SPUX 

CITY ^=-°"' - -^ 

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Sioux GATEWAY AIRPORT 

•••! :: : n . /^ ^ 

November 18, 2011 

Mr. Dennis J. DeVany 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Wasiiington, DC 20590 

Re: Docket No: DOT-OST-2011-0131 

Dear iVir. DeVany: 

The Sioux City, Iowa, airport is operated by the Sioux City Airport Board of Trustees. As operator of the 

airport, our Board has been closely following the EAS process initiated this past summer by Delta 

Airlines. When your office received proposals from both SkyWest (offering service through Delta) and 

American Eagle, our Board not only examined the proposals closely, but we also solicited written 

comments from the public. Additionally, the Board hosted two public meetings at which 

representatives from both airlines presented their visions of service for our community and answered 

questions from citizens who attended those presentations. 

At the completion of this review process, our Board held a public meeting to discuss whether to indicate 

a preference to the US-DOT. We have today voted overwhelmingly to state that our preference is for 

your office to negotiate with American Eagle for the EAS contract. The reasons are as simple as they are 

compelling: 

1. Various market analyses over the years continue to show Chicago as the top destination for the 

Sioux City catchment area. Not only is Chicago our top destination but the number of domestic 

and international connections are far greater than those at the Minneapolis hub we currently 

access. For these reasons, our air service development efforts over the last several years have 

been targeted at adding service to Chicago. Minneapolis, by contrast, is not significant 

destination. 

2. American Eagle intends to use the EAS subsidy as a springboard to self-sustaining service. 

American Eagle and American Airlines have a demonstrable history in succeeding with this goal 

at other airports. Delta, by contrast, is unable to operate from this market without subsidy 
notwithstanding that Delta and its predecessors have been flying the SUX-MSP route for 

decades. 

3. American Eagle has indicated an interest in adding additional service, most likely to their hub at 

DFW, as the market develops. This is significant not only for the additional travel options it 

would provide, but also because Dallas is the second top destination for travelers from our 

catchment. 

4. American will have a marketing presence in Sioux City and also has a plan to attract inbound 

customers to their Sioux City service. Delta has neither, and SkyWest has provided no concrete 

plan to address this deficiency. 

Although the American Airlines subsidy request is larger than that requested by SkyWest (Delta), we feel 

that their proposal provides the community with the best opportunity to achieve long-term viability 

without endless subsidies. 

For these reasons, we respectfully ask that you award American Eagle Airlines the Essential Air Service 

(EAS) bid for Sioux City service to Chicago. 

Daniel Kaplan 

President 

Sioux Gateway Airport Board of Trustees