oL OrlandoSanford 

INTERNA! ONAL A RPORT 

SANFORD AIRPORT 

AUTHORITY 

Board of Directors 

**** * 

G. Geoffrey Longstaff 

Chairman 

Tim Donihj 

Vice Ctiairman 

Stephen P. Smith 

Secretary/Treasurer 

Tom Ball 

Board Member 

U. IHenry Bowlin 

Board Member 

David L. Cattell 

Board Member 

Whitey Eckstein 

Board Member 

William T. Litton 

Board Member 

Brindiey B. Pieters 

Board Member 

A.K. Shoemaker 

Chairman Emeritus 

Kenneth W. Wright 

Counsel 

Larry A. Dale, C.IVI. 

President & CEO 

**** * 

August 31, 2011 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 cn 

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Re: Lakeland Airport's Small Community Air Service Development Program 

Application 

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0119 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

I am writing to correct a number of incorrect statements contained within 

Lakeland Airport's application for consideration of funding as part of the Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. On Page 7 and again on Page 9 

of their application, it is mentioned that Lakeland Airport is located closer to 

Disney World and SeaWorld than Orlando Sanford International Airport. This is 

simply not correct. Orlando Sanford is 34 air miles from Disney World while 

Lakeland is 38. In addition, Orlando Sanford is 29 miles from SeaWorld while 

Lakeland is 44. Actual driving distances vary slightly depending on which 

resource used, but to say Lakeland enjoys a distinct advantage over Orlando 

Sanford's relative proximity to Disney World is not accurate since they are 

generally the same. SeaWorld, on the other hand, is unarguably a 10 mile shorter 

drive from Orlando Sanford. 

While these points may seem somewhat trivial in considering Lakeland's request, 

submitting such basic facts incorrectly seems to draw into question the credibility 

of the rest of the material in their application. For example, to assert the Lakeland 

community lacks nonstop service to key markets or suffers from high fares is hard 

to take seriously. Roughly 210 nonstop routes exist within 75 air miles of 

Lakeland. These nonstop services are composed of a diverse blend of "legacy", 

"low-cost", "ultra low-cost" and public charter carriers. No other region in 

Florida has the quality of service conveniently enjoyed by those who reside in the 

Lakeland corridor. 

(407)585-4000 • 1200 Red Cleveland Boulevard Sanford, Florida 32773 

www.OrlandoSanfordAirport.com 

• Fax: (407)585-4045 
Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

August 31. 2011 Page 2 

Further, on April 6, 2011, an online article published by the New York Times ranked MCO #3 

and TPA #4 in regard to the most competitively- priced large airports in the U.S. This same 

publication also ranked PIE and SFB the #1 and #2 most competitively-priced small airports in 

the U.S. Based on this data, it is fair to suggest that perhaps no other region in the United States 

enjoys such a wide array of nonstop services at such affordable fares. 

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Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

August 31. 2011 Page 3 

Lakeland believes they should be considered for a grant due to "Some cities and entire regions of 

the U.S. still lack nonstop service to Central Florida and have average fares significantly higher 

than do cities in their peer group." It is also Lakeland's belief that the SCASD Grant Program 

was designed for precisely their situation. However, it is my understanding the Program was 

designed for communities with actual service deficiencies and resulting economic hardships. 

Accordingly, it would seem greater needs and more salient uses of the Program's fimds must 

exist. It should be noted that Orlando Sanford International Airport has never been the recipient 

of a SCASD Grant, but has developed its own commercial service, both domestic and 

international, on its own merits. 

Larry Dale, 

President and CEO, Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)