . W e woul d lik e t o hav e suc h a stipulatio n include d i n a contrac t wit h GLA . Afligh t u p an d bac k

fro m th e Twi n Citie s i n th e evenin g an d anothe r(possibl ydeadheaded ) fligh t u p an d bac k

i n th e ver

yearl ymornin g seem s unnecessaril ycostl yan d als o open s th e doo r fo rquestion s aroun d reliabilit yo f performance , fo rweathe ro rwhateve rothe rreason s migh t apply .

• Recognitio n b yU.S . DO Ttha t th e maximu m 67-sea t allowanc e i s appropriat e fo rou rairpor t betwee n Memoria l Da

yan d Labo rDa

yan d consideratio n o f allowance s fo ran yadditiona l ^subsid ybeyon d th e 5 7 seat s pe rda yGL Ano wpropose s i n writing . Communit ycommitmen t Ther e i s n o questio n tha t ou renplanement s wil l declin e unles s th e abov e condition s are implemented , simpl ybecaus e o f a significan t reductio n o f availabl e seat s i n th e summer . I t i s ou runderstandin g tha t a n increas e i n enplanement s i s on e o f th e goal s o f EA S legislation , s o i t i s i n keepin g wit h tha t understandin g tha t w e as k yo u t o hel p u s maximiz e ou rpotentia l a s muc h a s possible , or , a t th e very least , no t t o leav e u s vulnerabl e t o foreseeabl e obstacles . Eve n wit h th e maximu m numbe ro f seats i n summer , i t i s quit e possibl e tha t ou renplanement s wil l di p i n an yeven t becaus e o f publi cperceptions , righ t o rwrong , tha t ther e has bee n a reductio n o f th e leve l o f servic e a

s t o aircraf t typ e an d othe r"convenience " matter s t o whic h peopl e hav e becom e accustomed . Fo rou rpart , w e ar e engage d i n an d committe d t o numerou s marketin g an d plannin g initiative s an d wil l . d o everythin g i n ou rpower , o n bot h side s o f th e border , t o maintai n ou rnumber s i n th e fac e o f thes e challenges . W e simpl yas k tha t whateve rcontrac t ensue s doe s no t make ou rjo b mor e difficul t tha n i t alread yis . W e d o believ e tha t a goo d partnershi p wit h ou rassigne d carrie rca n b e productiv e fo ral l concerned . W e hav e th e infrastructure , w e have th e equipment , w e hav e th e communit ypartnershi p an d will . Withou t dispute , w e ar e standin g byt o wor k i n a positiv e manne rwit h th e carrie rand , i f th e carrie ri s willin g t o wor k wit h ou rcommunit ya

s well , an d has th e resource s t o d o so , w e ca n al l make thi s ventur e work . W e do , however , rel yo n U.S . DO Tt o support u s i n identifyin g an d outlinin g thos e fe wbu t specifi cneed s tha t wil l make al l th e differenc e an d byhelpin g u s t o assure the yare take n int o accoun t a s w e finaliz e a n arrangement . Lastly , w e awai t response s fro m GL At o a lis t o f question s provide d t o the m som e tim e ago . Th e question s addres s man yo f th e concern s raise d b you rconstituent s durin g th e surve yproces s conducte d b yth e state . W e hav e ha d verba l assurance tha t GL Awil l respon d an d w e respectfull yreques t tha tthos e response s are adde d t o th e docke t wheneve rthe yar e received , eve n i f no t i n tim e fo rth e Nov . 2 1

respons e deadline . W e than k

yo u a s always fo ryou rexcellen t hel p an d guidance . ic^ely . law n Mason , Mayo r Cit yo f Internationa l Falls , Minnesot a cc : Koochichin g CountyBoard o f Commissioners Chri s Roy , MnDOTOffic e o f Aeronautic s Pete rMakowski , Offic e o f Sen . A l Franke n Jerr yFallos , Offic e o f Sen . Am yKlobucha r Alis a Rossini , Offic e o f Rep . Chi p Cravaac k Lor i Lyman , Publi cAffairs , Bois e Pape r Fay e Whitbeck , Internationa l Fall s Chambe ro f Commerc e , Anthon yMason , For

t Frances , Ontario , Chambe ro f Commerc e Pau l Nevanen , Koochichin g Economi cDevelopmen t Authorit y Enclosures : MMB/MD Asurve yresult s " ' ^ Lette rfro m Koochichin g Economi cDevelopmen t Authorit y Chart wit h dail ysumme rfligh t pattern s