JOHN H. COX III

Mayor

CITY COUNCil

Tommy L. Benson. III. Ward 1

Lois Hawkins. Ward 2

Carolyn Weathers, Ward 3

Belty j. Walkins, Ward 4

Ann Hollo.~Il, Ward 5

Ernck D. Simmons. Ward 6

CITY OF GREENVILLE

p.O. Box897 • 340 Main51. • Grrenville, ~fu;is;ippi 38701 • Telephone: 662-378-1501 • Facsimile: 662-378-0276. Email:johncox@grrenvillems.org

January 24, 2014

Mr. Travis Christ

Chief Commercial Officer

Silver Airways

1100 Lee Wagener Blvd.

Suite 212

Fort Lauderdale, FL33315

Dear Mr.Christ,

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This is a joint letter from the Mayors of Greenville and Tupelo, Mississippi to Silver Airways

requesting an adjustment in the existing pattern of air service provided by Silver Airways at our

two cities.

Silver Airways assumed the Essential Air Service (EAS)contract at our two cities October 1, 2012.

The Departm'ent ofTriulsportation EASaward to Silver called for 18 round trips flights per week on

a'routing of Greenville .:.Tupelo - Atlanta;using.SF-340 turboprop equipment. Subsidy level was set

at $7,044.795'iri tcitill annual silbsidy:.base'd'O'nthe projected Silver operating statistics presented in

theearrier'sEASbid,,: '.' ;, ......•....•.... i .•..;",.•t .; ".,. ' .•:"',

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For a variety of reasons of Silver service got offto a very uneven start in late 2012, with numerous

canceled and delayed flights and the delayed and then flawed introduction of booking display on

the Delta.com website. Also, Silver used the reservations system of Island Air for about the first

eight months of service. and then switched to its own identity and reservations system in June of

2013, For all these reasons traffic on the Silver service has been disappointing.

To the carrier's credit operational performance did improve gradually during 2013 and was within

acceptable airline service norms during late summer and early fall of2013.

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However, since about mid-November the operational performance of Silver Airways at our two

cites has declined significantly. Flight schedules are now basically unreliable and customer service,

which is critical when operations are unreliable, has also declined to the point where both airports

and city offices are flooded with complaints about local air service.

We do not want this to continue and we assume Silver Airways feels the same way. We do

appreciate that changes in the FAAregulations regarding pilot qualification and duty and rest time

have greatly impacted Silver Airways. We also appreciate that Silver is publishing a three flight per

day schedule'and rarely 'operating three flights a day and often operating flights late,.The result is,(:

further declines in'passenger traffica'iid further'damage to Silver's already damaged brand; '.~;: "."

reputation in otii'Citi"es .. ' .. r'

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JOHN H. COX III

Mayor

CITY COUNCIL

Tommy L. Benson, III, Ward I

Lois Hawkins, Ward 2

Carolyn Weather.;, Ward 3

Betty J. Watkins, Ward 4

Ann Hollowell, Ward 5

Errick D. Simmons, ward 6

CITY OF GREENVILLE

p.o. Box1117• 340 Main51.• Greenville, ~1i$i$ippi38701 • Telephone: (1,2-378-1501 • FalSimile: (1,2-378-0276 • Email:jolmrox@greemillems.org

This situation is not good for our two cities or for Silver Airways or for the tax payers regarding

subsidy expense.

After consultation with the DOT EAS Office our two cities believe that one immediate step that

might help this situation would be an orderly reduction in Silver service at our two cities from the

current 36 flights per week on the one stop routing to a 24 flights per week schedule on the same

routing.

This new schedule would retain the overnight flight pairing that starts in Greenville early in the

morning and returns to Greenville late in the evening, in both cases via Tupelo. The new schedule

would then just operate one midday round trip on an ATL - TUP - GLH - TUP - ATL routing. Total

weekday service would then be two round trips a day at each city with one round trip at each city

on each Saturday and each Sunday.

This would save Silver almost five hours of airplane flight time per day and free up an airplane for

roughly six hours a day. We assume this would help the carrier with pilot shortages and whatever

else in the way of operational challenges the carrier faces on its Atlanta operations.

It is not typical for any city to request a reduction in its air service. It is counter to our job as city

officials, which is to recruit and retain as much as service as we can. However, we desperately need

a reliable air service. Air service is essential to the health our local economies. This is very

important to us. We are willing to work with Silver Airways and feel that perhaps a two flight a day

schedule, flown reliably, is better than a three flight a day schedule subject to continuing delays and

cancellations.

Therefore we ask Silver to, on a mutually agreeable date in the near future, reduce service from the

current pattern of three trips a day to two trips a day along the lines of the above outline. However

we ask Silver to do this with a commitment to operate the two flights per day schedule reliably in

all circumstances except where weather or Atlanta congestion directly causes delays or

cancellations.

If we see that we have a consistently reliable two flight a day schedule we will commit resources to

promote that schedule locally. Right now, no public official who takes his or her responsibilities

seriously can authorize the spending of local money on air service promotion when the air service

to be promoted is simply not reliable and has the uneven history that Silver service at our cities has.

We further strongly urge Silver, given the damaged reputation of the service in our cities, to reduce

fares in a manner that will provide our residents with an attractive air service option. No amount of

billboards or media ads can repair a reputation as fast as attractive pricing.

Atlanta is the greatest hub airport in the world. The Silver aircraft are beautiful and the in-flight

service is very good. But air service has to be about consistent reliability. We appreciate the

operational challenges that FAA rule changes have imposed on Silver Airways. Let us work together
JOHN H. COX III

Mayor

CITY COUNCIL

1bmmy L. Benson, III, Ward I

Lois Hawkins, Ward 2

Carolyn Weather.;. Ward 3

Betty j. Watkins. Ward 4

Ann Hollowell, Ward 5

Enick D. Simmons, Ward 6

CITY OF G REENV1LLE

p.o. Box'i1j7• 340MainSt • GreeIllille, Mi$~i 38701• le1ephone:(1,2-37&-150 I•Facsunile:(l,2-37&-1J276 • Email:johncox@grreIlliUems.org

to find solutions that permit Silver Airways to be proud of the service they provide to Greenville

and Tupelo. These proposed solutions hopefully will pave the way for the carrier to re-bid later this

year to continue to be our air service provider with a two trip a day pattern.

Please let us know as soon as possible if Silver Airways would like to pursue this service reduction.

The DOT has indicated to us that they would permit such a reduction. Silver Airways subsidy would

continue to get subsidy payments at the same per flight rate as it is now, meaning that total subsidy

payments would be reduced. But with that Silver would save a very significant amount of pilot and

aircraft hours each day, to the benefit of the overall carrier operation. And if we can have reliable

service we can hopefully increase passenger traffic and passenger revenue on the flights.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of this proposal.

Best regards,

d~~,~ M~or

cc: Honorable Thad Cochran, Senator for Mississippi

Honorable Roger Wicker, Senator for Mississippi

Honorable Bennie G.Thompson, Congressman for Mississippi District 2

Honorable Dick Hall, Mississippi Transportation Commissioner

Honorable Jason Shelton, Mayor of Tupelo

Honorable Carolyn Weathers, Airport Committee

Honorable Errick Simmons, Airport Committee

Mr. Kevin Schlemmer, Essential Air Service Program, U.S.DOT

Mr.John Marshall, COOof Silver Airway

Mr. Tommy Booth, Director of Aeronautics at MDOT

Mr. Cary Karlson, Economic Development Center of Washington County

Mr. Frank Howell, Delta Council

Mr. Mike Mooney, Sixel Consulting Group

Mr.Joshua Abramson, Executive DirectorTupelo Airport Authority

Mr. Draylon Gant, Director at Greenville Mid-Delta Airport

lIw.v.greemillems.org