Martin, Michael (OST) 

-^MCWTOt 

From: James Davis |jdavis@pineshealth.org] . - "'PQT'^Tir''' 

Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 5:49 PM •i^v!^'.0-'/?.'|r:-V:' rTo: EAS(OST) •,.,:[ ijYfMMrJ'- ^ 

Cc: Lisa Caron; kdoody@carynned.org; sadc@aroostook21 .com; Phil Bosse 

(Phil_Bosse@collins.senate.gov); Sharon Campbell (sharon_cafnpbelf@PPpwcs6ga<$.gov); 

Lisa R. Davis (cicirdavis@yahoo.com) ' ''^ ' ^'"^ 

Subject: Review of Proposals to serve the Northern Maine Regional Airport (PQI) in Presque Isle, ME 

Gentlemen, 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the priorities that should be considered when reviewing and awarding an 

Essential Air Service contract to any airline proposing to serve the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle, ME. I 

am the Chief Executive of Pines Health Services, the largest physician practice in Aroostook County and a Federally 

Qualified Health Center. Over the past four years, the practice has successfully recruited a number of physicians from 

across the country. One of the reasons for this success has been the availability of a nearby regional airport with direct 

flights to what many see as a hub airport - - Boston's Logan International. While physicians recognize the many positives 

associated with our rural, family-friendly environment, they also want to have access to commercial travel that enables 

them to connect to family members and other interests across the United States and around the world. Our clinical staff is 

truly international in origin, and as the relative supply of primary care physicians continues to decline relative to the 

demand from our aging and poorer population, we will see increased importance placed on the ability to easily fly in and 

out of the Northern Maine Regional Airport. 

With this context in mind, it is essential that any carrier proposing to serve the NMRA be able to deliver the following: 

• Adequate size plane - - minimum of 34 seats; a small regional jet would be highly desirable and provide greater 

flexibility as to the hub airport destination. We also cater to a large number of vacationers visiting Northern 

Maine. A smaller plane would be inadequate to accommodate the luggage needs of casual vacationers, 

fishermen and hunters. Since our County's population is among the oldest in the State, and Maine is second only 

to Florida as the oldest state in the nation, a plane must be large enough to have an on-board lavatory and be 

wheelchair accessible. 

• Selection of hub - - Boston has served adequately as the sole destination from Presque Isle, but frequently has 

weather problems that cause substantial air traffic back-ups. Our NMRA handles adverse weather conditions far 

better than Logan, but our passengers are essentially held hostage to the vagaries of operations at Logan. This 

can mean cancelled flights out of NMRA due to the aircraft being unable to take-off from Logan or, as a result of 

delayed arrivals from other cities into Logan, missing the last flight of the day from Boston to Presque Isle. 

Logan's terminals effectively close very early in the evening, and there's nothing worse (from multiple personal 

experiences) than being stranded at Logan. A regional jet could easily connect with New York's LaGuardia or 

New Jersey's Newark International airports, just as Bangor now connects with Atlanta's Hartsfield and Detroit's 

airports. 

• Flight schedule - - a minimum of three round trip flights should be established, with a strong preference given to 

any proposal providing more daily flights (Sunday - Friday) and at least three flights on Saturday. Our last 

departure is currently 3:15 PM Monday - Friday, making it impossible for business travelers to conclude a full 

day's worth of business in Aroostook County before heading to the airport. We need a fourth, later daily 

departure. 

• Competitive fares - - It makes no sense for a round-trip fare from Presque Isle to Boston to cost $300 or more, 

even with an advance reservation, when other commercial airlines can fly passengers from coast-to-coast for less 

(far less, when taking into account sales and promotions). Any carrier serving the NMRA should have the 

business objective of making the route commercially viable. Competitive fares will rapidly get people out of cars 

and into airplanes. While this might not be within the purview of the Department of Transportation, establishing a 

routine round-trip fare at $150 - $200 will markedly increase passenger miles in very short order. There are many 

Aroostook business and casual travelers who now make the 3-hour (one-way) drive to Bangor International 

Airport (BGR) to obtain lower fares, more attractive hub destinations, and greater flexibility in scheduling which 

that airport provides. 

Again, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the commercial airline needs of our northern Maine community from 

the perspective of a frequent business and personal traveler. Please feel free to contact me using the information 

supplied below if I can respond to any questions that might arise. 

1 
Sincerely, 

James M. Davis 

Chief Executive Officer 

Pines Health Services 

PO Box 40 

Caribou, ME 04736 

207/498-2359 x2022 

idavis@Dineshealth.orq