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# Siou xGATEWA Y

# AIRPOR T

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Novembe r 18 , 201 1 Mr . Denni s J . DeVan

y Chief , Essentia l Ai rService Divisio n Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysi s Unite d State s Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w JerseyAvenue , S E Wasiiington , D

C 2059 0 Re : Docke t No : DOT-OST-2011-013 1 Dea riVir . DeVany : Th e Siou xCity , Iowa , airpor t i s operate d b yth e Siou xCit

yAirpor t Board o f Trustees . A s operato ro f th e airport , ou rBoard ha

s bee n closel yfollowin g th e EA S proces s initiate d thi s pas t summe rb yDelt a Airlines . Whe n you roffic e receive d proposal s fro m bot h SkyWest (offerin g servic e throug h Delta ) an d America n Eagle , ou rBoard no t onl yexamine d th e proposal s closely , bu t w e als o solicite d writte n comment s fro m th e public . Additionally , th e Board hoste d tw o publi c meeting s a t whic h representative s fro m bot h airline s presente d thei rvision s o f servic e fo rou rcommunit yan d answere d question s fro m citizen s wh o attende d thos e presentations . A t th e completio n o f thi s revie w process , ou rBoar d hel d a publi c meetin g t o discus s whethe rt o indicat e a preferenc e t o th e US-DOT . W e have toda yvote d overwhelmingl yt o stat e tha t ou rpreferenc e i s fo r you roffic e t o negotiat e wit h America n Eagl e fo rth e EA S contract . Th e reason s ar e a s simpl e a

s the yare compelling : 1 . Variou s marke t analyse s ove rth e years continu e t o sho w Chicag o a s th e to p destinatio n fo rth e Siou xCit ycatchmen t area . No t onl yi s Chicag o ou rto p destinatio n bu t th e numbe ro f domesti c an d internationa l connection s ar e fa rgreate rtha n thos e a t th e Minneapoli s hu b w e currentl y access . Fo rthes e reasons , ou rai rservic e developmen t effort s ove rth e las t severa l years have bee n targete d a t addin g servic e t o Chicago . Minneapolis , bycontrast , i s no t significan t destination . 2 . America n Eagl e intend s t o use th e EA S subsid ya

s a springboar d t o self-sustainin g service . America n Eagl e an d America n Airline s hav e a demonstrabl e historyi n succeedin g wit h thi s goa l a t othe rairports . Delta , b ycontrast , i s unabl e t o operat e fro m thi s marke t withou t subsid ynotwithstandin g tha t Delt a an d it s predecessors have bee n flyin g th e SUX-MS P rout e fo r decades . 3 . America n Eagl e ha

s indicate d a n interes t i n addin g additiona l service , mos t likel yt o thei rhu b a t DFW , a s th e marke t develops . Thi s i s significan t no t onl yfo rth e additiona l trave l option s i t woul d provide , bu t als o becaus e Dalla s i s th e secon d to p destinatio n fo rtraveler s fro m ou r catchment . 4 . America n wil l have a marketin g presenc e i n Siou xCit yan d als o ha

s a pla n t o attrac t inboun d customer s t o thei rSiou xCit yservice . Delt a ha

s neither , an d SkyWest ha s provide d n o concret e pla n t o addres s thi s deficiency . Althoug h th e America n Airline s subsid yreques t i s large rtha n tha t requeste d b ySkyWes t (Delta) , w e fee l tha t thei rproposa l provide s th e communit ywit h th e bes t opportunit yt o achiev e long-ter m viabilit y withou t endles s subsidies . Fo rthes e reasons , w e respectfull yas k tha t yo u awar d America n Eagl e Airline s th e Essentia l Ai rService (EAS ) bi d fo rSiou xCityservic e t o Chicago .

Danie l Kapla n Presiden t Siou xGatewa yAirpor t Board o f Trustee s